Chelsea-Arsenal (April 18 at 17:15 UK)

FA Cup semifinal against Arsenal at the Wembley today.

It’s payback time. Liverpool did a double against clueless Chelsea under clueless Scolari. Under Hiddink, we paid them back, in the tournament that matters to them a lot.

We didn’t do a double against them in the Champions League, but it felt like one,  demolishing them at Anfield and raising their hopes by first half at Stamford Bridge and breaking them into a million pieces with a last minute goal.

I’m saying this just to prove that this Chelsea under Hiddink is a different animal than the one that teams were beating and dominating earlier this season.

Arsenal beat us at Stamford Bridge. That’s not because they played a great game but because we were so pathetic that we could not muster one shot on goal in the second half.

Anytime we cannot get one shot on goal against a shitty defence like that of Arsenal must be really bad.

Things have changed. If anyone had any doubts about how soon a new manager can have an impact, Hiddink has the answer. He has certainly restored the Chelsea pride. Eliminating Juventus and Liverpool in two-legged ties means getting lots of things right.

This is the time I want Chelsea to play every big team possible. Bring on Man Utd, Liverpool, Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Real Madrid, whoever.

I don’t care whether we play first leg at home or away. I’m bubbling with confidence.

I believe that Chelsea now can beat any team. When I believe that Chelsea can dispatch the top teams, we shouldn’t even be talking about teams like Arsenal, right?

For about four seasons, Arsenal could not get a sniff of victory against Chelsea in all competitions, in all stadiums, with any players and with any managers. Arsenal sneaked in to win when Scolari turned Chelsea from a ferocious tiger to a phobic cat.

I have a strong feeling that the players themselves knew how to play against Arsenal. That’s straight out of Mourinho’s books. Arsenal won’t change the way they play and they are tactically inept.

Something like what we were under Scolari. There are certain basics that you need to follow when you play Arsenal:

1. Get physical on them

Tackle them and pounce on them. Apply full pressure like only Chelsea can do. Especially players like Song, Diaby, etc. should be put where they belong.

Get really physical. Crying sissies won’t be able to handle that. They need to be reminded after every defeat that football is a man’s game. Get used to it or get lost.

2. Mark that tall object

Unlike Chelsea, Arsenal has very few goal scorers. In fact, very few players have the capability to find the net. As long as you mark them out of the game, you’re clean.

No one else will understand that side of the game and take that responsibility. So, mark Adebayor and know how he plays. He misses a dozen sitters and scores one blinder; that’s his story.

3. Mark that arrogant spitter

Fibreglass to Arsenal is what Gerrard is to Liverpool. These teams have a one-route football. If you silence Fibreglass, they may not what to do. They’ll hit a dead end.

That’s what all teams that have beaten Arsenal have done. And he is a sissy too. So see point No. 1. Provoke him. He’s due a big punishment. I’m sure Essien will make him vanish.

4. Flatter them

If Arsenal get to make five or six uninterrupted passes, they’ll think that they are playing great football. They’re the most complacent team in premier league.

If they think they’re playing great football, that’s when they crumble while the opposition consolidates. So allow them those little moments of glory if doesn’t look like hitting our bottom line. Keep them on cloud nine.

5. Bombard them

They don’t have their first choice back four. So bombard them and rattle them. They shouldn’t know what hit them. Blitzkrieg. Defensively, Arsenal are a treat to watch, especially if you hate them.

If you attack well, you can drive them crazy, you can have them confused and pissing in their pants, have them argue with each other, push and hit each other, and have them red carded with no involvement from us.

If there is one player who can possibly trouble us that could be Arshavin. Quality player, a misfit in Arsenal. And there is Theo Walcott who can skin full backs if taken lightly.

I always thought that Walcott is easy to handle. He never surprises you if you know his style of play. He has no creativity. He is all pace and bit of skill.

We’re going to have to handle Messi in a couple of weeks. Walcott should not be an issue, though he is in fine form.

Chelsea must play 4-3-3 with the team that started against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Terry can come in for Alex. And the rest must be the same.

I now have full faith in playing Kalou and Malouda in the wings because Drogba is on fire. But remember Quaresma can play too.

Drogba hates Arsenal and loves to play them. Much like me. Every time we play Arsenal, he scores. And he terrorises the Arsenal defence for fun and they’ll be worried to see his name in the Chelsea team sheet.

Didier is a nightmare for the first choice Arsenal defence and what we will see today is second choice or worse. I burst into laughter when I read that ‘Wenger could have signed Didier Drogba’ news.

He never gets tired, does he? I could have signed Messi, I could have signed Kaka, I could have signed Drogba, I could have signed Ronaldo, I could have signed Maradona, I could have signed Pele, I could have won this, I could have won that . . . crazy.

Jose Mourinho was right. Arsenal is an ‘almost’ club. Everything is just ‘almost’ for them.

This FA Cup is Arsenal’s best chance for a silverware in many seasons now. They might take it a bit seriously. A win would take Hiddink to his first final with Chelsea.

Hiddink wants to win, no matter which competition. Chelsea must win. 3-1 to Chelsea. A Drogba brace plus a Malouda goal.