Chelsea Vs Arsenal Sun 3/10/10 KO 4pm Match Thread

VS

Chelsea currently sit 4 points away from Arsenal at the top of the league.

Victory for the Gunners would leave them one point adrift of the Blues and with Manchester United visiting in form (for a draw) Sunderland, this is a must win game for Arsenal especially with Manchester City and the Nouveau Riche on the same points in third.

Injury news:

In a game of two missing talisman, Chelsea are missing their playmaker, Frank Lampard, out with Gilmores Groin, which after a quick check on wiki looks very painful indeed.

Chelsea injuries:

Y Benayoun: Calf Muscle Strain
S Kalou: Thigh Muscle Strain
F Lampard: Gilmores Groin
J Bosingwa: Knee Injury

For Arsenal, the team they could put out of their injured players would probably beat the team they have to field on Sunday. Cesc Fabregas looks 50-50 on the negative side (so it should probably read 49-51) to make the squad. Thomas Vermaelen still hasn't recovered from his "short term injury" sustained 3 weeks ago.

Arsenal Injuries:

M Almunia: Arm/Elbow Injury
C Fabregas: Hamstring Injury
V Diaby: Ankle/Foot Injury
T Vermaelen: Achilles Tendinopathy
T Walcott: Ankle/Foot Injury
R Van Persie: Ankle/Foot Injury
E Frimpong: ACL Knee Injury
N Bendtner: Groin/Pelvis Injury
A Ramsey: Broken Leg

Supporters eyes will be focused on:

Chelsea:

Didier Drogba: It has to be doesn't it? He loves playing against Arsenal, he scores for fun against them and having been rested from the champions league midweek after that performance last week against Manchester City, all Chelsea fans will be calling out his name to make the back of net bulge.

Honourable mention: Malouda, Bloody hell, he's having a good season, isn't he?

Arsenal:

Lucasz Fabianski: Where do you even start with this one? Generally useless keeper who blunders more than most, but because of Almunia having a nervous breakdown everytime he's expected to catch a simple ball, Fabianski looks set to be thrown in the deep end, the lions den. the proverbial fish in a barrel that Drogba aims to shoot at. In fairness he had one good game against Partizan Belgrade, One swallow does not a summer make and "ne'er a clout until May is out" and other proverbials.

Honourable mention: Wilshire, Bloody hell, he's having a good season isn't he?


Forecast: It's hard to bet against Chelsea in this match which is why my money is going to my local alcohol servers Christmas party fund this weekend instead. Chelsea 1 - 3 Arsenal.

Scorpion Sting

I think Arsenal will spring a surprise and get something out of this game. I'm going for a 1-1 draw.

SlickRic

ah, the now bi-annual Drogba raping.

Paleface

I'd take a draw right now. Away from home with too many injuries and a defeat would be a huge pill to swallow.

smuckers

Think its going to be a comfortable chels win 3-0.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

If Cesc dosen't play Arsenal haven't a prayer...

SK1979

SlickRic wrote: »

ah, the now bi-annual Drogba raping.

This.

2-0 Chelsea

Fuzzy_Dunlop

No Fabregas, no Almunia, and no Gibbs according to Wenger today. Doesn't look good.

Johner

I'm going for Drogba 2-0 Arsenal.

bullpost

I'll go 3-2 to Chelsea with a Malouda hat-trick (on the basis that Drogba is due an off day against Arsenal).

shano_88

Heres hoping Arshavin and co. turn up on the day. We need so many players to step up to have a chance. Heart says Arsenal, Head says Chelsea.

Frisbee

3-1 Chelsea where we'll get one at the end when they've already one it.

Drogba x2, Anelka and Chamakh.

I hate this game so much.

GavRedKing

Im going say 2 - 0 Chelsea.

Hoping Drogba to destroy their weakened defence but fancy Anelka to hit the net also, and I have a feeling about Essien, another wonder goal like that at the bridge from about 40 yards out would be sweet :pac:

cson

Frisbee wrote: »

3-1 Chelsea where we'll get one at the end when they've already one it.

Drogba x2, Anelka and Chamakh.

I hate this game so much.

Massive +1 to this. Dreading this game.

3-1 Chelsea

Drogba x2, Malouda and Arshavin peno.

keano_afc

Cant see us getting anyhting out of the game, the embarrassing injury poblems biting us in the arse again. What a shambles we truly are when we cant go one game without adding somebody else to the list. No other manager in a pre-match press conference has to report on what players got injured in the last game. Wenger has to do it every single time it seems.

2-0 Chesley Rovers.

yahoo_moe

bullpost wrote: »

Drogba is due an off day against Arsenal

He's been due an off-day against Arsenal for quite some time though. And it hasn't come yet, unfortunately

12 goals in his last 11 against us :eek:

cson

This was on the third page of the forum...

Anyway; here's hoping the bi-annual Didier Drogba benefit match doesn't come to fruition today.

Allez les rouges!

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Anyone have the starting teams yet?

Johner

THFC wrote: »

Anyone have the starting teams yet?

Chelsea will more than likely be,

Cech
Ivan
Terry
Alex
Cole
Mikel
Essien
Ramires
Malouda
Drogba
Anelka

Eire-Dearg

Just a friendly reminder that you can place 3 free bets on this game over at BPF in a competition to win with Paddy Power. Nothing to lose!

Give it a go - http://backpagefootball.com/featured/hold-the-backpage-episode-10/

DazMarz

Any London Derby is always a dodgy game to call... Anything can happen in these games.

But I don't think that anything will happen here; Arsenal's injury woes have gutted an already stretched squad, with no Fabregas being the main problem. Also, when Arsenal are playing against the striker that loves scoring against them and they have to play their second choice calamity 'keeper... does not look good.

Contrarily, Chelsea are missing several players who I would have liked to play today, chiefly Lampard and Benayoun. Both are key players who can slide excellent passes forward to Drogba, Malouda and Anelka so as they can wreak havoc. But they will not be around today.

I honestly think that the factors against Arsenal weigh far too heavily upon them.

Keep Arshavin and Chamakh on a tight leash. Let the forwards constantly barrage Fabianski with shots from all ranges. Traumatise the Polish shot-''stopper'' (he doesnt stop too many, does he???) and keep the two Arsenal target men quiet... and this game can be controlled.

2-0 Chelsea, with Arsenal having a larger share of possession but pissing around with the ball for too long and squandering chances.

IvySlayer

THFC wrote: »

Anyone have the starting teams yet?

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Essien, Ramires, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy, Diaby, Nasri, Wilshere, Song, Arshavin, Chamakh

Thank god Wilshire is starting. With City Winning there, this surely has to be a must win game for the Gunners.

Team with subs:

Chelsea (4-1-2-3) Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole; Mikel; Essien,
Ramires; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.
Subs: Turnbull, Zhirkov, Ferreira, Sturridge, Van Aanholt, Kakuta, McEachran.

Arsenal (4-3-3) Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy; Diaby, Song, Wilshere; Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin.
Subs: Szczesny, Rosicky, Vela, Denilson, Djourou, Eboue, Emmanuel-Thomas.


Weird to JET on the subs bench for such a big fixture!

Johner

Come on you blues.

shano_88

Johner wrote: »

Come on you Reds.

fyp;)

greendom

Good to have Diaby in there, rather than Rosicky. He can provide a bit of much needed physical presence - I'm sure that's the plan, anyway.

shano_88

greendom wrote: »

Good to have Diaby in there, rather than Rosicky. He can provide a bit of much needed physical presence - I'm sure that's the plan, anyway.

Id prefer to have Denilson in there tbh, more protection for the back 4 and is a more consistent performer.

efb

Arsenal Chelsea on 46" TV, Ryder Cup on iPhone. Super Sunday.

Go Gunners and Europe!!!

Gonzovision

Come on Chelsea!!!

IvySlayer

Great minute for Arsenal so far!

2 yards, Arsenal should be ahead.

amacachi

Probably won't have a better chance than that all match.

Who's number 3 for Arsenal? Very poor against Drogba there.

IvySlayer

amacachi wrote: »

Probably won't have a better chance than that all match.

Who's number 3 for Arsenal? Very poor against Drogba there.

It's Sagna isn't it?

iMuse

Yeah sagna, That was a great chance in the first min

amacachi

iMuse wrote: »

Yeah sagna, That was a great chance in the first min

Didn't notice his hair from the high shot. He managed to break up an Arsenal attack there as well staying down, bloody stupid.

efb

Good clearance sanga

IvySlayer

Diaby is doing well so far.

efb

Good recovery Fab!

The_Kew_Tour

efb wrote: »

Good recovery Fab!

Lucky

IvySlayer

Oh ohhh Arshavin poor pass.

amacachi

Arshavin very poor today and lucky not to get booked there.

timetogetfit

Stream anyone?

efb

Good effort andre

IvySlayer

timetogetfit wrote: »

Stream anyone?

http://www.vipcanals.org/ch1.html

efb

close sammy!

amacachi

Doubt we're going to win, things just not falling right at all.

EDIT: Actually think we'll lose. :pac:

efb

Anelka poor for the Chelsea (Que Nic scoring)

efb

Another fine save Fab!!!

IvySlayer

Good save Fabianski!

iMuse

Paper wrists stops one for a change Should give him a bit of confidence

L'prof

amacachi wrote: »

Doubt we're going to win, things just not falling right at all.

EDIT: Actually think we'll lose. :pac:

We've looked good so far, much better than I was hoping for!

IvySlayer

L'prof wrote: »

We've looked good so far, much better than I was hoping for!

Then Drogba makes it 1-0!