Arsenal v Chelsea, k/o 8pm, Sky Sports

GavRedKing

Should be a good game, both teams have lost places due to every other team around them winning this weekend.

Arsenal have dropped to 3rd, Chelsea 5th.

A win will push Arsenal back on top and a Chelsea win will send them to 2nd.

The last 10 games between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates/Highbury

2003/04 - Arsenal won 2-1
2004/05 - Drew 2-2
2005/06 - Chelsea won 2-0
2006/07 - Drew 1-1
2007/08 - Arsenal won 1-0
2008/09 - Chelsea won 4-1
2009/10 - Chelsea won 3-0
2010/11 - Arsenal won 3-1
2011/12 - Drew 0-0
2012/13 - Chelsea won 2-1

Head suggests an Arsenal win, Chelsea have lost 3 games away, (Stoke, Newcastle & Everton)

This is by far the biggest test of Chelseas away fixture to date.

Jose has never lost to Wenger, which stands at 10 games now but tonight will be the biggest test of that record.

Good Monday night game, looking forward to it.

Hangballlouie

GavRedKing wrote: »

Should be a good game, both teams have lost places due to every other team around them winning this weekend.

Arsenal have dropped to 3rd, Chelsea 5th.

A win will push Arsenal back on top and a Chelsea win will send them to 2nd.

The last 10 games between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates/Highbury



Head suggests an Arsenal win, Chelsea have lost 3 games away, (Stoke, Newcastle & Everton)

This is by far the biggest test of Chelseas away fixture to date.

Jose has never lost to Wenger, which stands at 10 games now but tonight will be the biggest test of that record.

Good Monday night game, looking forward to it.

Will Lampard start do you reckon?

Agueroooo

game could be in jeopardy due to forecast of storm and major delays on London trains.

GavRedKing

hangballlouie wrote: »

Will Lampard start do you reckon?

Honestly, I hope not, unless its as part of a midfield 3 with Mikel holding.

Agueroooo wrote: »

game could be in jeopardy due to forecast of storm and major delays on London trains.

Ya I've heard about the train problems alright on Twitter, it'll be one to look out for.

.jacksparrow.

Will give Chelsea time to buy a proper striker before we face them!

IvySlayer

Hopefully I will finish my shopping for Christmas today and be able to put my feet up in time for this game, though I predict a 0-0 borefest

GavRedKing

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Will give Chelsea time to buy a proper striker before we face them!

We have one on Merseyside.

Oranage2

I wouldn't be surprised at at Chelsea win. Arsenal can't break down teams with decent defenses so if Chelsea sit back and try catch arsenal all the break they could get a lot of joy.

Also giroud will be bread and butter stuff for Terry. The only weakness is cahil or Luis.

Hopefully and arsenal win but I can't see it 2 - 1 Chelsea win

the whole year inn

Oranage2 wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised at at Chelsea win. Arsenal can't break down teams with decent defenses so if Chelsea sit back and try catch arsenal all the break they could get a lot of joy.

Also giroud will be bread and butter stuff for Terry. The only weakness is cahil or Luis.

Hopefully and arsenal win but I can't see it 2 - 1 Chelsea win

Are you a Chelsea fan

GavRedKing

Oranage2 wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised at at Chelsea win. Arsenal can't break down teams with decent defenses so if Chelsea sit back and try catch arsenal all the break they could get a lot of joy.

Also giroud will be bread and butter stuff for Terry. The only weakness is cahil or Luis.

Hopefully and arsenal win but I can't see it 2 - 1 Chelsea win

I'd love to agree with ya but if Walcott starts tonight I'd fear for back line.

We've been really poor at basic defending in recent weeks and I dont think we've had clean sheet in like 11/12 games.

One thing is we'll let goals in but if we can out score Arsenal it wont matter.

Leaving in stupid goals left right and centre against WBA, Stoke, Sunderland x2 doesnt fill me with great confidence really.

GavRedKing

the whole year inn wrote: »

Are you a Chelsea fan

:eek::pac:

No, no hes not.

Essien

I think Arsenals pace and movement in the last third is going to be too much for us unfortunately, and we don't have the goal scoring threat to win an open game. I fear a long night for Chelsea.

GavRedKing

Essien wrote: »

I think Arsenals pace and movement in the last third is going to be too much for us unfortunately, and we don't have the goal scoring threat to win an open game. I fear a long night for Chelsea.

Alot depends on our wide players, I'd like to see Hazard and Willian start out wide but Mata has a good record agaisnt Arsenal, hes scored in the last 4 games between the sides, hes the new Drogba. :pac:

Essien

GavRedKing wrote: »

Alot depends on our wide players, I'd like to see Hazard and Willian start out wide but Mata has a good record agaisnt Arsenal, hes scored in the last 4 games between the sides, hes the new Drogba. :pac:

They are similar in style and stature alright!

Whoever plays wide on the right is going to be busy covering for Ivan, assuming he starts. That area has been the root of so many goals conceded for a while now.

Frisbee

First time we've faced Chelsea in a long time that I'm not confident Chelsea will win and believe we actually can get a result.

Oranage2

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'd love to agree with ya but if Walcott starts tonight I'd fear for back line.

We've been really poor at basic defending in recent weeks and I dont think we've had clean sheet in like 11/12 games.

One thing is we'll let goals in but if we can out score Arsenal it wont matter.

Leaving in stupid goals left right and centre against WBA, Stoke, Sunderland x2 doesnt fill me with great confidence really.

But we have played terrible in the last 3 games and Jose knows exactly how to play arsenal.


I'll guess at a line up

Back 5

Flamini Ramsey
Walcott ozil Santi
Giroud

GavRedKing

Essien wrote: »

They are similar in style and stature alright!

Whoever plays wide on the right is going to be busy covering for Ivan, assuming he starts. That area has been the root of so many goals conceded for a while now.

Jose has many options, he could try sure it up and play Ramires that will kill our CM as Lamps/Mikel would be bypassed.

Schurrle could start and he'd be great on the counter, same goes for Willian but hes more of a productive threat.

Mata wouldnt offer us much defensively other than running but his ability to change a game is huge.

Ivan is a banker to start at RB, unless Jose confirmed Azp would start and it would be at Ivans expense at RB and Cole will play LB but with the Walcott threat I'd imagine its Azp to start.

GavRedKing

Oranage2 wrote: »

But we have played terrible in the last 3 games and Jose knows exactly how to play arsenal.


I'll guess at a line up

Back 5

Flamini Ramsey
Walcott ozil Santi
Giroud

I'd love to give you a Chelsea team but its impossible to guess.

I'll give ya 2 options, a 4-3-3 built for counter attacking or a 4-2-3-1

Cech
Ivan Luiz JT Azp
Ramires Mikel Lamps
Willian Torres Hazard

Or

Cech
Ivan Luiz JT Azp
Ramires Mikel
Willian Mata Hazard
Torres

djPSB

GavRedKing wrote: »

We have one on Merseyside.

Lukaku hasn't looked that great lately tbh.

Was playing much better last season imo.

djPSB

GavRedKing wrote: »

Alot depends on our wide players, I'd like to see Hazard and Willian start out wide but Mata has a good record agaisnt Arsenal, hes scored in the last 4 games between the sides, hes the new Drogba. :pac:

Schurrle will start I reckon. Mourinho likes him for these games.

Pepe LeFrits

Arsenal really need to win this. Otherwise the list of big domestic games where they haven't turned up will start to look like a serious problem.

That and a loss will leave Arsenal 4th.

Hangballlouie

fancy chelsea to win a tight game. Probably 1-0.

bad2dabone

huge game for the Gunners, I think Mou will set up for a draw - as he's entitled to do. If so I can see Chelsea frustrating arsenal, and even nicking an odd goal win.
Hopefully though the gunners will do the business.
I want a big game from Mesut.
My Mrs is due to give birth today, guaranteed to go into labor at 8 o clock!

GavRedKing

djPSB wrote: »

Lukaku hasn't looked that great lately tbh.

Was playing much better last season imo.

Comparing his league return to that of Eto'o, Ba and Torres hes a world beater.

:cool:

.jacksparrow.

Arsenals left wing will be the weakness, has been all season.

tayto lover

I think we will line up --

Back 5 (Kos instead of Vermaillen if fit)

Flamini Arteta
Walcott ozil Ramsey
Giroud

Nothing short of an Arsenal win will do for me.
You just have to win your home games.

Mickeroo

If this gets canceled due to weather we might as well just cancel Christmas altogether

CSF

Mickeroo wrote: »

If this gets canceled due to weather we might as well just cancel Christmas altogether

Has there been actual mention of this though? Can't find anything

bad2dabone

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Arsenals left wing will be the weakness, has been all season.

draxler in Jan and thats sorted then

GavRedKing

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Arsenals left wing will be the weakness, has been all season.

In Ivanovic we have the worst crossing RB of ball anywhere on the planet so he wont provide a threat at all and he is usually given the freedom of the flank as teams know his success rate is terrible, its whoever starts ahead of him could be the problem so take your pick from Mata, Willian or Schurrle.

Mickeroo

CSF wrote: »

Has there been actual mention of this though? Can't find anything

Only going by people mentioning it on here.

CSF

Mickeroo wrote: »

Only going by people mentioning it on here.

Until I see something in the national media about it I'm not overly concerned.

GavRedKing

Its just forecast for severe weather that could disrupt travel.

http://news.sky.com/story/1186299/weather-storm-everywhere-by-lunchtime

Noo

If I get up at 6am to watch this match and its cancelled I swear to baby jesus!

ionadnapokot

Its rare id back against a Mourinho team but.... i think they are vulnerable at the back and weaker in Midfield than Arsenal.
Walcot will run amock down the right. Ozil will be slipping passes between the Chewlsea FB & CB channel for Giroud and Walcott. I think Flamini should start this game ahead of Arteta. He is far better at reading the game, tracking the runs from midfield (Hazard) and can cut out the passes that Chelsea will try to thread into Oscar/Schurrle.
However, Mourinhos record is excellent against Arsenal.
Should make for a very interesting match.

duploelabs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwCJ6s7wBRw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

bad2dabone

Feeling fierce nervous now. Massive game.

double GG

This is set up for a cracking game, I still think Chelsea can nick it, perhaps 2-1.

Roddy23

bad2dabone wrote: »

huge game for the Gunners, I think Mou will set up for a draw - as he's entitled to do. If so I can see Chelsea frustrating arsenal, and even nicking an odd goal win.
Hopefully though the gunners will do the business.
I want a big game from Mesut.
My Mrs is due to give birth today, guaranteed to go into labor at 8 o clock!

If we win and Ozil gets a hat trick you'll have no other option to call the kid Mesut.

Can see this being a tight game. Mourinho will try set Chelsea up to hit us on the break. I'm not too happy with Kos out injured, but hopefully Wally can give us a bit more penetration up front. Arsenal to win 2-1.

premierstone

Oranage2 wrote: »

Arsenal can't break down teams with decent defenses.

Good job we are playing Chelsea so!

Paully D

This is what Christmas is about. No work, feet up with a few beers watching a top of the table clash

internelligent

As a Liverpool fan it's horrible to be nervous about this game where you want the outcome to be a draw.

Drexel

Arsenal really need a win. I think its goina be a draw tho

Jose knows exactly how to set up against us

SlickRic

is Oscar injured?

he wasn't in either of Gav's options, that's why I'm asking.

i'd have thought he'd be a must for this game.

GavRedKing

SlickRic wrote: »

is Oscar injured?

he wasn't in either of Gav's options, that's why I'm asking.

i'd have thought he'd be a must for this game.

Reason I've left him out is hes being coming back from a knock and hasnt been great, he does provide more running then Mata in the number 10 role and he could very well get the nod because of it but Willian has performed well in the last few games.

We could still start with Mata on the right, Hazard left and Oscar in the hole thats why its so hard to second guess Jose in these situations, I just dont know who'll start being honest but its what I'd like to see.

Oscar coming on to keep the ball and also to try and get in and around rsenal for the last 20mins as hes usually very busy in his work rate.

.jacksparrow.

Remember Jose famously shaking his assistants hands after job done against us in Highbury years ago?

Would love to see Wenger do the same with bould tonight!

Andersonisgod

A Chelsea win for me tonight. Mourinho's record against Wenger is excellent, while this isn't the same squad that Mourinho had last time, he showed in that Capital One Cup game earlier in the season that his set up against Arsenal team's works. Obviously it wont be easy but I think that a Chelsea side that is tight at the back and quick and expansive on the break always has a decent chance of getting a result against Arsenal and in the likes of Hazard, Oscar and Willian, Chelsea have the players to play that way.

SlickRic

the one sensible thing Mark Lawrenson has said in a long time is that we'll find an awful lot out about Arsenal from tonight.

if they lose, it's going to look like's it the same old story after the City defeat last week. if they win, you could argue that they might just have shifted up a level from previous seasons.

can't wait for the game.

oh, and i expect a draw, which will actually tell us very little really :P

michael999999

Over 4.5 goals at 4/1 looks tempting!

Liamalone

internelligent wrote: »

As a Liverpool fan it's horrible to be nervous about this game where you want the outcome to be a draw.

How can you be nervous about a match involving two other teams when we haven't even reached the halfway mark in the season?

hefferboi

Liamalone wrote: »

How can you be nervous about a match involving two other teams when we haven't even reached the halfway mark in the season?

A draw will see us top at Christmas. It'll be a big positive mentally for the squad. I agree though, no need to be nervous as it'll mean little to us in the long run because its so tight at the top this year.