Morning all.
Ben White:
I want to stay at Arsenal for as long as I can and push this club back to where it needs to be.
My wife is from around here, so it’s ideal for her, and it’s just an amazing club to come into every day. I think I can take things from all the clubs I’ve been at, but this is by far my favourite.
Talks are ongoing re extending his contract apparently which is great news if true. I can’t believe I once thought £50 million for him was a crazy deal. In a years time, less even, I hope I’m feeling the same about the £65m spent on Kai Havertz.
It’s a big day for both Havertz and Jorginho today as they head back to Stamford Bridge to face their old club. Porch’s team thrashed Burnley 4-1 at Turf Moor just before the international break. Before that, a Carabao Cup win over Brighton and three points from their match at Fulham and Chelsea are back! Caicedo the midfield boss, Gallagher and Fernandez on either side.and a rejuvenated Sterling are the threat.
Arsenal’s Adrian Clarke on the club website:
Having started with 3-4-2-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations, Mauricio Pochettino has landed upon a standard 4-3-3 shape after experimenting with Enzo Fernandez as a No.10. In this set-up he deploys Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer very wide with a strong central midfield trio of Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher and Fernandez inside them. Chelsea want to hog the ball. Showing patience, the west Londoners are making 60 extra passes per match compared to last term, meaning they are second only to Manchester City for their highest average share of possession (63.5 per cent).
Fernandez is their chief playmaker. The World Cup winner and record signing has made 318 successful passes inside the opposition half, and the highest number of successful long passes in the division so far. He regularly picks out Sterling with raking passes, who is a man in form. He was involved in all four goals against Burnley, and no-one else in the Premier League has enjoyed more touches inside the opposition box – a sign of the penetration he is providing. Emboldened by his manager’s trust, Sterling has attempted more than twice as many dribbles as any of his teammates.
The team is well organised but until they find a consistent tactical groove under Pochettino, Chelsea will continue to be reliant on talented individuals like Sterling and Fernandez to make the difference.
Team News:
Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba are doubts after all three missed international duty. Jurrien Timber remains an out of course.
Chelsea – Reece James and Benoit Badiashile could return and Malu Gusto is also available after serving a three match ban. Axel Disasi and Broja are ruled out. Nicolas Jackson has undergone surgery for a broken wrist but could get the go ahead for tonight but duty to undergo surgery on a broken wrist but Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Trevor Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and Carney Chukwuemeka all miss out.
When one thinks of the amount of money spent and signings made, I’m sure Poch has many options in reserve. Still, eight from a squad of 25, nine if Jackson isn’t declared fit, is a lot of players to miss.
Please don’t confuse me with someone who cares though because I don’t. Not for one minute. All what matters today is Arsenal, our game plan and beating the rich kids in west London. We’ve done it before, certainly under Mikel Arteta, and we can do it again.
Personally, I think Saliba will play as I can’t see a toe injury keeping him out, not for Arsenal, same with Saka. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Trossard in the squad either although if Martinelli is fit, I suspect he’ll start. Partey, Rice and Odegaard in midfield perhaps and my money, if I was a betting girl, would be on Havertz lining up against his old club too.
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- Assistants: Richard West and Matthew Wilkes
- Fourth Official: James Linington
- VAR: Jarred Gillett
- Assistant VAR: Darren Cann
Not the best of officials for the game, especially Gillett on VAR but the standard of officiating all round hasn’t exactly been very good for a long time. Let’s hope that come the final whistle, it’s not Kavanagh or Gillett hogging the headlines. Chelsea v Arsenal should be a really good game.
Catch up in the comments.
No Ramsdale today apparently. He’s about to be a dad..
Afternoon Rico and all.
It’s amazing how much you change when you become a parent.
Good news about Ben White wanting to be at Arsenal for the long term, and his wife’s family living in the area should take the pressures of him, as they will not get home sick.
He should be at home getting his head own, sleep will be hard to come-by once the latest Young Gooner moves in. ..😉
Good afternoon Rico.
Hardly time for a curry between the end of the match and the start of the RWC semi-final England vs South Africa.
Afternoon Geoff, Cicero.
Can’t be as bad as having a puppy… 😆
Afternoon rico, all. Reading your comment I was shocked for about 2 seconds, then relieved when I remembered we have 2 great goalies and Ramsdale would have been a sub anyway 🙂
Afternoon Andrew, ha ha..
Just watching the cricket, England are getting pummelled… ☹️
Something funny going on between Liverpool and Everton, Everton 37 minutes in and have been given 3 yellow cards and 2 of them to the same player, yet Liverpool doing the same tackles and not get any yellow cards.
Making amends for the Totts game perhaps.
RIP Sir Bobby Charlton.
Strange that only yesterday we were talking of the Munich disaster, the only member of the team still with us is 85 year old Harry Gregg.
Shouldn’t that be Bobby Charlton Rico?
Ssshhh Cicero. 😂
Yep, spooky.
Raya, White Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard Jorginho, Rice, Saka Jesus, Martinelli.
Saka and Saliba in the line up
Ramsdale for champions League?
I wish I could edit out my typos. 😉
Jorginho and Rice should be a good combination.
Ha ha Cicero.
Lots of water slowing ball down, careful with passes at back! And in the middle
We haven’t got going yet..
I thought Jorginho playing would be good, however, he’s non existent.. Partey at half-time perhaps
Zinchenko is all over the place, Jesus is playing like he’s got a bad hangover, take them both off.
Disappointing half. Need Mikel Arteta to wake them up a bit..
I don’t think any of them have played particularly well.
lacklustre so far and it’s bot as if Chelsea are any good
Oh dear…. ☹️
Who can be our Kanu then?
Weather is right….
Rico, loanee Kanu scored 4 on his first start for Southend today! Moving up after 10 point deduction, and nearly getting another one!
We could do with him on the pitch for us right now Andrew, none of those out there look like scoring.
By Arteta’s reasoning, Ramsdale should have been on by now, if he had been a sub.
Yep. I’ve always preferred Ramsdale.
I’d love to see ESR score twice, Nketiah too…
Ok, Rice and Trossard will do..
Come on boys, get that third!
That’s a comeback to be happy with I think..
Before kickoff, I thought a draw wouldn’t be too disappointing. Their goals were a header against an arm from point blank range and a lucky cross that went in, due to bad goalie positioning.
Wonder if Partey is partly injured? After last match great assist, thought he would be our first sub.
Anyway, well done lads for coming back with two fine finishes.
I reckon Partey will play on Tuesday but I’d much rather he’d have played today.
Some of these players are muscularly fatigued. Chelsea played much happier, faster and stronger. Seville will be a very complicated game.
Just watched replay, very nice come back but our players didn’t look switched on, Like others said maybe the break come at a bad time, the keepers on both sides had a bad day at the office. I was expecting a win by 1 goal, but happy to take a draw,
Morning all, new post up..