EPL | Chelsea vs Arsenal| 04/02/17 | 12:30 K/O (GMT)

[Gooner n Proud]

I actually believe we'll win this one quite comfortably! Chelsea are a good efficient team with a defensive balance but they aren't world beaters, anytime they've come up against any top 5 team this season weaknesses in their setup have surfaced.
If players like Windaljum, Kane, Alii, Henderson and Mane can trouble them imagine what damage the likes of Alexis, Özil, Iwobi and Walcott could inflict.

Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Gibbs
Chamberlain Coquelin
Walcott Özil Iwobi
Alexis

Chelsea 0 5 Arsenal

 

[tap-in]

I think that's a common mistake for Arsenal fans, being confident before any match. We should just stop doing it.

You can spend your life on a downer if you wish!

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Walcott and Bellerin vs Alonso on his own. Hmmmm....

 

[Ewarwoowar]

I actually believe we'll win this one quite comfortably! Chelsea are a good efficient team with a defensive balance but they aren't world beaters, anytime they've come up against any top 5 team this season weaknesses in their setup have surfaced.
If players like Windaljum, Kane, Alii, Henderson and Mane can trouble them imagine what damage the likes of Alexis, Özil, Iwobi and Walcott could inflict.

Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Gibbs
Chamberlain Coquelin
Walcott Özil Iwobi
Alexis

Chelsea 0 5 Arsenal

I admire the optimism, I'm usually a hopeful person myself, if We score 3 We'll do what We did at home and ease off, so I could not envisage any more than 3.

 

[GDeep™]

12.30PM ffs?

 

[say yes]

Hazard and Alonso vs Gabriel on his own. Hmmmm....

 

[say yes]

12.30PM ffs?

Terrible scheduling,

Going to have to watch this pack of ****s mid-comedown.

 

[GDeep™]

Steve Bould better pull his finger out, already damaging Wenger's 67% win record.

 

[Rimaal]

Arsenal stuck in self-defeating cycle as they head for Chelsea showdown

....

A forlorn Wenger tried to make sense of why his team capitulated against Watfordon a damp, dispiriting night but there were no easy answers. His crestfallen expression suggested his difficulty explaining this psychological foible in his team. He had warned them to be wary of Watford, to expect them to put energy and physicality into it. Don’t be casual. Don’t just go out there and expect an easy ride. (They were inexplicably casual.)

Not for the first time this season Arsenal wasted a promising opportunity. Had they defeated Watford at home, as they half-expected, it would have taken them to within six points of Chelsea before the trip to Stamford Bridge – a scenario with an interesting edge to it. Now they face a far more trepidatious journey courtesy of a nine‑point gap and punctured confidence.

It is as if they suffer from some kind of repetitive, episodic, jerky-form syndrome: Arsenal are good at getting back on the bike after a fall but once they start to gather speed and look capable of catching some competition they crash. Then they get back up again until the next crash.

This season’s evidence goes back to the aftermath of that 3-0 win against Chelsea, when they were collecting wins for fun. But as soon as they had the possibility of hitting top spot Arsenal clammed up, as if stifled by pressure. They could not flex their muscles to beat Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United, both of whom were understrength at the time. Then they returned to the win trail before the pressure stunted their progress again with back-to-back defeats at Everton and Manchester City. After clambering back on the bike they hit the skids against Watford. And so it goes on …

Despite the efforts of Arsenal’s sports psychologist this pattern is a tough one to crack. Raising the spirits to take on Chelsea, who in recent years have doled out plenty of punishment to them at Stamford Bridge, is on the agenda. But Wenger has plenty to ponder, not least how to cope in midfield. It has been his problem area all season, with Santi Cazorla’s campaign wrecked by injury, Aaron Ramsey invariably straining for fitness or form and Granit Xhaka enduring a complex and suspension‑troubled start to his Arsenal career. Mohamed Elneny (now at the Africa Cup of Nations) and Francis Coquelin put in the effort but cannot be relied on to dominate powerful opponents.

Wenger has spent all season trying to find the right combination, the right balance, to help support his team from the midfield heartland – so vital to protect and project play. Meanwhile, across London, N’Golo Kanté and Nemanja Matic, with Cesc Fàbregas filling in where necessary, have gone from game to game generally ruling the middle of the park with minimum fuss and maximum control.

Arsenal’s manager could really do with another great day, something unexpected to make people sit up and take notice. But even then, the bigger test would be for his team to go on without another ill‑timed falter.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/02/arsenal-chelsea-watford-Arsène-wenger-pressure

 

[Ashybashy86]

I actually believe we'll win this one quite comfortably! Chelsea are a good efficient team with a defensive balance but they aren't world beaters, anytime they've come up against any top 5 team this season weaknesses in their setup have surfaced.
If players like Windaljum, Kane, Alii, Henderson and Mane can trouble them imagine what damage the likes of Alexis, Özil, Iwobi and Walcott could inflict.

Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Gibbs
Chamberlain Coquelin
Walcott Özil Iwobi
Alexis

Chelsea 0 5 Arsenal

Good one.

 

[skip spence]

I actually believe we'll win this one quite comfortably! Chelsea are a good efficient team with a defensive balance but they aren't world beaters, anytime they've come up against any top 5 team this season weaknesses in their setup have surfaced.
If players like Windaljum, Kane, Alii, Henderson and Mane can trouble them imagine what damage the likes of Alexis, Özil, Iwobi and Walcott could inflict.

Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Gibbs
Chamberlain Coquelin
Walcott Özil Iwobi
Alexis

Chelsea 0 5 Arsenal

That's the spirit!

 

[coolaa]

Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Kos Gibbs
Holding
Walcott Ox Özil Welbeck
Sanchez

Ospiana Gabriel Monreal coquelin Perez Iwobi giroud

I really think holding already has the ingredient being a good CB and DM, he has the height, strength, can hold the ball, not slow, was in league one and know how to play physically. He might not be top CB or DM, but we have no top DM and CB anyway, other than koscielny.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Will we be the first team to beat the league leaders twice in two seasons and still not lift the cup?

 

[Ashybashy86]

Will we be the first team to beat the league leaders twice in two seasons and still not lift the cup?

Will be like last season then.

Oh how I love Arsenal and their meaningless records.

 

[Ashybashy86]

Arsenal stuck in self-defeating cycle as they head for Chelsea showdown

....

A forlorn Wenger tried to make sense of why his team capitulated against Watfordon a damp, dispiriting night but there were no easy answers. His crestfallen expression suggested his difficulty explaining this psychological foible in his team. He had warned them to be wary of Watford, to expect them to put energy and physicality into it. Don’t be casual. Don’t just go out there and expect an easy ride. (They were inexplicably casual.)

Not for the first time this season Arsenal wasted a promising opportunity. Had they defeated Watford at home, as they half-expected, it would have taken them to within six points of Chelsea before the trip to Stamford Bridge – a scenario with an interesting edge to it. Now they face a far more trepidatious journey courtesy of a nine‑point gap and punctured confidence.

It is as if they suffer from some kind of repetitive, episodic, jerky-form syndrome: Arsenal are good at getting back on the bike after a fall but once they start to gather speed and look capable of catching some competition they crash. Then they get back up again until the next crash.

This season’s evidence goes back to the aftermath of that 3-0 win against Chelsea, when they were collecting wins for fun. But as soon as they had the possibility of hitting top spot Arsenal clammed up, as if stifled by pressure. They could not flex their muscles to beat Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United, both of whom were understrength at the time. Then they returned to the win trail before the pressure stunted their progress again with back-to-back defeats at Everton and Manchester City. After clambering back on the bike they hit the skids against Watford. And so it goes on …

Despite the efforts of Arsenal’s sports psychologist this pattern is a tough one to crack. Raising the spirits to take on Chelsea, who in recent years have doled out plenty of punishment to them at Stamford Bridge, is on the agenda. But Wenger has plenty to ponder, not least how to cope in midfield. It has been his problem area all season, with Santi Cazorla’s campaign wrecked by injury, Aaron Ramsey invariably straining for fitness or form and Granit Xhaka enduring a complex and suspension‑troubled start to his Arsenal career. Mohamed Elneny (now at the Africa Cup of Nations) and Francis Coquelin put in the effort but cannot be relied on to dominate powerful opponents.

Wenger has spent all season trying to find the right combination, the right balance, to help support his team from the midfield heartland – so vital to protect and project play. Meanwhile, across London, N’Golo Kanté and Nemanja Matic, with Cesc Fàbregas filling in where necessary, have gone from game to game generally ruling the middle of the park with minimum fuss and maximum control.

Arsenal’s manager could really do with another great day, something unexpected to make people sit up and take notice. But even then, the bigger test would be for his team to go on without another ill‑timed falter.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/02/arsenal-chelsea-watford-Arsène-wenger-pressure

Same old Arsenal. We've been playing poorly most of the season, as we know. Leading up to and after those collapses. Only playing for 45 mins. What is evident is that we faltered against teams that were up for it from the first whistle, and willing to take the game to Arsenal. We were lucky to beat Burnley and be 2nd.

The cracks were always there, always will be, but are brought to the fore at crucial moments.

 

[junglist57]

We beat them once we can do it again. A win here will send a massive statement. Come on you gunners let's do it!!!

I'm with you man. I think we're gonna pull it off tomorrow, 3-1 win. Clearly we're both massively delusional and foolish :confused:

Im just praying Alexis is on it tomorrow.


:bounce:

 

[Mark Tobias]

You can spend your life on a downer if you wish!

TBF it is much more worth while expecting a loss from Arsenal. That way you're not having your expectations crushed by Watford on a Tuesday evening.

I'm expecting a loss, hoping for a draw and praying for a win.

 

[tap-in]

12.30PM ffs?

Sun 4pm would have been best for this game.

 

[tap-in]

TBF it is much more worth while expecting a loss from Arsenal. That way you're not having your expectations crushed by Watford on a Tuesday evening.

I'm expecting a loss, hoping for a draw and praying for a win.

tbh I prefer life on a roller coaster rather than crawling along the bottom of a muddy ditch. Obviously to be on a constant high as we all were in 2004 would be the ideal.

 

[Plutarch]

I have zero confidence and expect nothing from this game. I hope the players are feeling more optimistic than me.