Danny Murphy has claimed that Arsenal are too ‘tactically naive’ to stop Chelsea this weekend, stating the Blues could win even without their best player Eden Hazard.
The Gunners travel across London to take on the Premier League champions tomorrow, and many people are writing off our chances of stopping Antonio Conte’s side, but Murphy has gone a step further by claiming we are too naive to stop them.
Murphy said: “I do not think Chelsea need to rush Eden Hazard back.
“They have two unbelievable players in Willian and Pedro who are playing well and they are winning games without him.
“That says a lot about Antonio Conte, making sure all the players know their job when they come in.
“When Hazard is at it, there is no doubt he makes Chelsea a better team.
“But they do not need him to beat Arsenal.
“The way Arsenal are playing and how open they are, it is difficult to see them having a prayer at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
“If Alexis Sanchez is on the pitch then they can beat anybody.
“But Arsenal are tactically so naive that unless Arsene Wenger plays with a different mentality, and shuts up shop a little bit, then they cannot beat the likes of Chelsea away from home because they are too open.”
Everybody is writing off our chances tomorrow, which could work in our favour, and we shouldn’t overlook the fact that we have beaten Chelsea in our last two attempts.
Both of those wins came at Wembley, in the FA Cup final and Community Shield, but Arsene Wenger should be well prepared for the tactics he will be coming up against.
London derbies rarely account for form, and I think that Wenger will have his players more than ready for our opposition tomorrow, although I think it could favour us to go into the game without the pressure of expectation.
Will all these pundits have to eat their words? Is Wenger able to ‘shut up shop’ in order to stop the Blues?
Pat J
Just Wenger, expect Ramsey to play? So were down to 10 men from the start
nine, don’t forget about Ozil
Any fan who takes Wenger seriously dis days is setting himself or herself for some heavy disappointment. Dat been said I don’t see arsenal beating Chelsea at Stamford. It will be more of the same movie we have been watching the past few years.
Wish DIS person did not write like DAT. We’re not all as thick as a brick.
You can’t be serious! (Reminder: it is 2017.)
OK – in 2017 we’re all as thick as bricks and cannot be serious.
Dis mayk u appi? Cuz dat iz best I cn do 🙂 But it’s hard work!
Why are you writing an article on what some nitwits are saying. The match has not even being played, lost or won. “Are Arsenal too tactically naive to stop Chelsea?” Is he intellectually naive to say that. No team has beaten Chelsea twice this year aside us . What will they being saying tomorrow if we win. It doesn’t even matter if we loss to Chelsea since we have been written off. We out played Chelsea at emirate , we out played them at Wembley in fa cup and cs and we didn’t do badly when they beat us at the bridge. You are contributing your bit to plunge the team deep into crisis with is article. I had read this already in the and you bring it down here make more mad than i already did.
“If Alexis Sanchez is on the pitch then they can beat anybody”
Oh yeah
I hope we wear the red and white. Any reason not to?
That is Arsenal.
For me it is about the players doing their jobs tomorrow………..this game is either a draw or a win or a loss at the end………but effort is what energizes the fans……..I hope everyone shows up……..including the coaches with the right selection……and timely adjustments made ………we can win tomorrow…………
Spot on 100%.Way back in 2001,Arsenal were leading Pool by a single goal in the Cup final.A through ball by Gerrard led to Owne scoring and later on the winner.
Its very easy to play against Wenger. Let him have possession and pass all day.With the mf,
congested.,he still wants to weave a way through. So when the ball breaks loose/ intercepted/a gunner attempting to control the ball,and/or is lost a swift breakthrough results in a goal in the Arsenal corner.
That’s how all the top teams and even CP beat them 3-0.His record against the top sides is appalling.Any self respecting manager would devise ways and means to prevent a similar recurrence.
Instead he carries on as usual and as a result Arsenal are stuck in arut.He doesn’t believe in anti soccer and that’s why Arsenal continue to lose the big games.So don’t be surprised there are gaping holes at the back and Hazard scores ahattrick.
Since 2012-2013 season we played 26 away league games against top 6 teams:
lost: 16
draw: 7
won: 3
last win: January 2015 against City.
16 points from 78!
this state alone means Wenger must leave. it surely means he must change something, as our last win at City was by defending hard and playing counter attack. so it puts Murphy’s remarks in perspective- unless we do things totally different, we stand no chance.