Morning all.
It’s a cold and frosty one in West Berkshire but the sun is shining and it’s going to be a beautiful day.
Arsenal face Chelsea at The Emirates at lunchtime today.
This fixture last season saw us run out 5-0 winners but not for one minute do I expect a repeat scoreline. Trossard scored our opening going within five minutes of the game starting and then both Havertz and White scored two each to finish the West London side off. Pochettino was Chelsea’s manager back then and despite having a multimillion pound squad, he couldn’t get them playing well enough to save himself from the sack.
The away fixture back in November was a much closer affair with neither side able to take all three points. An offside flag denied Havertz before Martinelli gave us the lead but the Neto equalised around ten minutes later. We had opportunities to nick all three points before the referee blew the final whistle but we had to settle for the draw.
With Nottingham Forest winning yesterday, there’s now just one point between us in second place and them in third and domestically, that’s what our season is about now – securing top four, hopefully second. Chelsea and Man City aren’t far behind us although Guardiola’s side dropped another two points yesterday at home against Brighton.
Our last home match, which was back in February, ended in a 1-0 defeat to West Ham. Arsenal’s performance was not very good. Mikel Arteta was angry after the game, with himself and the performance because as he put it, the team didn’t reach the level required to win the game. The following game, away to Nottingham Forest, was better as far as Arsenal’s performance goes but again, we lacked a cutting edge in attack.
Saying that, so have Chelsea this year apparently. Palmer has reportedly gone through a sticky patch and Jackson has been out injured for a while and will miss today’s game too. Madueke and Guiu are ruled out and Mudryk is serving a provisional ban after testing positive for a banned substance.
Thankfully, Arsenal don’t have an additional injuries after the game in midweek.
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Maresca’s preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, but in possession his side often look more like a 3-2-5. The Italian likes one of his full-backs to push on into very advanced areas and swing the other around to make up a back three when they build from deep. Left back Marc Cucurella is the man most likely to take up attacking positions, often popping up as an unorthodox inside forward.
Chelsea boast the second highest average share of the ball this term, on 58%. As they are so capable of pinning rival teams back, the Blues have had the third-highest number of shots in 2024/25. In terms of expected goals, they also rank second in the division. In my opinion, Chelsea are at their most threatening on the counter. Liverpool are the only side to have had more shots from fast breaks than Maresca’s men, who have scored seven times on the counter-attack.
The central midfield unit of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, with Cole Palmer in front as a No. 10 is the beating heart. When space opens, they love to slide through balls in behind – and in that department they are the joint most productive team in the division alongside Aston Villa. The absence of injured striker Nicolas Jackson has impacted this strength though. Without his blistering speed they are not finding it as easy to penetrate opposition backlines.
Individual errors have plagued them all season. Remarkably, only Southampton have seen more errors lead to shots against them than the west Londoners who have leaked 12 goals from individual mistakes.
Chelsea’s keeper isn’t the best in the league by far so I’m hoping Arteta has had a word with his players. Shoot on sight rather than try and score the perfect goal. Any goal is a perfect goal in my book because they all count. I don’t even care if a Martinelli shot is way off target if it hits a Chelsea defenders backside and lands in the back of the net. We’re up against a team which huffed and puffed its way to a 1-0 win over a dreadful Leicester team last weekend. We have to win this one not only to put a bit more space between them and us but because it’s Chelsea, because it’s a London Derby and because the fans deserve to see us win at home.
The midfield battle should be tasty, Cucurella’s sneaky and dirty play needs to be kept an eye on by Chris Kavanagh and if at all possible, Arsenal need to avoid doing anything which ends up with VAR making a decision because Gillet has that duty todays and he’s last person we want or need making a decision on one of our players.
Arsenal are overdue a big league performance, let’s hope today is the day we get one.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico, as the weather is so nice, down your way, I hope you were out for a nice early dog walk. 😎🐩
Strongest possible starting line-up today, any tired internationals can have a rest whirled on national service.
I fully agree, with you, shots on site from outside the box is the way to go.
While! Not whirled!
Morning Cicero, not yet this morning as it’s bloomin cold. 😜
Saka’s fame has spread as far as The Sunday Telegraph general knowledge crossword, his first name is the answer to 54 across, now what could that be? Six letters fourth letter is “A”.
Arsenal team news
Team to play Chelsea: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Merino, Trossard
Subs: Neto, Tierney, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji, Nwaneri
Can’t think what it could be Cicero… lol
Nice post Rico.
Brighton drawing with Man City was handy, Forest are breathing down our necks, so we have to get at least a draw vs Chelsea to maintain our lead, narrow lead that it is.
Saka looking close to a return after the Interlull, his return could just about get us over the line for 2nd?
Lots of Geordies in London yesterday most of them carrying supermarket bags of beer. So a few sore heads today on the Underground as they weave their way to Wembley.
Thanks Kev.
Having Saka back will a huge boost.
I think I’d rather Newcastle win later although it’s always nice to see a dejected Shearer. Not as good as seeing that idiot Carragher all red faced and close to tears though..
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, M L S, Partey, Odegaard, Rice, Martinelli, Merino, Trossard.
Afternoon everyone. It’s not often I get to say this but it’s 32 degrees here in Dubai 😉.
Definitely a must win for all of the reasons you gave Rico. Forest are the scary team at the moment doing a “Leicester”, though I don’t see Littlepool losing that many games over the next few weeks and I’d like to think we won’t either.
You wouldn’t expect Saka to hit the ground running but here’s hoping.
Hi there!
come on Arsenal!
We must shoot…
Earwig O!
First shot… first miss. Trossard.
penalty at anfield
Good afternoon Gunners
Lovely post Rico. And like you said we are shooting. However we haven’t scored yet.
Oh we have
Merino makes it 1-0
he is finding his feet as a CF
One nil to the Arsenal. Merino with a looping header from a corner.
Lucky you Berg..
1-0 up, nice…
Thanks Devil.
Home fans are in full throttle.. love it.
All those shots and we haven’t yet scored with one……Merino’s goal was a header so technically we haven’t yet scored with a shot.
One side of me wants Merino to succeed till the end of the season as a CF, scoring a good amount of goals to help us.
The other side is afraid….very much afraid that if he is a big success, the club might think that him and Havertz are the answers to the CF position and they strengthen elsewhere and not buy Sesko or someone as a CF
Chelsea leaving their collective ‘feet in’ it seems, not sure about this referee on past experience.
Dev, I’m fairly confident that our new Director of Football won’t procrastinate and will bring in not only one but two strikers.
He bloody needs to…
I too think we’ll sign a striker or two regardless of what we do between now and the end of May. Really can’t see the club cocking up another transfer window.
Shame the board didn’t address the striker need last summer because that was when we needed one..
Darwin Nunez keeps on being linked to Arsenal, fancy Darwin coming off of the bench Rico?
Arteta does like a project.
Dominating midfield they are in total panic then we go one nil up and hardly have a touch since. When we do we are snatching at everthing . Honestly I can see us drawing this one .
All that being said I can’t remember Arsenal ever signing anyone from Liverpool who actually turned out to be any good…
Always a first time though! 😉
For the first 30 minutes the game was so one sided you were thinking how can we have only scored one,we allowed Chelsea back into the game after that.
We need to dominate again in the second half.
I would Kev, or the young Utd striker..
We do have a tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot but maybe the Raya gaff suggests it’s our day.. lol
That should be Fofana off now!!
Kavanagh has been so inconsistent, Fofana gets away with three bookable incidents yet our guys go in the book for one..
We need a second,I get the feeling this ref/Var can’t wait to stitch us up.
For christ sake Odegaard shout
On the subject of Odegaard, I wish he would cut the stupid flicks out..
One goal, a clean sheet, three points. 🔔
Well done lads. Lots of discussions in the next few weeks methinks.
That’s made me feel all sentimental and also made me feel young and energetic again.
1-0 to the Arsenal, just like the good old days.
George Knows!
And the master of orchestrating the 1-0’s was in the stands…
That is how the tie against RM will be approached. 1-0 to us and then we defend. I felt that this game was a mini rehearsal for the games against RM.
We have 9 more games in the league and if we go all the way to the final it will be 5 more games. 14 1-0 victories will be great for me.
I think Real will trouble our defence a lot more than Chelsea did.
Yes I think the same as well Rico. But we will be defending a lot more in that game. It will be like a game of chess. If we score expect us to defend as if our lives depend on it.
Initially there seemed to be a greater than usual number of shots from the outside or edge of the box. It didn’t last though. 😕
A few relevant stats
Possession 41%
Shots 12
On target 4
Not the greatest but sufficient for a nervous three points.
I too wish Odegaard would cut out some of the flicks and tricks.
Throughout the game I was waiting for someone (Partey perhaps) to put Cucerella over the barrier and into row Z.
Onto the Carabao Cup Final. What’s the betting Liverpool get a least one penalty?
I think it’ll be an open game at home Devil but more disciplined away. Who knows with this group of players. 😜
I guess they gave up trying Cicero which was bonkers if the case as Sanchez was all over the place.
Curella deserves to put booted into row z by someone.
Depends if things are going their way or not. 😂
Newcastle fans Ant and Dec are in the stands. I wonder if they bought with them Simon Cowell
Does anyone think that Merino reminds me of Smith or Giroud?? The way he holds up the ball and allows the others to make runs?? He is not a fluid forward. Can’t play on the wings like Jesus, RVP, Reyes, Martinelli. But he does hold well to the ball, defends it and allows the others to join him in attack.
Granted, he doesn’t have the speed, and the finishing regularity required of a number 9 however i think that he does a lot of good things for the team. Its the others who have to step up and score now.
Newcastle 1 – 0 Liverpool.
That guarantees a penalty for the Pool.
I bet Caragher is spitting feathers.
So close to being 2-0..
It is 2-0 now….
Great. Come on barcodes.
Perhaps the dippers will lose this and then keep on losing until the end of the season 😜
Oh what a thought 😁
Do like Livramento not that we need a left back
Wonder if VVD’s hamstrings are getting tight… 😜
I wonder if the wheels are coming off?
Another one bites the dust
Yay.
Is Liverpool’s season unravelling? We have to keep the pressure on them! They are not unbeatable!
A rare off day for Salah and V V D got a bit rattled too. Not sure how some of the players from both sides managed to stay on the pitch.
The Geordie supporters will have a night out in London, the Liverpool ones will be in no hurry to get home before Thursday, Unemployment Benefit pay day.
I certainly hope their wheels are coming off, it would make a change from them taking other people’s.. 😂
It is not good for football that Liverpool keep on winning. And on the same lines it is not good for football that Arsenal keep on finishing second.
So Cicero, with all my heart, I do hope that their season is unravelling. Provided we win all the next 15 games 1-0