Chelsea Preview: Make or break time 7 February, 2010
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
Last Sunday was massive, and seven days later we’re playing in a game just as important. OK it didn’t go quiet to plan against Man United but we can forget about that if we win today. We could get ourselves three points behind Chelsea today and four behind United with a win, and with our run-in that’s a title challenging position for sure.
However lose and we will be 9 points behind Chelsea and lacking confidence going into Wednesday’s game against Liverpool who could in turn beat us and find themselves two points behind us.
I’d like to believe we’ve been really focused on the task at hand this week. Wenger cancelled the players’ day off after the United game to get ready for today. There’s hasn’t been much news on the official site either, I don’t think we’ve been faffing around with interviews, crossbar challenges and Super Soaker contests this week – I hope it’s been strictly business.
It needs to be really because lets face it last weekend was not good enough. We need to highlight where we went wrong and get it right for today. I don’t want to see us caught out in defence again, there’s no excuse. There should be complete concentration for the entire 90 minutes because that’s what it’s going to take to win this game.
Unfortunately we’re not boosted by the return of anyone. Diaby had a fitness test yesterday and I guess we wont find out the results of that until an hour before kick off this afternoon. I’m guessing he’ll be on the bench; with Liverpool in the week and Porto coming up we don’t want to force him out for longer. We already know Vela and Eduardo are out but Nicklas Bendtner is apparently not fit to start either. It’s a shame because I really thought he could do a job today. Here’s how I think we’re going to line up:
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen – Clichy
Song
Fabregas – Denilson
Nasri – Arshavin – Rosicky
If it were up to me though Ramsey would be partnering Fabregas. Denilson has played himself out of favour with the Arsenal fans and I’m getting a bit impatient with his performances. Aaron is a determined player and you know you will always get 100% from him whether he plays well or not and I always have time for people who put effort in.
People are talking about starting Walcott too, his pace could limit Ashley Cole’s advances forward and as much as we might not to admit it, he is a threat down their left. Sagna needs to be all over him today. We need Clichy on the other wing to have a good game too, he’s been lacking a bit recently but what a better time than today to get it right though. He has been really trying hard though hence the lack of abuse he’s getting.
Almunia will stay in goal. Arsene was asked whether Fabianski should replace him but cited his performance at Wembley against Chelsea last year as a reason for him not to play. I don’t get it, he’s always been a big fan of the Pole and now when we need a goalkeeping solution he’s saying no? Arsene says goalkeeping is the hardest job in football and also believes Almunia is putting too much pressure on himself. It shows, he looks a nervous, flapping wreck and we’ll need him to perform a lot better today.
As for the home side they have Mikel and Drogba back from the African Cup of Nations, but no Essien who will be out for another month with the injury he picked up at the tournament. However the big talking point it obviously John Terry. Ancelotti has assured he will start and he will captain this side after his terrible week on the front pages of the papers and losing the England armband to Rio Ferdinand of all people. I’ve already heard countless songs about Terry and I’m sure they’ll be in full voice today, some of them are brilliant. I’m not expecting our noise toparticularly upset Terry but if his head isn’t 100% in the game we might be able to capitalise on that.
Today’s winners will certainly believe they can go on and win the title. It’s a huge game for both sides. I’m hoping, praying, crossing everything and believing that we can win today. If we can pull it off I’ll be over the moon. Lose, well I just hope I’m not sat here tomorrow talking once again about missed chances, defensive lapses and poor displays.
Come on you Gunners, give it everything you’ve got.
Enjoy the game.
It really is the “last chance saloon” for our team of young pretenders.
a loss today would leave us with a mountain to climb and with liverpool hitting a bit of form i dont think we will beat them on wednesday if our heads are down.
We need to be positive today and attack, attack, attack!
We will be looking over our shoulders if we end up with anything other than a win today but at least a draw keeps us in contention.
COME ON YOU GUNNERRRRRRRRRS!!!!!!
AW runs the club like a Swiss bank. Safe and dull.
Our sometimes stylish play is totally outweighed by the club’s limited ambition.
There is no glamour in finishing third.
Finishing 3rd isn’t better than winning a cup because you don’t have to beat Man Utd or Chelsea to finish 3rd.
We are boring.
‘Boring, boring Arsenal’ has never been truer.
Chelsea will play with us for 80 minutes like a cat with a mouse, maybe even allowing us to score but Drogba and Terry will click into gear in the final 10 minutes and we will be ruthlessly brushed aside.
Or they will just crush us 4-0.
Not nice reading I admit.
AW balances out his tiny tots, powder puff team by talking to the fans as if we are all monumentally stupid.
He irritates me more and more every season. The board will keep him in charge for the next ten years so we better get used to it.
attack attack is the reason we have let in 28 goals already, when you see Gallas playing upfront and neglecting his defensive duties shows how naive we are at the back, we have not learn anything since 2005, Wenger’s excuses are spin and more spin, the fact he has stated that finishing third is more important than winning the oldest trophy in the world shows we will not win any more trophies under Wenger who has become obsessed with finishing fourth as it is more bonuses for the board and him.Time for Wenger to go upstairs because he has lost his way with what Arsenal fans want.I expect us to finish again without a trophy and struggle to finish in the top four because Citeh,Liverpool,Villa and Spurs can catch us.we should have bought a keeper in to replace the clown Alumina who is not good enough and continues to play the lightweight Denilson who is a joke but Wenger stubborn how he is won’t listen and we will hear rubbish how he nearly bought this player and that player. We will not win another trophy under Wenger and we are in the same pool as Villa,Spurs,Liverpool and Citeh, Chelsea and Manure are miles ahead of us but Wengere can’t see that. it reminds me of the tale of the ‘Emperor’s clothes’
i know and bliev dat we will conquer them 2day…up gunners
the board will keep wenger as long as he lays the golden egg of champions league football. Arsenal is a business first and a football club second and anyone who thinks different need their head testing.
Arsenal fans are being spoon fed lie after lie, Arsenal are an elaborate con trick, fooling all those who keep spouting “in arsene we trust”. They either do not want to believe it or are plain dumb. We have been sold short for 5 years and it is time we had a clear out. I do not want to follow a business. Supporting a team is a journey, ups and downs, we are Arsenal and should be showing a bit more fight !!
lawel,
i resect and admire your enthusiasm and hope your belief is rewarded but you are in denial and cannot except the blatently obvious, we have got a team that just aint good enough, and thats not just me or other contributors saying it but the so called experts on TV,radio and the papers. Wake up man!
chelsea no chance as they ll see a side wich is stravin for 5 yrs n hav becom wild aftr unitd game!!!!!i pitty chelsea!!!no one cn save them
hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cccccccccccmmmmmmmmmmmmmoooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gunners!!!!!!go fuk them!!!!eat them raww !!hahahaha
If you don’t want to support a business – don’t!
It’s easy.
really Arsen are the first person to blame on the result ,Cause he able the team to play with out Goalkeeper and centeral midflider-Denilson. The two players are not deserve to wear the shirt but the manager always use to play these gays, so they do perform what they have. so they dont have to blame, furthermore he await for 60 up to 65 min. to substitute. he is not willing to here and correct the problem over hem on the cost of the players and the supporters. i want to put my comment on arsen. I do appreciate the policy on yang players, money managment and patience but i also desagree the time taking on substtution the tim he gave the players to improve their abality on serious game at the cost of others player. he has to avoid Deniloson And Almunia and give the cchans to Ramsay and Manoni or Fabiyanisky.
23 mins gone and we look a pathetic shambles. Fuck off wenger and take clichy, almunia,song,diaby,denilson, eboue and bendtner with you!! i have never been so embarrassed about my team. no passion, no fight and no bottle, we are shit!!
We did well to get away with 2-0.
Hope it’s better on Wednesday.
managers job. 1 organise defence. 2 get players of required quality. 3 give the fans a team to be proud of. 4 win silverware. in arsene we trust. first game in years ive not watched. wont go again until wenger goes. bye bye cesc. r.i.p arsenal of north london and england. we get what we deserve . im defeated,arsene and your supporters you win.
I wrote ytaday dat wenger shud hv bought (a striker of repute) in d january window 2 boost & motivate playas lyk fabregas, arshavin, song, & vameleaen. But he neva did. In d 1st 40mins it was 7shots on goal 2 arsenal, 3 to chelsea & drogba convated 2 for chelsea. Nobody 2 score 4 arsenal. We were pitiful, & it doesn’t look lyk arsenal. I pity playas lyk fabregas, arshavin song& vameleen b’cos they suffer 4 nothin! Its un4tunate.
It’s was still a better team…No other teams in the world of any premier league can survive the top table without a proper strikers to play…Hope the toppers will drop points to the smaller teams when the WC is getting near…
Go Arsenal and win all the remaining fixtures that will put you in good position still and be in the CL next year.
As for now stay focus on the Champions League…too.