Forget we’re playing Chelsea – Arsenal just need to focus on their own game

That may sound a bit flippant, considering that Arsenal’s record against Chelsea in the League has been abysmal with just one win in our last 11 matches, but as the ex-Blue Petr Cech says, we need to remember our much better recent record in other games. “We have to draw a line under what happened and move forward,” he told Sky Sports.

“We played Chelsea in the Community Shield and in the FA Cup final last season, so we know we can beat them.

“They know they lost two games against us that they were not happy to lose, so this is something we have to use to our advantage.”

The only problem is that none of those games were at Stamford Bridge, where we have lost our last 5 games, conceding 15 goals and only getting 2 in reply. Surely that is a big worry? Arsene Wenger thinks we should just forget we are playing at the Bridge and just focus on our own game, as I said in the headline. “[That is] basically because in recent years Chelsea had a great team always and it was always difficult to win there.” Wenger said.

“But our record against Chelsea recently has been good. We won here [at Emirates Stadium] last year, we won the FA Cup Final and on penalties in the Community Shield, so let’s just continue to focus on the quality of our game and not too much where we play.”

Le Prof reiterated that when he was asked if Chelsea had the advantage after having an easy game on Tuesday, and he replied. “Chelsea looked comfortable after 20 minutes, but that doesn’t bother me,”

“I think we need to focus on our performance and play our game. I believe in three days we can recover. Overall, that should not be a problem.”

One other worrying statistic is that this is Arsenal’s third away game this season, and we have lost the other two. But Cech is thinking that we have improved a good bit since those setbacks. “The games we played at Stoke and Liverpool didn’t go the way we wanted,” Cech stated. “The performance at Stoke was much better than the result, because we had enough chances and opportunities, but we couldn’t find the final pass or finish moves off.

“It was not the result we wanted or expected, and probably deserved.

“Liverpool was a big slap in the face, it wasn’t acceptable for a club the size of Arsenal and the team that we are.

“We had to really make sure we put things right against Bournemouth and the reaction from everyone was brilliant.

“The determination and intensity was there against Bournemouth, the way we played was more like it.

“Chelsea have the same objective as us, they want to challenge for the title so it’s a big game this weekend.

“If we want to be close to the top of the table after two defeats then we have to win the big games and this is the first opportunity for us to do so.”

So we have a lot of recent history and form to overcome, but Wenger and Cech are right, we have beaten them and so should not be scared of facing them any more. If we can overcome that mental block and play to our very best, there is no reason we can’t shock them again, is there?

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9 Comments

  1. Yes, lets forget we playing Chelsea.
    All I hear is we are taking the game lightly like any other away game. I.e. pool and stoke.

    Hiw can you just focus on our game and not plan for what chelsea tactics might be.

    It is this tactical ineptitude that will cost us the game

    1. Wenger’s says Chelsea has the same objective to arsenal’s “they are also trying to COMPETE FOR THE TITLE”????
      THATS NOT OBJECTIVE there objective is to win the damn thing!!

    2. its a poor strategy to ask players to create a “bogus reality” and forget who we are playing when the games at their ground. i would rather urge the team to have their wits about them, to be bold and to be aware they are privileged to be playing at the highest level at one of the bests clubs in the world so its time to be committed AND repay the fans who follow the club through the wind and rain the good times and bad. I would tell them the standout differences between Chelsea and Arsenal as clubs is that at our very best we went an entire season unbeaten and at their best they attempted to do the same but fell short albeit by a game but they lost the “winners state of mind.” Now go out there, fearless and rep your Arsenal shirt.

  2. 2 home wins v soft teams
    2 away losses v tough teams.
    A stock standard series of results.
    Beating the likes of Chelsea City
    and Utd at home is key, any away points are a bonus.
    Another advantage is that Arsenal this season has 2 “home” games v Spurs.
    It’s Chelsea who “must” win at Stamford Bridge.
    A point would be a brilliant result for Arsenal,a huge downer for the Chavs.
    7 Chelsea players have to back up the mid week game
    while Arsenal have had 9 first team players on a 7 day hiatus.
    Chelsea are weaker than last season because Matic’s replacement Bakayoko
    is a red card waiting to happen Fabregas and Cahill are over the hill,
    Hazard is a month away from full fitness while Rudiger is not ready.
    New striker Morata is no better than Costa who is the only Chelsea player who would
    genuinely strikes fear into Arsenal hearts but right now is putting on weight in Brazil.
    Arsenal by comparison is much stronger than last season.
    Kolasinac and Lacazette are definite improvements.
    Because Arsenal can play the “B” team in the cups especially
    the much weaker Europa league it means the “A” team
    is gonna be playing just one game per week which
    means a significant advantage over the 5 CL teams.
    The PL title is not yet Arsenal’s to lose however
    top of the league by Christmas would not surprise me at all.

    1. ……………..Cech…………………
      ..Mustafi…..Koscielny…..Monreal..
      Bellerin…..Kolasinac…..Welbeck
      ……………..Ozil………………….
      ..Ramsey..Lacazette..Sanchez..

      Boss the middle with the tank.
      Control the sides with our speed.
      Let the front four loose at them.

      I know it won’t happen for the next game. But, Kolasanic should in the middle controlling things. He has spirit to lift the team.

      1. Thank God you are not the manager JJpawn. Welbeck at wingback? Kolasinac in midfield? and ramsey at right attacking mid. You have wenger syndrome

  3. Focusing on our own game is all Wenger has ever done, and that’s exactly what keeps getting us into trouble. He needs to start focusing on an opponent’s strengths/weaknesses for once! For example, telling specific players to double up on Hazard, like what Wenger DIDN’T do against Mane!

  4. “Focusing on one’s performance” – check
    “Playing our game” – against the big teams away from home that works maybe one out of every ten times. Remember Man City at Etihad a few seasons ago?
    Man I wish their was a French word for pragmatism

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