Mikel Arteta has spoken ahead of this weekend’s clash with Chelsea, and has praised his upcoming opponents, but insists he expects the fans to give Arsenal an edge and help us in our bid to beat them.
The Gunners were downed 2-0 in their opening match of the season, with some late withdrawals thanks to positive Coronavirus tests, but we are now looking forward to our first home match of the term, with Thomas Tuchel’s side set to arrive on Sunday.
Manager Mikel Arteta is under no illusions that a win will come easy, as he describes our opponents as a ‘top team’, but believes the fans will get behind us back at the Emirates, and insists that he has a plan to stop the Blues and give his side every chance of victory.
“Well from Chelsea we expect what they have done over the past few years, they are a top team, full of world-class players with a great manager,” Arteta admitted in his pre-match conference (via Arsenal.com). “They are the champions of Europe. We expect a really competitive match, that’s what I expect from our team. Our fans are going to be supporting our team, right behind them from the beginning because they have been missed so much, and we are going to go there to win the football match.
“I don’t know if he{Lukaku}’s going to play, but I have a plan to try to stop what Chelsea do and a plan of what we have to do to win the game.”
I can’t say that I’m personally very confident of our chances this weekend despite home advantage, and with doubts over both Lacazette and Aubameyang mean we could potentially be starting with the majority of last weekend’s selection is hardly reassuring either.
Arteta has to prepare his side for the challenge however, and he does have a positive record against Chelsea somehow, so who knows…
Do any of you have a good feeling going into the weekend’s London derby?
Patrick
I guess he had a plan on how to lose last week
I fully expect us to bounce back. The players are surley angry at the FA for not postponing the match against Brentford. And like the team and the mamager I honestly don’t care what the reatrted negativists think about our chances to win this game. They are not real fans anyway.
Always with his “plans”, as thegostinside would say it’s so “reatrted”
Clearly Arsenal will be far from favorites to win this game having 4 players out with covid, including the two senior strikers. Also Odegaard won’t play due to waiting for a visa, and it’s going to be tough. But the great thing about this league is that you just never know, and an upset can’t be ruled out. Fingers crossed!
He has a plan but is it a good one?
Oh you fans with little faith. When did u start supporting Arsenal that u wouldn’t know that Arsenal always win those games they are never given any chance 2 win? And especially when they are our arch rivals. The least we get will be a draw cuz of the players available.
We have to play to a plan to win. We must stop Lukaku, Werner and co and strike on the counter using the pace of our players. My line up would be:
Lenno
Chambers White Holding
Cedric ASL Xhaka Tierney
Saka Martinelli Pepe
A 3-4-3 formation gives defensive solidity and allows the fullbacks to go forward.