Chelsea will play host to Arsenal tonight in their rearranged matchup, having initially been scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
The Blues will instead take on Leicester City in the FA Cup final at the weekend, leading for our fixture to be moved forward, meaning we will be having a rare weekend off.
We come into the clash with intermittent form, with just two wins from our last five in all competitions, both having come against sides at the wrong end of the Premier League table.
Pressure is now on our side to end the campaign in a flourish and HOPE that the teams above us falter drastically, otherwise we will be sitting out from European competition next season.
Chelsea on the other-hand are closing in on a top-four finish, have both an FA Cup final and Champions League final to look forward to, whilst in the knowledge that they have only lost twice in their last 26 matches in all competitions.
The Blues will no doubt be the favourites to claim all three points tonight, a result which will cement us out of the European places, and while form will count for nothing once the teams set foot on the pitch, you can’t help but but understand that their sky-high confidence makes them the most likely winners.
I hope I’m wrong, but I can see us going down 3-1 to the Blues tonight. There is little reason to believe we will beat Thomas Tuchel’s organised side, but I hope that we can at least organise our defence. Chelsea are far from the best attacking unit, and remain strong at the back, so I’d happily take a 0-0 on that precedence, but I can see things opening once the initial goal goes in.
Is anyone expecting a performance tonight? Who believes we will bring it to the Blues?
Patrick
Depends who Tinkerman decides to play and even then it’s a lottery at which Arsenal will rock up.
Result in this match does not matter to us. For some time we have been playing matches which feel like pointless international friendlies because they have no bearing on us. We finish 9th 10th 3th or 14th how does it matter. We cannot even say that let Arteta play different formations and try out some players to find his combo and team balance becaue if he is unable to find that in 18 months how can he find it in a month. I am pretty sure we will be seeing same pathetic football next season with side to side passing, slow build up, wired team selections, his favourite players given more chances as they flop more and sending players to bench or on loan if any one disagrees a little with what he says. Players are people as well they respect the manager and listen to them because of one of the two reasons either the manager is well respected proven manager or what he is doing make sense with results showing he is right. No one listens to a person with big ego but has nothing to show for it.
Of course the result matters to us, every result matters to a Gooner! I stopped reading your post after that first sentence 🤫
Read the whole comment Declan! I meant interms of achieving anything from EPL this season.
Our U18s beat the Chavs 2-1 earlier (Azeez, Henry-Francis)… Good omen for tonight? Yeah I know, I know, I’m desperate 😄
Azeez – what a goal!!
Should be getting 1st team game time Sue. Perfect partner for Partey
Next season 🙏
I’ve recently seen Chelsea dominate RM & Atletico Madrid home and away. A draw will be a great result for us but their pace upfront will make it difficult. Realistically, I think Chelsea will win it but I hope I’m wrong.
Tend to agree Andrew .There is a lot of pace in the Chelsea team which caused an under strength Man City problems last week, but I am not convinced by the calibre of their back three players, although Silva was a great performer in his day.I would settle for a draw on this occasion.I do hope Ceballos is not in the starting line up as he will never cope with the likes of Kante and Mount. Werner ,Pulisic and James are others who are really quick.
Ryan
Cedric Chambers Gabriel Saka
Elneny Partey
Pepe Smith Rowe Martinelli
Laca
This would be my line up but with Leno and Bellerin instead of Ryan and chambers .
Saka and Martinelli click on that left side and saka is better going forward and as better recovery pace compared to Tierney who struggles against pacey wingers but with him at left back we will miss him on the RW where Pepe sometimes struggles .
We can only lose through Arteta.
Anybody noticed this new : Arsenal attacker Willian is reportedly keen on leaving the north London club just one year after arriving on a free transfer from city rivals Chelsea.
That would be great news if we could get rid of his so massive 220k per week and why not, we could dream of getting some transfer fee, even 5million. It would be a massive loss compared to the signing bonus that apparently went to 14m but a good thing if his minutes were given to willock or nelson or any new signing that would have any room for improvement…
Easy win for Chelsea absolutely on a different planet to where we are at the moment even if they rotate will have to much quality for us to cope with won’t be watching could end up very embarrassing!!
I believe Willian is on 100k a week .
You may be right. but What is apparently sure is that the deal was around 35million for 3 years. So if the signing bonus was 14millions, it means lower wages
Still a lot. Was maybe good if we had been fighting for 4th place and trophies this year, but not really anymore in a bigger rebuild mode beyond this year.
Arsenal play well when there’s no pressure. I won’t be surprised if we win.
It’s a difficult match but Arsenal will win by 2 goals to 1.
COYG.
What planet are you on or better still what are you smoking Phenom 3-0
Dont really care, the season is over and for us a pretty pointless game. If we win it achieves little, if we lose its only expected. If it gets us a new manager in the summer, i wouldn’t be bothered if we lose. If it doesn’t, i see no gain anywhere. Just a pointless game really!
easy win
for . . .?
arsenal is unpredictable, do not be amazed seeing them do a chelsea double……
hey again do not be surprise if they get blown 3:0 in the opening 30 minutes, with a red card as icing on the cake.
“HOPE that the teams above us falter drastically”
Arsenal are remaining in 9th 10th or 11th position since December. They have not improved beyond that. Means that is where they are going to be under Arteta. Why do people still dream of miracles to happen for European football? Its gone long back dear friends.. Now just hope and pray for a finish above 10th… Keep all your hopes for next season …Atleast pray that Leeds does not leapfrog us…
7th very likely gets us into Europe.
2-1 to The Arsenal tonight!