Chelsea Vs Arsenal

Chelsea Vs Arsenal
Sunday 13:30 BST
Stamford Bridge
Referee: Martin Atinkson


Back to square one

It feels like i have written something like this before, and i won't be surprised if i have because it's basically rinse and repeat. We play decent football for few weeks, win couple of matches and then boom. Self destruct. Put that statement in a loop and run the program again. This is what happened last week, and before anyone mentions the Red Card, i would like to say that i watched the 10 minutes before Koscielny was sent off and it really didn't look like we were up for it. Obviously a lot can happen later on but i don't think we are anywhere near good against the top teams as we should be. Similar incident was the 5-2 win against Tottenham but the situation was in reverse. They went down to 10 men after 12 mins but before that, they really could have scored 3 times against us. Both times we were at home as well.

The point is, We are more inconsistent than we ever have been. Normally it would be 'OK' however not this season. Competition for the Top 4 is more difficult than ever. If we are inconsistent then we will end up at 7th. Not 6th because that's where Liverpool might be, nor 5th that's where Everton may finish. straight mid table. This isn't an exaggeration. I am a positive fan and like to think we will finish top 4 but i really don't see how we can judging my the 1st half of the season. Winning 2 and losing 2 isn't Arsenal. We are going to Chelsea away, There is a very high chance that it will be our 2nd league defeat in a row.

A Blue derby

Chelsea have recently hired Rafa Benitez which will make things interesting for tomorrow. He has a tactical mind and if we play Theo upfront, he will most probably change his side to counter that move and Stopping Walcott is pretty easy which is why i think Wenger will leave it late to decide who to start upfront. However the key battle will be in the midfield. With no Arteta, Wenger can either go with the same midfield as Swansea or he can push Wilshere back as the B2B alongside Diaby with Cazorla No 10. I would personally keep Cazorla wide and play Wilshere as the No 10. I can see Podolski starting on the left and if Giroud starts then Theo will be there as the RF buf if Theo starts upfront then i guess it will be either Cazorla RW ( which i would prefer ) or Oxlade RW with the same team as against Man city.

Chelsea are a bit hot and cold. But they always turn it up against us. With Demba Ba in the team, they are a complete side who can beat anyone. This is why i don't see much positives on sunday

Team News

Chelsea captain John Terry could make his first start since November in Sunday's game against Arsenal. John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses are at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Oriol Romeu is a long-term absentee.

Arsenal central defender Laurent Koscielny is available after a one-match suspension. Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky remain sidelined with calf injuries, and Gervinho is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.


My Arsenal Team Against Chelsea

-------------------------------------------------Szczesny-------------------------------------------------

Sagna--------------------------Mertesacker-------------------Vermaelen-------------------------Gibbs

----------------------------------Diaby-----------------------Coquelin------------------------------------

Cazorla-----------------------------------------Wilshere-----------------------------------------Podolski

-------------------------------------------Waclott--------------------------------------------------------


Chelsea Probable

-----------------------------------------------Cech--------------------------------------------------------

Azpilicueta-----------------------------Terry/Iva-----------------Cahill---------------------------------Cole

-------------------------------------Luiz-----------------Ramires---------------------------------------

Oscar------------------------------------------Mata--------------------------------------------Hazard

--------------------------------------------Ba----------------------------------------------------------

Match Facts (BBC)

Head-to-head

• Chelsea have lost as many home games as they have won against Arsenal in the Premier League (W7, D6, L7).
  
• The Gunners won 5-3 on their last visit to Stamford Bridge in October 2011, with Robin van Persie scoring twice in the last five minutes to complete a hat-trick.
  
• However, Chelsea have lost only four of their last 22 meetings with Arsenal in all competitions (W12, D6, L4).

Chelsea

• Chelsea have won five and lost only one of their last seven league fixtures, scoring 20 goals.
  
• Chelsea have only won one of their six domestic games under Rafa Benitez at Stamford Bridge, while they have won their last six away matches under him.
  
• They have kept an unsurpassed nine clean sheets in the Premier League.
  
• Frank Lampard has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League starts. He is now the second highest goalscorer in the club's history with 194 goals - eight behind Bobby Tambling.

Arsenal

• Arsenal have fewer points after 21 matches than in any other season since Arsene Wenger took charge in 1996.
  
• They are unbeaten in their last five Premier League away matches and have only conceded nine away goals all season - the equal-fewest in the division with Swansea.
  
• Wenger's side have conceded the highest proportion (58%) of first-half goals in the top flight this season, according to Opta.
  
• The Gunners have yet to lose a game in which they took the lead, winning seven and drawing two.
  
• Theo Walcott has already scored a career-high 14 goals for the season in all competitions. Eight of those goals have come in the league - one shy of his best-ever tally in 2010-11.

Final words

I hope we can play more like we did against Swansea than against City. Although i am half expecting another defeat.

Great preview RG.. If we win this match there is a genuine chance for us to finish 3rd.. If we lose Chelsea will move very far away from us.. But lets not get our hopes high..
And again why Walcott upfront, just because he signed the contract ? He was totally anonymous in the last few games.. We cant make it too easy for them in such an important match.. There should be no second thought about starting Giroud.. But then problem will be where to play Cazorla.. If Jack is playing as CAM, then an inform Podolski or Walcott will be benched to make room for Cazorla in one me the wings..
So, you will have to either let Walcott play CF or Cazorla play CAM.. Both these cannot be avoided.. So i will choose to play Cazorla as CAM and withdraw Jack into a b2b role with Diaby..

Great thread!

I really hope that its:
----------Diaby------------Coquelin-------
Walcott---------Wilshere---------Cazorla
------------------Podolski-------------------

Wilshere was a GOAT last game where he played AM.. Where as Cazorla has been a ghost there for about over a month. I think if we have Jack at AM, well have the best chance to get a result

I dont think we are going to try Podolski as CF in an important game when he doing good in the left wing atm..

Wilson37 wrote:I dont think we are going to try Podolski as CF in an important game when he doing good in the left wing atm..

I know its highly unlikely given the game, just wishful thinking I suppose heh. I've just wanted Poldi to get starts there all season, but he only got one so far I believe and it was in the very first game of the whole season. Hes still been doing well but I think hed be even better for us upfront. And I thought Cazorla when he played on the LW last game was more involved than he has been in a while so I figured him starting there again wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Great preview

OptaJoe ‏@OptaJoe

31% - Theo Walcott has the best chance conversion rate of any player in the 2012-13 PL with more than 5 goals (excluding penalties). Signed.

pls be as clinical on sunday
and can be more involved cutting in from right i agree

Per should start.

Im not sure if Coquelin is ready for big game like this but he gives us more balance in midfield.

VendettaRed07 wrote:I know its highly unlikely given the game, just wishful thinking I suppose heh. I've just wanted Poldi to get starts there all season, but he only got one so far I believe and it was in the very first game of the whole season. Hes still been doing well but I think hed be even better for us upfront. And I thought Cazorla when he played on the LW last game was more involved than he has been in a while so I figured him starting there again wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Poldi played centrally against Swansea (the disaster 0-2 match) and had a miserable game. Don't think he's up for that position, way too lazy while him playing on the flank makes him work more.

Besides Poldi at Arsenal has a similar role to C. Ronaldo in Madrid, in paper he's a winger but he's supposed to be in the box all the time and is basically a striker. Same with Walcott.

I really hope we start a similar formation like against Swansea last match. If Arteta is fit start him for Coquelin (harsh I know)


Wenger won't bench Podolski again so I think we'll see something like this (again assuming Arteta is fit):

Nice work RG.

Media here in England reporting today that Terry will start.

I think we'll see:

Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Vermaelen Gibbs
Diaby Wilshere
Ramsey Cazorla Podolski
Walcott

Mannone Koscielny Santos Coquelin Chamberlain Arshavin Giroud

Cech
Azpilicueta Ivanovic Terry Cole
Luiz Lampard
Ramires Mata Hazard
Ba

Turnball Cahill Ferreira Betrand Oscar Marin Torres

Wenger will not start both Ramsey and Diaby due to lack of midfielders.

My opinion.

I highly doubt that I will be able to watch this, but I'm hoping for a win. Theo is one of the few wingers who consistently gets the better of Cashley, so maybe we should play him out wide with Giroud central, but we'll see what Wenger decides. Ramsey vs. Cole would be a terrible idea IMO.

I can't find any positives. Have no expectations from tomorrow.

Great job RG.

Chelsea have been struggling at home and this could be a bad thing for us. Been looking forward this game, we can find out where we are and if Wenger will go and spend some money.

I think the game will end 1-1.

Great preview, hoping for a 2-1 win

Thanks mate and welcome to the forum!

Podolski is having a late fitness test, could we see the ox come in, or santi go out wide like he did vs swansea with coq/arteta in the centre.

Chelsea to win 3 -1 or even 4 -1, this is a game that will make Wenger rush into buying players

GenBlizkin wrote:Chelsea to win 3 -1 or even 4 -1, this is a game that will make Wenger rush into buying players

Dont think like that, Wenger has made his mind up and unless we lose 8-2 again he will not go and sign players.

Lets get all 3 points and hope for Wenger to leave for PSG.