EPL: Konsa hails fans, teammates after impressive Emirates debut against Chelsea
English player, Ezri Konsa says he “felt right at home from day one” after making an impressive Emirates Stadium debut for Arsenal in their 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea on Sunday.
The defender contested 12 duels and won eight, his best figures in a Premier League game since December 2024, as he slotted seamlessly alongside Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
Konsa, a summer arrival from Aston Villa, also produced a memorable moment when he dispossessed Morgan Rogers as Chelsea attempted to launch a counter-attack, earning a big roar from the Emirates crowd.
Rogers is a former Aston Villa teammate and a good friend of Konsa’s, but the Arsenal defender said the relationship did not matter once the match began.
“[Rogers] is a good friend of mine, but on the pitch, it’s a different story. I saw the opportunity to go in and make the tackle, and it came off,” Konsa told Arsenal’s website on Sunday.
Reflecting on his debut, Konsa said he enjoyed the occasion, particularly his first London derby.
“I really enjoyed the occasion. My first London derby and I thought the fans were fantastic, superb. They stayed behind us throughout the whole game; without them, these games are impossible.”
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Konsa tackles Morgan Rogers
Konsa said the response after conceding demonstrated the character of the team.
“Conceding so early isn’t great, and I know we take a lot of pride here in keeping clean sheets, but I thought the reaction was second to none, it was fantastic. It just goes to show the character and the mentality of this team.”
The 28-year-old said he had quickly adapted to life at Arsenal after joining the club only a couple of weeks ago.
“I felt right at home from day one,” he said. “The boys have been top, the staff have been top. Like I said before in previous interviews, this style really suits me – I love the boss’ way of playing. The amount of quality that we have and the amount of quality I have around me makes things easier.”
Konsa, however, said Arsenal must maintain their focus despite their strong start.
“I think it’s important you go into different games with confidence. We’ve started really well but it’s still early days. We’re going to take it game by game and day by day.”
PUNCH Online reports that Konsa debuted last week against old club Aston Villa at the Villa Park playing 11 minutes in Arsenal’s 1-0 win.
Tosin Oyediran
Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.
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