Chelsea v Arsenal

[The Mad Muller]

Sunday, 3 October 2010 Barclays Premier League Chelsea v Arsenal, 16:00

[Curt.B]

f##k I am not looking forward to this game. But to be fair I think I'm dreading the Emirates game of this fixture even more.

Recent history suggests we are going to get absolutely pulled apart. I'd be delighted with a draw.

[Gunner_X5]

will be interesting to see how we cope. I fear not well.

[hopefulgunner1]

i think we can manage a draw, they just lost to city in the league which will be a disapointment, whereas we lost to west brom so will have a lot to prove, i think we will play to the best of our ability and who knows what the final score will be.

[Curt.B]

Drogba is going to tear Squid and Koz a new one. Neither have the strength in the air or on the deck to compete with him.

Also, Sagna is going to get obliterated by Malouda and Cole, just like last time. Our right flank is going to be wide open.

IMO The only way we can get a draw is if we play our hardest working midfield with Chamakh alone upfront, mostly because he will pressure the ball. Hopefully, if we just don't give them in inch, we can ride it out for 90 minutes.

But remember, if we go a goal down, it's game set match. there's no way we'll come back. We should just play for possession and simply try and keep the ball all game. Who knows, we might even frustrate them into a mistake that we can counter.

I think we should play:

Szszceny
Sagna Squid Koz Gibbs
Eboue Song Wilshere Diaby Arshavin
Chamakh.

Diaby is going to have to cover Gibbs and Arshavin a LOT. This game is going to be all about digging deep and working harder than we've every worked before. Eboue needs to play like a second righr back, rather than a right midifelder. It's imperative we defend well down the right and Sagna can't do it alone.

All that being said I think we can't play this way, our players have never been taught how to play this way or how to deal with a team like Chelsea, and I think we're going to get a right drubbing.

[Reddaz]

I really hope fabregas is back for this game. We are gonna need him.

[Craigie]

Our only hope is that they play Ferreira at RB and Clichy and Arshavin do more of a job on him than Cole and Malouda will do on Sagna, and for some reason I don't see that happening.

Even then Terry and Alex don't get beaten in their air, wheras Drogba will be all over our boys in the air. Not to mention that both goalkeepers will likely be playing for Chelsea.

For me Chelsea is the best team in the world. We can out play United, but we can't out play Chelsea, and they can out-do us at everything else.

Not optimistic. We could get a draw if we make no mistakes. We can keep it in the middle, not get countered against and not fail at set pieces and keep it at 0-0, but if we go 1-0 down I can't see anything other than a loss.

[Nasri_ftw]

We should just play for possession and simply try and keep the ball all game. Who knows, we might even frustrate them into a mistake that we can counter.

It might happen, but even then our chances are still small, Chelsea doesn't need 10 chances to score a goal like we do. And with Terry covering our only striker, and their power midfield it will be tough to create even 5 chances for us, especially without Cesc.

Draw is a success, 1-0 or 2-1 losses are OK... Just hope we play smart, with no big mistakes.

[Gunner_X5]

Fab less than 50-50 to play, diaby has an 80% chance, TV has none along with Theo, Rvp, Bendther etc and Almunia is doubtful.

We are going to play a very weakened team against Chelsea it seems

[Curt.B]

Chelsea doesn't need 10 chances to score a goal like we do.

Yeah that's easily the biggest problem. It's a hard ask at the best of times to stop a team getting a chance on goal at home, let alone Chelsea. First time their through it'll be 1-0, you just know it.

Sagna is talking about an open game and all that. f##k that. Curb your instincts guys and just grind this one out.