Chelsea vs Arsenal: Preview

So, after much verbal to-ing and fro-ing in the press this week, today sees Chelsea welcome Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, although with William Gallas in the side, welcome probably isn’t the best word to use.

 

Chelsea’s home form leaves a lot to be desired and they’ll be looking for only their fourth win at Stamford Bridge this season, whilst Arsenal could make this their fourth win away. Mind you, if Chelsea manage to take the points, they’ll be consigning Arsenal to their third defeat in succession. Either way, with them being two of the top three highest scorers in the league, we’ll hopefully get a decent game.

 

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger seems pretty optimistic of a result though, saying: "This season we have played better against the top four. We cannot deny that because we lost against the teams who are not maybe favourites to play in the top four. Why? Maybe because they play a different type of football.

 

"We want to go into this game on Sunday by believing we can beat them because we know we can. That is all you want your players to do."

 

On injury news, Juliano Belletti (ankle), Michael Essien (knee), Ricardo Carvalho (knee), and Franco Di Santo (hamstring) continue to miss out. Joe Cole (ankle) faces a late fitness test, although Alex (groin) is fit.

 

For Arsenal, Abou Diaby (stomach), Kolo Toure (calf), Theo Walcott (shoulder), and Emmanuel Eboue (knee) are absentees, with Emmanuel Adebayor (ankle), Bacary Sagna (ankle), and Samir Nasri are all thought to be available.

 

KEY PLAYERS:

CHELSEA

Nicolas Anelka has bagged eight goals in his last five games in the Premier League, making him the Premier League’s top scoring player so far with 14 in all competitions. He needs a couple more to record 100 goals in the Premier League and Chelsea will hope he gets them today.

 

ARSENAL

Cesc Fabregas makes his 150th appearance in the Premier League and, in his new role as captain, he’ll be looking to see that Chelsea’s poorer home form continues as Arsenal try and claw back some points.

 

CLUB FORM:

CHELSEA

Chelsea go into this game unbeaten in five games and ten points above Arsenal.  They’ve won the joint most games and boast the strongest attack and tightest defence in the Premier League, earning themselves 13 points from 15 with no goals conceded in the process.

 

Chelsea haven’t conceded in five games in the Premier League and remain the only professional side in the country not to concede a goal in the second half of a game this season.

 

Chelsea have lost just the one game from 14 with Scolari in charge and just one at home in the last 89. Chelsea have the best Premier League record so far this calendar year, with 23 games won, eight drawn and one defeat.

 

Unfortunately though, although Chelsea have lost just once in 18 Premier League games against London clubs, that defeat came against Arsenal at the Emirates last December. Chelsea go into this game looking to create a three point gap at the top of the table with Liverpool playing Monday.

 

ARSENAL

Arsenal go into this game off the back of two Premier League defeats. The North London outfit have lost five games so far this season and the fact that they’ve failed to win four of their last five games sees them fighting to hold onto their top four status.

 

Arsenal have won eight of their last 11 London derbies, although only one of those was in the last four games. Of note for the Chelsea defence is the fact that they’ve scored five times in stoppage time this season. Arsenal go into this game in 5th place in the League.

 

HEAD TO HEAD

Chelsea have won two of their last three games against Arsenal in the Premier League, with the Gunners winning just one of their last 12 games against Chelsea in all competitions. Having said that though, Chelsea have lost more games, dropped more points and conceded more goals against Arsenal than to any other team in the Premier League.

 

In fact, in 29 games in all competitions stretching back over the last decade, there’s only ever been one goalless draw. With 39 bookings in the last seven meetings between Chelsea and Arsenal, a busy day for the ref is a foregone conclusion.

 

Home And Away

League (inc PL): Chelsea 40 wins, Arsenal 58 wins, Draws 44

Prem: Chelsea 6 wins, Arsenal 15 wins, Draws 11

At Chelsea Only

League (inc PL): Chelsea 23 wins, Arsenal 23 wins, Draws 25

Prem: Chelsea 5 wins, Arsenal 5 wins, Draws 6

 

LAST SEASON

Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal

Chelsea scorers: Drogba 73, 82

Arsenal scorer: Sagna 59

23 March 2008

Ref: Mark Clattenburg

 

PREDICTION

I know I’m always pretty negative with my predictions and I’m not going to break with tradition today especially with us being at home. We’ve also yet to look convincing against the "big four" although technically, Arsenal don’t go into this game as one of them, so maybe that doesn’t count.

 

Still, they’re going to come to the Bridge looking for at least a draw, don’t they all? If we don’t impress ourselves on them a little better than we have some sides at home, they could go away with more than that.

 

TEAMS

CHELSEA (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Alex, Terry, Ivanovic, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Deco, Ballack, Mikel, Kalou, Malouda, J Cole? Anelka, Sinclair, Stoch

 

ARSENAL (from): Almunia, Sagna, Silvestre, Gallas, Clichy, Nasri, Denilson, Fabregas, Vela, van Persie, Adebayor, Fabianski, Song, Djourou, Ramsey, Bendtner, Gibbs, Hoyte, Wilshere

 

REFEREE

Mike Dean (Wirral)