Can't see us winning this. A draw would suffice for me, but I expect we will lose this one.

Mertesacker injured eh?

 

1-0 to us, Drogba header from a corner taken by Fabregas (fingers crossed)

Mertesacker injured eh?

1-0 to us, Drogba header from a corner taken by Fabregas (fingers crossed)

Not sure that's good news for us.

Mertesacker is a weak link IMO, he's slow, clumsy and can be got at.

Every week I am reading articles prophesying about how the wheels are going to fall off for us and waxing lyrical about United or Liverpool or Arsenal and that they are "setting down a marker" for next season.

It's either we aren't going to be able to cope with the directness and aerial threat of Felliani and now it's that we are going to get tired whilst Arsenal tiki-taka their way through our team.

Basically it is all wishful thinking. People don't want us to wrap up the title within the next two weeks because then the league is over before we enter the final month of the season and that's not a great advert for "The Greatest League in the World ©".

People don't want to see us keep winning either, the purists harping on about "the right way to play" oh so desperately want to declare a "victory for football".

But we keep doing our thing, which is being the best team in the league, meanwhile the likes of Savage have to concoct their next article on how relegation candidate Leicester have "found form at the right time" and will be looking to take points off of us who haven't played well since football was first conceived. All the while we march triumphently on towards being Premier League champions once again and reveling in the knowledge that it is going to make a lot of people sick to their stomachs seeing JT hold aloft yet another trophy.

Arsenal fans seem very confident in this one, hope there team is overconfident to.

Hilariously sycophantic albeit entertaining article on Wenger:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/21/arsene-wenger-arsenal-the-martyr-of-islington

Arsenal fans seem very confident in this one, hope there team is overconfident to.

Can't blame them with the run they are on plus being at home.

We do seem to pull it out the bag when up against it away from home in these type of games (Man City and Liverpool last season).

Can't blame them with the run they are on plus being at home.

We do seem to pull it out the bag when up against it away from home in these type of games (Man City and Liverpool last season).

I find overconfidence to be arrogant myself, I mean it's ok to think you're gonna win but a lot of Gooners are making out they're gonna smash us.

Remy still 50/50. Costa 50/50

 

Drogba 100%.

Yip, gutted if they don't play.

Not sure we will get a result with Drogba tbh.

Hope I'm wrong/

Every week I am reading articles prophesying about how the wheels are going to fall off for us and waxing lyrical about United or Liverpool or Arsenal and that they are "setting down a marker" for next season.

It's either we aren't going to be able to cope with the directness and aerial threat of Felliani and now it's that we are going to get tired whilst Arsenal tiki-taka their way through our team.

Basically it is all wishful thinking. People don't want us to wrap up the title within the next two weeks because then the league is over before we enter the final month of the season and that's not a great advert for "The Greatest League in the World ©".

People don't want to see us keep winning either, the purists harping on about "the right way to play" oh so desperately want to declare a "victory for football".

But we keep doing our thing, which is being the best team in the league, meanwhile the likes of Savage have to concoct their next article on how relegation candidate Leicester have "found form at the right time" and will be looking to take points off of us who haven't played well since football was first conceived. All the while we march triumphently on towards being Premier League champions once again and reveling in the knowledge that it is going to make a lot of people sick to their stomachs seeing JT hold aloft yet another trophy.

It was similar last year with us but vice versa.

Man City top of the table. Everyone expecting us to get destroyed at the Etihad 5/6-0.

Liverpool top of the table. Everyone expecting Suarez to run riot over our B-team.

We are comically underestimated a lot. It makes our wins a lot more enjoyable.

It was similar last year with us but vice versa.

Man City top of the table. Everyone expecting us to get destroyed at the Etihad 5/6-0.

Liverpool top of the table. Everyone expecting Suarez to run riot over our B-team.

We are comically underestimated a lot. It makes our wins a lot more enjoyable.

 

I think it probably plays into Mourinho's hands as well. I'm not sure I've ever seen a manager so proficient at playing the underdog, even when it is totally inapplicable.

 

You would think that Wenger would have learnt by now, he should have said:

 

"Chelsea are ten points clear and I haven't beaten Mourinho in [number] of attempts. We don't stand a f**king chance, I am concentrating on the Hull game and on consolidating that Champions League spot for next season."

Last year we went to Liverpool who were the form team and completely nullified them. We're doing the same this weekend. Like Ploks says, it's where Jose seems to thrive so he's probably enjoying the fact that a team who are 10 points clear at the top can still play the underdog, which is extraordinary in itself.

 

I know I'm not as confident as some and that's because Wenger seems to be changing his style for the first time in many years. There's a recognition that the 'beautiful football' isn't the only way to win a game, that you can set a team up to defend first and hit a team on the break a la Mourinho. 

 

I'm not sure how much pressure they're under either. Top three is pretty much secured and we're the champions elect. We're unlikely to go after them so he can send his team out there to play without much expectation. On the other hand, they will want to get one over on us at a time when they're probably playing the better football and with an eye on next season.

 

I suppose I'm going into this one more with intrigue than nerves or trepidation. You can say what you want about Wenger but if styles make fights then the ideological differences between him and Mourinho means it could be a cracker. Any fan of football should be excited by this one.

Be amazing if Solanke starts.

Be amazing if Solanke starts.

Knowing Mou..he won't. .sadly

Remy still 50-50 seems weird to me

Solanke wont play unless Drogba gets shot by a sniper. Even then its likely to be another midfielder. If either Remy or Costa are deemed fit he wont make the bench

As long as hazard stays fit..i am confident that we will win..

Solanke wont play unless Drogba gets shot by a sniper. Even then its likely to be another midfielder. 

 

Tbh I wouldn't play Solanke in a game like this anyway. Regardless of the gap I think Jose will want to take something from this game, I think he's proud of his record over Wenger and doesn't want that to have a blemish in it.

I think the top three are:

3) Super freekick at the Emirates

2) The league cup final header

1) his last goal against them (for us) at the Bridge, had Messi or Ronaldo scored that they'd have been talking about it for years

Tbh I wouldn't play Solanke in a game like this anyway. Regardless of the gap I think Jose will want to take something from this game, I think he's proud of his record over Wenger and doesn't want that to have a blemish in it.

Only if Remy and Costa are out.

Drogba is a legend but his legs have gone and he has hardly any pace now.

He works his socks off but the touch, control and drive are all in severe decline which is absolutely understandable given where he is in his career.

If Mertesacker was playing it would be less of an issue given he’s just as slow but given we don’t create much on the right with everything coming down our left side crosses into the box are few and far between which is the one area Drogba excels in compared to our other options.

Arsenal move the ball quickly and I just don’t think Drogs has the legs to do a lone strikers job against them the way they are playing.

Only if Remy and Costa are out.

Drogba is a legend but his legs have gone and he has hardly any pace now.

He works his socks off but the touch, control and drive are all in severe decline which is absolutely understandable given where he is in his career.

If Mertesacker was playing it would be less of an issue given he’s just as slow but given we don’t create much on the right with everything coming down our left side crosses into the box are few and far between which is the one area Drogba excels in compared to our other options.

Arsenal move the ball quickly and I just don’t think Drogs has the legs to do a lone strikers job against them the way they are playing.

Arsenal are vulnerable from set pieces though and Drogba will be vital in that. Solanke is unproven at this level and I don't think a game of this magnitude is right for him to get his first start.

I think Drogba didn't get the praise he deserved for the United game tbh. He put in one hell of a performance and I bet he'll want to do it again in this one.

Call me crazy but I say we win 2-0 Drogba and Hazard to score

Edited April 24, 201511 yr by Bobbywoodhogan