Chelsea vs. Arsenal match thread. 5/10/14 2.05pm (SS1)

hullaballoo

These sides have met 182 times in all competitions and Chelsea have amassed 71 wins against Arsenal's 58 wins, with honours even on 53 occasions.

On their last meeting at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat.

No Arsene Wenger side has ever beaten a team managed by José Mourinho but has split 2 points on 5 occasions.

Conversely, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 league games.

41% of all goals conceded by Arsenal last season were against teams that finished above them. (17 out of 41)


Obviously I am massively biased in my opinion but Arsenal are never anything other than a difficult match. Still, I reckon Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal.

http://eplindex.com/59670/chelsea-v-arsenal-preview-team-news-stats-key-men.html

GavRedKing

I reckon 3-1 too but im still cautious about the threat they can offer.

If they sit back and frustrate us for 30mins theyve a great chance but its not the Arsenal way, if there anyway as open as they were against Dortmund or if there as switched off as the last 10mins of the 2-2 City draw they could be opened up.

Its going to be a very interesting game and the first title contenders we're playing at the Bridge too.

bad2dabone

Generous to call us contenders, we're short in a couple of key areas to be that.

This game, more than any in the league, is one I fear. I can't see past a chelsea victory.

MaroonAndGreen

Looks like Chelsea will have enough to win but im wary of Arsenal.. I think the first goal will be key, if Chelsea go 1-0 up id be hugely confident... but if Arsenal manage to get the first it could give them big confidence considering they are in good form lately..

Ill say a 1-1 draw or a 2-1 Chelsea win.

Barr

Welbeck could be a concern , still fancy Chelsea 5-1:pac:

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Barr

Barr wrote: »

Welbeck could be a concern , still fancy Chelsea 5-1:pac:

Just to be a tad more specific, the 5 assists will be from Cesc

Panthro

23-0 to arsenal.

Barr

Panthro wrote: »

23-0 to arsenal.

7.6 hat-tricks for Welbeck :pac:

Panthro

Panthro wrote: »

23-0 to arsenal.

Tenner at evens?

abelard

Panthro wrote: »

23-0 to arsenal.

tayto lover

It all boils down to who scores first imo.
If Arsenal score first they could get great encouragement and maybe even go on to win the game.
If Chelsea scores first then I don't want to imagine what might happen given the mental frailty of the team.

Predicting a 1 - 1 draw. (but hoping and praying for a 7 nil to us)

tigger123

It'll be fascinating to watch Cesc tomorrow. Why Wenger turned him down I'll never know.

3-1 to Chelsea I reckon.

Panthro

I'll go for a Chelsea 2-0 win. Cesc and Andre to score.

GavRedKing

Some more stats

n the previous 5 seasons, Arsenal have lost 16 out of the 20 away meetings with the eventual top 5 teams, winning just once.

In 11 meetings with Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, Arsene Wenger is yet to register a win.

Arsenal have conceded at least 2 goals in their last 5 matches at Stamford Bridge in all competitions.

Chelsea have scored a league highest 19 goals so far, seven more than any other team.

Chelsea have won 25 of their last 30 matches at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Chelsea have kept 9 clean sheets in their last 11 home games in the Premier League

McDave

Hard to see past Jose's preparation yielding a win. Of course Arsenal could come out of the blocks, score early and make Chelsea chase. In those circumstances we'll have to work hard for the points.

Bounty Hunter

tigger123 wrote: »

It'll be fascinating to watch Cesc tomorrow. Why Wenger turned him down I'll never know.

3-1 to Chelsea I reckon.

Cos he plays in the one position Arsenal are pretty stacked already i.e Where Ozil, Ramsey, Cazorla & Wilshere all play (or are at their best). If he was a DM, CF or played in a number of other positions and was as good a quality player as Cesc is in those positions there is no way Arsene wouldn't have activated the buy back clause

Demosthenese

McDave wrote: »

Hard to see past Jose's preparation yielding a win. Of course Arsenal could come out of the blocks, score early and make Chelsea chase. In those circumstances we'll have to work hard for the points.

Chelsea fans ... Gas stuff. "Special supporters" ... for these reasons it'd be great to see Wenger finally break his duck against Jose and take a win away from him ... but alas the best team usually wins these games and Arsenal are generally cannon fodder for teams like Chelsea.

Early Welbeck goal, Costa hamstring injury and touchline ban for Jose after 20 mins ... would really set this game up for the neutrals.

3-1 Chelsea.

Braced for a pretty standard Chelsea win.

3-0

rottie 11

If we lose tomoro we are still top of the table lol . I hoping for a comfortable win tho 3-0

Godge

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Cos he plays in the one position Arsenal are pretty stacked already i.e Where Ozil, Ramsey, Cazorla & Wilshere all play (or are at their best). If he was a DM, CF or played in a number of other positions and was as good a quality player as Cesc is in those positions there is no way Arsene wouldn't have activated the buy back clause

So many people forget that.

Also buying Cesc back would have cost the same as Welbeck plus Debuchy plus Ospina.

SureYWouldntYa

Godge wrote: »

So many people forget that.

Also buying Cesc back would have cost the same as Welbeck plus Debuchy plus Ospina.

It's like United with Falcao. They only got him because he was available, not because they needed him, and it's gonna be hard to keep everyone happy

tayto lover

Godge wrote: »

So many people forget that.

Also buying Cesc back would have cost the same as Welbeck plus Debuchy plus Ospina.

How do you make that out Godge?
We had a buy-back clause and would have got him much cheaper than Chelsea paid. I read we'd have got him for 20 million.

djPSB

Fancy Arsenal to nick something here.

Alfred Borden

3-0 Chelsea

Andersonisgod

Massive day for Fabregas with so much of the build up being centered around him but if ever there was a player who can handle the pressure and emotional baggage of such an occasion it is Cesc Fabregas. The Catalan midfielder has been a godsend for Chelsea, the magic component the team was missing, he is one that of the best midfielders on the planet and he'll show that against Arsenal.

Skylinehead

Andersonisgod wrote: »

if ever there was a player who can handle the pressure and emotional baggage of such an occasion it is Cesc Fabregas

Based on?

klose

A win for arsenal and wengers first over mourinho could be something that would really kick start arsenals season, if Chelsea win with cesc pulling the strings it could be a big set back and a bit of fall out could ensue with arsenal fans not that that's nothing new.

Would say it will be a Chelsea win but hopefully it's a good game in any case, decent day of footie tomorrow!

Diabhal Beag

0-0 draw that people will fawn over despite there being maybe 4 clear cut chances all game.

GavRedKing

The best thing about the Cesc debate is hes played in the holding positions for us all year. Hes not started as a number 10 for us.

Arsenal are pretty cash rich and if they wanted to they could have spent money to bring in Cesc and another CM, like Matic to partner him if they wanted to.

im chuffed they didnt, we got 1 piece of an integral part of our early season form pretty easily.

Should be a good game, cant wait.

McDave

Demosthenese wrote: »

Chelsea fans ... Gas stuff. "Special supporters" ... for these reasons it'd be great to see Wenger finally break his duck against Jose and take a win away from him ... but alas the best team usually wins these games and Arsenal are generally cannon fodder for teams like Chelsea.

Early Welbeck goal, Costa hamstring injury and touchline ban for Jose after 20 mins ... would really set this game up for the neutrals.

3-1 Chelsea.

Well, don't beat yourself up for calling it right!

There was a time up to a decade ago when few were better than Arsenal, and neutrals admired them. But those days are long gone. There's no reason today why most neutrals, and even partisans, can't admire Jose Mk 2.

Andersonisgod

Skylinehead wrote: »

Based on?

The calmness of the man, Fabregas exudes calm, he epitomizes cool on the pitch and off it. Without wishing to go too far, he is a model professional, a fantastic inspiration for any young player.

Will I Amnt

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The calmness of the man, Fabregas exudes calm, he epitomizes cool on the pitch and off it. Without wishing to go too far, he is a model professional, a fantastic inspiration for any young player.

Unless he's just been to Domino's for a 12" Hawaiian...

Andersonisgod

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Unless he's just been to Domino's for a 12" Hawaiian...

Mistake of a very young player, I hardly think it's all that relevant so many years later. In any case, when you hear so many ex Man Utd players involved that day rave about former enemy Fabregas it leaves little doubt as to his quality.

gosplan

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Mistake of a very young player, I hardly think it's all that relevant so many years later. In any case, when you hear so many ex Man Utd players involved that day rave about former enemy Fabregas it leaves little doubt as to his quality.

Funny how the Barca hierarchy don't agree with you.

Andersonisgod

gosplan wrote: »

Funny how the Barca hierarchy don't agree with you.

That's not a judgment of his quality, it's a judgement of the joint inability to find a fully functioning role for him in the system, an inability to play with Messi and frustration on Cesc's part at limited opportunities. He's pitched up at Stamford Bridge and lit up the Premier League.

gosplan

Andersonisgod wrote: »

That's not a judgment of his quality, it's a judgement of the joint inability to find a fully functioning role for him in the system, an inability to play with Messi and frustration on Cesc's part at limited opportunities. He's pitched up at Stamford Bridge and lit up the Premier League.

Or ... He's a really good player but you might be going a bit over the top.

Andersonisgod

gosplan wrote: »

Or ... He's a really good player but you might be going a bit over the top.

No. Has he not lit up the Premier League? Has he not cemented a starting place in this new Spain side? Is he not one of the most gifted playmakers of his generation?

gosplan

Andersonisgod wrote: »

No. Has he not lit up the Premier League? Has he not cemented a starting place in this new Spain side? Is he not one of the most gifted playmakers of his generation?

Yeah but pretty much everything you say, people just take as ridiculous over the top praise of anything Barca related.

He lit up the premier league at the age of 17 btw.

Of course he's one of the lost gifted playmakers of his generation but you could say that about anyone. The stuff about calm and cool and model to kids is just random nonsense.

Andersonisgod

gosplan wrote: »

Yeah but pretty much everything you say, people just take as ridiculous over the top praise of anything Barca related.

He lit up the premier league at the age of 17 btw.

Of course he's one of the lost gifted playmakers of his generation but you could say that about anyone. The stuff about calm and cool and model to kids is just random nonsense.

Then people need to reevaluate.

Yes he did.

If you read Gary Neville's piece for The Telegraph, a lot of it is about how his calm and cool under pressure can lead to Fabregas equalling a Pirlo, Xavi or Scholes.

gosplan

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Then people need to reevaluate.

Yes he did.

If you read Gary Neville's piece for The Telegraph, a lot of it is about how his calm and cool under pressure can lead to Fabregas equalling a Pirlo, Xavi or Scholes.

It's not my fault I can't take you seriously.

Panthro

gosplan wrote: »

It's not my fault I can't take you seriously.

Neither is it Andersonisgod's!
But you pulled him up on his opinion first so....whataboutya like...

C'mon you Blues!

gosplan

Panthro wrote: »

Neither is it Andersonisgod's!
But you pulled him up on his opinion first so....whataboutya like...

C'mon you Blues!

Actually it is.

I'm not disagreeing with the fact that Fabregas is one of the best in his position but so is Matic, Costa etc.

Beyond that I find the rest a bit stomach churning

McDave

McDave wrote: »

There was a time up to a decade ago when few were better than Arsenal, and neutrals admired them. But those days are long gone. There's no reason today why most neutrals, and even partisans, can't admire Jose Mk 2.

You've still got JT in your team.

Panthro

[Deleted User] wrote: »

You've still got JT in your team.

JT was arguably the best CB last season. (Some would argue, I'm of the opinion he was the best CB in the league last season, sure I'm biased though!)

McDave

Deleted User wrote: »

You've still got JT in your team.

Yes, it's a real drawback not having the likes of Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama in our squad. Like everyone else has!

gosplan

McDave wrote: »

Yes, it's a real drawback not having the likes of Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama in our squad. Like everyone else has!

Just look at it as no-one would hate Terry as much if he wasn't so successful.

McDave

gosplan wrote: »

Just look at it as no-one would hate Terry as much if he wasn't so successful.

His absence during the WC was lamented by many's the pundit as England's defence wilted.

McDave

Panthro wrote: »

JT was arguably the best CB last season. (Some would argue, I'm of the opinion he was the best CB in the league last season, sure I'm biased though!)

Chelsea's defence was *excellent* last season. In comparison, the much more 'likeable' Torres and 'entertaining' Eto'o ultimately failed in their roles at the other end.

Meh!

Regardless of his skill on the pitch, he is an odious creature.

You were talking about neutrals. Friends of mine which would be neutrals to this match wouldn't support the sleeping-with-his-team-mates-wife racist.

You wanted a reason, I gave you one.

Panthro

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Regardless of his skill on the pitch, he is an odious creature.

You were talking about neutrals. Friends of mine which would be neutrals to this match wouldn't support the sleeping-with-his-team-mates-wife racist.

You wanted a reason, I gave you one.

Hope yer mate enjoys the game!
I'll be watching it with an arsenal buddy, he text me this morning saying he was just about to dust down his Fabregas jersey....then went...'oh wait...!'

Haha! Least the pup has a sense of humour, bless!