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FA: Arsenal vs Chelsea | 15/2/04

gooner

Member
Well, no doubt the media will make this the most “hyped” game of the weekend along with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. Looking at the stars that will be on show from both sides it looks like it will be a mouth – watering game, but then again just putting things back into perspective the games that get hyped up too much aren’t always great spectacles.

It was nice to see man utd slip up against Boro yesterday. Just coz they lost everyone is going on as we have already won the premiership title but it is still a long way to go. Just look at our next premiership match which will be very difficult as we are playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and if we lose that then it will open the title race wide open by bringing Chelsea back into the premiership race, not that I ever ruled them out and man utd will still be lurking. Chelsea scraped the three points against Portsmouth yesterday but the important point from their view is that they picked up all three points. I would also like to comment on Scholes. As much as I rate him for his talent what he done yesterday was out of order and if he doesn’t get a ban at all then it will prove a very big injustice and it will confirm the FA lick man utd.

Anyway, since that Abromovich has come I think it is fair to say he has bought such a squad for Chelsea, that he has turned the potential of the Chelsea team from title pretenders every year to serious title contenders.

Parker scored his debut goal and looks just as good as he was at Charlton which shows that he is an overall good player, coz not all players come from a lower side club even though Charlton are not, they cannot gel easily in a team of good players. Just look at our own Franny Jeffers as a great example.

I know Chelsea haven’t beaten us for a very long time, and they are desperate to do us over especially in the FA cup especially as we have done them over in the last three years in a row.

Chelsea will come to Highbury with confidence, and even though Arsenal haven’t really been playing like we know they can, I expect them to give it 110% to prove to Chelsea once again no matter how much money you spend on a squad, you cannot buy togetherness and unity as we have in our team at Arsenal.

Chelsea have a quality squad, but below is a list of who I think are their key men:

Mutu + Hasselbaink – Key Men 1
Lampard + Makalele + Parker – Key Men 2
Terry + Desailly + Gallas – Key Men 3
Duff + Gronjkaer – Key Men 4
Cudicini – Key Man 5

I know that is eleven players but not all of those players will play against us. I think we can beat Chelsea, but we will have to be disciplined defensively and take all of our chances or we will be punished.

Isn’t it weird how excellent Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been, seeing the competiotion he has to face up to, compared to last season where he was so lazy. No doubt he will work so hard to score his 100th goal against us.
The early team news is that Bergkamp is back but Ljungberg, Ali and Wiltord are all out.

I think the best squad wenger should play against Chelsea is:

Lehmann

Lauren Campbell Toure Cole

Parlour Edu Vieira Pires

Bergkamp Henry

I would put in Reyes but later on in the game. The main reason why I wouldn’t start him is because Bergkamp always plays good against Chelsea, and can change the game with one of his sublime passes.

I know Arsenal can beat Chelsea, but I think the way we can beat them is if we pressure their back four, and don’t let them get any kind of control in midfield. Both teams are playing fairly well, and I have a feeling one team will be beaten on Saturday and let’s just hope it is Chelsea.

Come On you gooners!!!!
 

The Mini

Well-Known Member
I think Reyes might be a side-mid player this game, to equal the attacking balance on either side. Henry and Pires are both clearly [French :p] attackers and the Iceman and Ray arn't as much attackive as their partners, we have a problem. They'll know to play defensively on the right and hassle to their left. One thing I've found with consistent Starting XI's is that they become predictable and teams will know how to play, if we shake it and have a pic 'n' mix sort of thing it's much less predictable (obviously we keep a core). This might be the reason for Chelski's good spells
 

Alexone234

Well-Known Member
I think we will win this game by a couple of goals. Lampard is going to be their key man and Vieira is going to have to show why he is priceless and Lampard is worth a few mil.

I hope Reyes starts as I reckon he will be good against Chelsea as they will attack more. His first three games have been more defensive, but in this one he should have more space
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
chelsea have improved a lot , and will be tough to beat

these games will show just how good Arsenal are!
 

wiltord11

Active Member
i reckon he should playb reyes cause i read somewhere that he can be very inconsistent in some games but play well against the top teams he might put in a performance like he did against real madrid you never know

i think will will just edge this game 2-1 i rekon it will be a battle of midfield and if we play edu parlour vieira i think we will win the battle
 

godfather

Well-Known Member
Alexone234 said:
I think we will win this game by a couple of goals. Lampard is going to be their key man and Vieira is going to have to show why he is priceless and Lampard is worth a few mil.

I hope Reyes starts as I reckon he will be good against Chelsea as they will attack more. His first three games have been more defensive, but in this one he should have more space
:D :D :D full support!! :D :D
 

USArsenal

H.Y.I.C.
i agree with the opening post except for one thing... i would lump Lampard into the first group of main threats w/ Mutu & JFB.... he has had a fantastic year and is really the gel that seems to be holding that team together... always seems to be in the right place at the right time....

that having been said, i hope Paddy will keep a tight clamp on him for the match because while Makelele is good as a CDM, he doesnt create as much offensively as Lampard can.... (Gilberto can take Makelele)....


this should be a very interesting match.... one of the toughest ties we could have for the Cup.... having knocked them out the last 2 years, they will be VERY up for the match (although most of their team wasnt around those 2 years).... Roman & Kenyon want silverware for the season, and this may be one of their best shots to do so..... (frankly, i dont see them being able to overtake both us & ManUre for the EPL title this year and i see them losing in the Quarters of the CL since they arent "ready" yet).... if they get knocked out by us, they could quite conceivable have a fruitless title year, and that won't sit well with Roman & Co.......
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hopefully the 6,000 chelsea fans will help create some sort of atmosphere, but i doubt the prawn sandwich brigade in the North Bank will make much nosie.

I really hope Dennis is fit to play in this game because i would not play Reyes in this one. He looked like a little boy lost the other night, and we cant afford any passengers agianst this lot. If Dennis is not fit we dont really have any options, especailly with no Freddie.

Parlour, Gilberto and Paddy should win us the midfield battle, and hopefully Mutu continues to fail to hit a barn door. If we keep it tight at the back, Henry and bobby should cause their defence enough probelms to win us this game. I really hope Desially is given a game, as his lack of pace together with Terrys should give us a huge advantage.
 

marhes26

Active Member
Actually i think there will be a great atmosphere for this one.Us Clock End season ticket holders will all be in the North Bank and in other big cup games when this has happened the atmosphere has been a lot better.I'm well up for it!! i'm looking forward to it,although i must admit i have butterflies in my belly because we have such a good record against chelsea but the law of averages says that they are long overdue a result against us!! i pray it goes on a bit longer!! :wink:
 

algunner

Active Member
I think this game against Chelsea will be determined not by attacking but the midfield power house. First of all lampard will not play his usual game of attacking because he will play to tackle Viera not to attack. That way Chelsea have no cutting edge from midfield. Once henry is in his mood of roaming around the defence chelsea might have a long night defending. Makelele isn't that a threat Gilberto will handle him well. I think Reyes might come with some suprise attacking threat that Chelsea might just give up. If Kolo and SOl stand firm chelsea have no option but to defend if they try to attack they will have long night trying to stop Bergkamp, Pires and Henry on the left. I think Lehman has been superb of late.

Lehman
Lauren Kolo Sol Cole

Palour Viera Gilberto (Edu ) Pires

Bergkamp (Reyes) Henry
 

lewdikris

Established Member
Vieira against Lampard is the key battle, pure and simple. Gilberto and Makelele will completely cancel out one another's presence, as will Parker and Parlour, who are also very similar players.

However, if Paddy dominates Lampard, we will win. Simple as that. Lampard is playing absolutely superbly at the moment - creating, tackling, scoring. Paddy creates better and tackles better (although he doesn't score!). Get on top of Frank, Chelsea are stifled - Cole, Mutu, Hasselbaink, they don't have enough quality to actually win big games like this. Frank does. Paddy will have to work his balls off, but he's the key.
 
I think

Lehman

Toure - Campell - Cygan - cole

Pires - Gilberto - Vieira - Reyes

Bergkamp - Henry

because I think that REYES is peter in Midfielder than in Forward like what he was play with his Previous Club Seville (Spain) .
 

KoLo28

Well-Known Member
lewdikris said:
Vieira against Lampard is the key battle, pure and simple. Gilberto and Makelele will completely cancel out one another's presence, as will Parker and Parlour, who are also very similar players.

However, if Paddy dominates Lampard, we will win. Simple as that. Lampard is playing absolutely superbly at the moment - creating, tackling, scoring. Paddy creates better and tackles better (although he doesn't score!). Get on top of Frank, Chelsea are stifled - Cole, Mutu, Hasselbaink, they don't have enough quality to actually win big games like this. Frank does. Paddy will have to work his balls off, but he's the key.

Totally agree, he's in great form and can turn a game on its head, if pat is on his game and can dominate him we've already won half the battle.
 

Taozhe

Well-Known Member
Lampard will still be a threat and I dun think he will be the one marking vieira, Makalele will be the one. Its time to see the two best french DM against each other in a cup match.

I have a feeling controversy will be the deciding factor of this match. A missed hand ball, a balant penalty and maybe a super goof mistake .. or the most consistent own goal specialist JOHN TERRY will score an own goal for us ;D
 

gypped

Active Member
Chelsea will have a hard time breaking down our defence, that's for sure, but they have some deadly attacking prowess on their team, and it makes me a little nervous. However, yeah Bergkamp is the master of taking Chelsea apart, and the game will be pretty fantastic I think. We have to play for a win, and I know we can get it. :mrgreen:
 

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