Match Day Arsenal v Chelsea, Wednesday 3rd January 19:45

[SALTIRE]

Match chat.

 

[don solis]

Well let's hope Chelsea are the one team Xhaka plays well against. Because if he outs in the performance he did in the FA which slightly above his usual trash then we could be in with a chance. Oil out is not normally a bad thing for me personally because he's crap in big games. But he's been playing better in recent games and offers us at least the specter of unpredictability to keep defenses on their toes. If Iwobi plays i'll probably switch off ,too inexperienced to play in matches of this caliber .The Bayern match ups should have told Wenger that about both Iwobi and Xhaka. I fear the worst ,but we have showed some real fight this season who knows.

 

[Pagnell]

Chelsea will win this comfortably I reckon.

1-3

 

[SALTIRE]

As long as they take points off Arsenal I'm happy. Preferably a draw but don't mind a Chelsea win either.

 

[JimJams]

Remember when we used to have loads of Arsenal fans. Some Chelsea ones too.
Thems were thum days.

 

[mistermagic]

Just you watch Storzy making a rare appearance tonight after an epic game.

Or not as Chelsea thump Arsenal and extinguish any dream of a top 4 finish. Arsenal then becoming a Europa League, Wenger getting sacked, his successor being so shit that they end up relegated and in administration following the collapse of Sky Sports.

50/50 game that.

 

[mistermagic]

Great first half. Arsenal started with their strongest 11 (bar the back 3) with Özil playing behind Lacazette and Sanchez. Conte went back to 352 with Fabregas playing on the same line as Kanté (very much a Makelele type of night for him) and Bakayoko. Without Willian and in this formation Chelsea look horizontal so most of their chances were given opportunities by Chambers (that guy just shouldn't be playing those type of games) or generous free-kicks (never a foul by Xhaka on Bakayoko). Hazard has also looked a little off. Yes, his teammates aren't doing the right choices when in an interesting position but the Belgian went gung-ho very often and has grown frustrated as the game wore on. Fabregas has been great late on though. Certainly proving me wrong as I thought the lad was finished. Morata has been toilet.
Not much going for Arsenal. Bellerin and Maïtland-Niles on the wing have been passengers but the later managed a shot who was saved by Courtois onto his two posts. That's pretty much it (oh, there was a Lacazette shot well saved by Courtois). Lots of passing but you feel that all Chelsea need to do is bring Willian on and all will be well.

 

[JimJams]

All gone a bit PEAR for Arsenal.

 

[mistermagic]

Finished 2-2. Yeah sounds about right. The intensity and the will to win from both sides makes this a deserved scoreline. Chances galore in the second half. Hazard was denied by Cech and Özil once again wasteful but Arsenal still opened the scoreline via Wilshere (good goal). Chelsea got a fortunate equaliser. Don't get me wrong it was a penalty but Chelsea didn't have to do much to get it (Bellerin isn't much of a defender isn't he?).
Conte's subs left me frustrated as they didn't change much tactically (Zappacosta for Moses and Drinkwater for Fabregas) until Willian. And, surprise, surprise, as soon as the Brazilian entered the frame Chelsea got in the lead. It really should have been the winning goal but credit to Arsenal for pushing on for the equaliser.

Best game of the season by a mile. Again, not hard as the rest has been tosh.

 

[Super_horns]

Arsenal might have their issues but they can create a decent game !

(Well not Sunday ..)

Wenger complaining about the penalty but did he see Wilshere take a dive before he scored ?

 

[Benji]

I like the new Wenger. He don't give a frick what the referees say no more.

 

[Bilo]

This was an incredible game, could have been 4-4 save Cech (0 saves from 15 pens) and Courtois. Morata is just incredibly underwhelming at times though, you have to say.