Chelsea Preview: ‘Make or Break’ time 22 March, 2008
Posted by lasagnechef in Premiership.trackback
That’s the general opinion from the English media at the moment and we’ve got the chance to rub it in tomorrow. Ashley Cole has gone from the heights of being a fans favourite at Arsenal, a young English defender, an Arsenal fan who made his way through the youth system. Now he’s right down in the dumps, a money-grabbing cunt who cheats on his wife, second choice at Chelsea to Wayne Bridge and now the most hated player in the league, not just by Arsenal fans.
He’s really fucked himself up and he deserves every bit of it. As a Gooner, I’ve loved watching him plummet to the scum he is. He could be playing tomorrow and I just think it would be perfect if we could just put the final nail in his coffin; He joined Chelsea at a time when they were a growing force and every player that moved there believed they would be joining the best club in the world and dominating Europe. That hasn’t been the case though and I think if we can beat Cole’s Chelsea tomorrow it’ll just show him what a stupid, stupid boy he’s been.
Tomorrow’s not just about Cole though. It’s about the Premier League title. Wenger reminded us yesterday that ‘Grand Slam Sunday’ won’t decide the championship, however it could definitely have an effect on the title race. If we were to beat Chelsea tomorrow and Torres sticks a couple past United then we’ll be joint top and the team in confidence. However if United carry on winning and Chelsea take the three points then we can almost count ourselves out of it.
We’ve drawn four in a row in the league and it’s not pretty. I think the main reason for this has been inspiration. When you face the likes of Wigan, it’s hard to focus on delivering a top performance. Whereas if you were playing AC Milan, the concentration would be on maximum and you know every player would put more than 100% of their efforts in.
Going to Stamford Bridge should hopefully inspire us to put on a good show. The players have fucked up in the last four games so they owe the fans a win. They need to show us that they’re still in there for the fight.
The team news is the same from the last game, no new injuries. It’s just Eduardo, Rosicky, Diaby and Denilson who are out so the team pretty much picks itself. You’d have to think we’ll go 4-4-2 with van Persie up front but he was pretty anonymous in the last game. Arsene will have been looking at his sharpness in training this week and hopefully he’s made an improvement.
We could go with just the one up top. Or maybe even play Hleb behind Adebayor depends how Arsene’s going to approach it. I don’t now what he’s thinking, I can’t read his mind. However I can guess that he’ll start Eboue ahead of Walcott…
Sagna – Toure – Gallas (c) – Clich
Eboue – Fabregas – Flamini – Hleb
Adebayor – van Persie
I’d quite like Theo to start tomorrow. He’s great coming on from the bench, that impact is a massive part of his game. However we could do with his talent for the whole 90 minutes, not jus tthe final 15 or whatever. I’d like it if Theo starts the game but I wont be too fussed if we bring him on from the bench.
Flamini is going to be key tomorrow. He still hasn’t signed that new contract but Wenger says he’s completely committed every day despite the ongoing negotiations. Arsene says in that piece he hopes to get the deal signed next month. Once Matty puts pen to paper I’m going to be so relieved, until then though it’s a bit worrying. I’ve heard that he wants 80,000 a week! Completely breaking our wage structure, and of course if we was to get that then everyone else is going to want a pay rise. It’s a tough call for Wenger and the financial department.
It’s going to be two good games tomorrow. Liverpool vs. Man Utd is the early kick off, that starts at half one. We’ve got to hope our Champions League opponents can do something to stop United. Torres is in goal scoring form and I’m backing him to get us them a goal. I’m definitely going to be watching both games. I was thinking about going down to the 12 Pins to watch ‘Grand Slam Sunday’ but I’m just going to go to Walkabout in Watford. I’m hoping to break a run of bad results there, every time I’ve been we’ve lost so yeah…if we lose it’s my fault, sorry.
It’s gonna be massive, so make sure you’re watching. I’ll write up the match report on Monday, speak to you then.
it will be all your fault… walkabout’s are evil every time i’ve watched the arsenal in one we’ve lost, or drawn to really shit teams!! oh god tomorrow is going to be stressful
i’m sure they’ll be trouble in the form of a chelsea-initiated scuffle!
if we win tomo we deserve to go on a win the league..
in wenger we trust
header looks much better
team for chelsea will probably be
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Flamini Cesc
Walcott Hleb
Ade RVP
Arsenal to win if spuds can score 4 past them imagine what we can do.
5-0 to Arsenal with Gallas getting a Hatrick with A. Cole scoring the other two.
Man U to lose 5-0
if my preditions are correct we could be top of the league by 6:30
dont go there…dont go to the place that will make you us lose…dont go!!!!yeah exactly um reallty serious dont push things!!!ha ha ha
EA25 u got some really crazy predictions there how bout we have some realistic ones..um sure chavs will resort back to their 4-3-3 formation that gives their defenders more protection so that will mean non of the scum kinda score-line.
i think we have Van Pizzy and his got something we havent had for a while which is the free kick possibility,so its either they foul us in the area or jus outside it either way we got a chance.
Um looking forward to the game actually and um more so looking forward to Theo and Bendtner coming on because they will add another dimension to us…
We Gunner Gunn Em…
Nice header – That shirt reminds me of Anfield 89!
I bet wenger goes 4-5-1. he often does in these big away games. RVP could start wide left or alternatively AW could use both eboue and walcott on the wings. but I expect RVP to play for goal threat. I think wenger knows Ade is off the boil.
I am still a bit worried about Flam. he must be holding out for top top money, making him the highest paid player at the club. Cesc, Hleb, Ade, RVP and Gallas will all want a pay rise to AT LEAST what he is on but probably more. can we afford that over the long term? thats what the club are concerned about. to be honest if its the difference between keeping him and losing him I think we should break the wage structure and then hope it does not upset the other players I mentioned.
chef
dont you think your going a bit crazy with the headers
Yep
well, if you have seen the tv,papers or listened to the radio since friday you would think we havent got a hope against chelsea and that man utd have got the prem sewn up! that suits me fine but what really pisses me off is that when we went 5 points clear a while back there was hardly a mention about it on the news and only bits and pieces on the sky sports news and setanta but since utd went top last week its been wall to wall and there has been profiles on utd players everywhere, football focus was falling over itself with tributes to utd, ronaldo et al. The media in this country and the so called “experts” have got their heads so far up utds arse its untrue. Anyway as for flamini wanting 80 grand a week, is he worth that? as much as i like the guy i really dont think 80k a week is realistic for a good but not yet world class midfielder whereas fab is already there. If it is going to rock the boat then maybe they should let him go.
………. and as for going out to watch the match DONT DO IT !!
COME ON YOU GUNNERRRRRRRRRRS !!!!
Todays the day, a defining day in our season, im convinced we are going to blow a massive whole in chelseas unbeaten home record. Jt has looked a shadow of himself recently and has been crap in the air with just about every half decent striker getting ahead of him and headering a goal, I like a bet and im lumping on ade to score today coz in the air there aint no better. We just need those mickey mousers to do us a favour and its game on.
just read a great atricle on “the times” webite A life in the day of william gallas”,
Chef nice header and up the Arsenal
we wont win the league this season. im hoping we do but we’re not but if we dont come second it will take the piss.
chef this is all your fault why did you have to go to watford FFS.
totally agree with ea25
http://anotherarsenalblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/pipped-by-classless-chavs.html