Arsenal v Chelsea - Mon 23 Dec - EPL- 8PM KO

[selassie]

I am not overly confident going into this game given our record against fellow top 4 sides this season. I agree with Alpha, we should not fear Chelsea, they do have some very handy players, but no outstanding ones like City or United or even dare I say Liverpool.

I think if we can control the midfield we should win, if we play well we should win.

It really is a must win game IMHO, anything less will be a poor result and will put us right amongst it assuming City and Liverpool both win next weekend.

Edited to add: If we harbour any ambitions to strongly challenge this season then we MUST win our home games against our rivals as it looks like we won't be getting anything at their grounds.

[AFC Leveller]

You're heart says 1-3?

lol 3-1!

[AFC Leveller]

I am not overly confident going into this game given our record against fellow top 4 sides this season. I agree with Alpha, we should not fear Chelsea, they do have some very handy players, but no outstanding ones like City or United or even dare I say Liverpool.

I think if we can control the midfield we should win, if we play well we should win.

It really is a must win game IMHO, anything less will be a poor result and will put us right amongst it assuming City and Liverpool both win next weekend.

Edited to add: If we harbour any ambitions to strongly challenge this season then we MUST win our home games against our rivals as it looks like we won't be getting anything at their grounds.

Agreed.

up until the City game, our away and home records were almost identical and that shows consistancy IMO but as you say winning at City, Man ure and Chelsea seems to be beyond us so its vitaly important we get the points at home.

Andy Gray made a good point the other week when we beat Cardiff, he said that the way we play and keep the ball, 15/16 of the 19 teams wont be able to stop us and that would make us one of the favourites even though we might not win the big games.

Look at City, they have one area of strength (their home record) and look at where they are in the table despite losing 4 and drawing to away. for me, if we can continue our form and beat the sides we should beat home and away then dropping 3 points every couple of months (going by recent record) wont hit us as hard.

[Xhaka Can’t]

lol 3-1!

Much better!

[GP]

My heart says Billion-Nil

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We won't just win by playing well.....we've got to be ruthless, clinical, professional and all of that jazz. We pulled off a few nice wins against them, namely when Terry was put on his arse for RvP to score. Let's do it again. Win that is, not put Terry on his arse. Okay then, let's do both.

---------------Szczesny---------------

Sagna-----Merkyl--------KOS-----Gibbs

--------Arteta----------Ramsey--------

Walcott----------Ozil------------Cazorla

-------------Olivier Giroud---------------

[AFC Leveller]

With Arteta in the side instead of Flams, we seem to keep the ball better and move it about nicely. It was evident against City that we missed him and i think he has to play against Chelsea. Flamini;s organisation and aggressiveness is also vital but we cannot play both at home, no way.

[selassie]

We won't just win by playing well.....we've got to be ruthless, clinical, professional and all of that jazz. We pulled off a few nice wins against them, namely when Terry was put on his arse for RvP to score. Let's do it again. Win that is, not put Terry on his arse. Okay then, let's do both.

---------------Szczesny---------------

Sagna-----Merkyl--------KOS-----Gibbs

--------Arteta----------Ramsey--------

Walcott----------Ozil------------Cazorla

-------------Olivier Giroud---------------

Yeah agreed re: being ruthless. I kind of meant playing well in the sense of executing everything properly, like say we did against Liverpool.

We can definitely beat Chelsea, they do not worry me in the way they use to say 3 or 4 seasons ago. Honestly....anything less than a win will be a poor result IMHO.

Agree with your line up too.

[Marc Overmars]

Need to go mental and press them like we did in that 3-1 win a few seasons ago.

[adzzzbatch]

Just booked tickets for me and my girlfriend to go

Letters said a few are going to this so I'll see those of you who are in/outside the pub