soccernet.com :
Arsenal:
"Jose Antonio Reyes is ruled out after failing to recover from a thigh injury. However, Dennis Bergkamp is ready to make his comeback after missing two games with a hamstring injury to compete with Robin van Persie for a place up front alongside Thierry Henry. Gilberto is suspended following his red card at Newcastle last weekend, while Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy and Pascal Cygan are all injured, meaning Lauren is set to continue as emergency left-back."
Ok , lets have a look at Arsenal:
Home form : 7-0-0..100% record intact..unbeaten.
Teams won against:
Newcastle 2-0..scored after the 80th minute. They were held by an admittedly poor Magpie squad for so much of the game, so I don't view this as a a great victory. But they won.
Fulham 4-1: first goal in the 42nd minute, then 53, 82 and 90th. Still slow to get on the board.
Everton 2-0: crap side to beat. Scored in 11th and 30th. Should have been more decisive.
Birmingham 1-0: needn't an OG by Birmingham top secure the points! Very poor.
Man City 1-0: penalty seperated the two sides. They had to fight to get it, but at least City are a decent challenge.
Sunderland: 3-1: did what they had to do, but still conceded.
Blackburn 3-0: clean sheet. Good win against a tough, physical side, but you could argue that , again, this is a team they should beat easily.
Overall Arsenal have had 6 clean sheets in 15 matches, and that's not good enough when facing a side like Chelsea. I believe that they are way off the pace in the EPL this season, with Henry not getting the service he used to from the midfield because there isn't Vieira putting it all together for him. ALso 'boys' like Fabregas, Flamini and Eboue aren't able to compensate for the absences at the back of Cole/Clichy. Cygan is not quality and it shows. They appear to be too concerned about everyone else's positional play that they screw up their own.
Wenger calls for 'steel' from his players...who?..where? The gamboling Pires, or Ballerina Henry..surely not the schoolboy Fabregas? THERE IS NO STEEL.
Two EPL's and a CL match and no goals. That's a near crisis in my book when you have assembled a squad like Arsenal. Disgrace.
The defence must terrify even their own players. Very loose, lots of errors and a patent lack of understanding between the backline and midfield.
Their CL form is excellent, but that's no help in the Premiership. In fact it only causes more worry.
Chelsea have the physical advantage, skill advantage and the biggest advantage...confidence and arrogance...deadly combo.
They have managed only 11pts from 24 in the matches against the top half.
Chelsea:
"Jose Mourinho could have Claude Makelele back. Makelele has recovered from his knee ligament strain and is back in training although Sunday's clash may have come just too early for him to be considered in the starting line-up. Mourinho's only doubt surrounds Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, who was forced out of last week's home victory against Wigan at half-time with a slight Achilles problem. "
Chelsea:
Away form 5-1-1..not bad, eh? Lost to Manyoo 1-0. Fair game and deserved to lose in many ways. That match showed the other side of mighty Chelsea, a side we don't often see: they can drop their heads and struggle to penetrate when away. They don't like the direct approach of the long ball, but have managed to deal with it well enough.
Arsenal make good use of the odd 'over the heads' ball for Henry to run onto. He is very skillful at catching them flatfooted. Possible tactic? Yep, I think so.
If there is a weakness to exploit it has to be their opening 45mins of play. Very slow to get into full swing: only just scrape into the top 10 for 1st half stats.
They've managed a paltry 9 GF 1st half vs 25 in the 2nd half.
The fact that Terry has been the match winner the last 2 matches is a worry...have Arsenal met them at the right time?...NO. Don't think so.
OVERALL:
Chelsea need to start tight and make sure that there are no silly early goals. These 2 sides havea 100% record of scoring first and winning the match: Arsenal 7-0-0 and Chelsea 12-0-0.
Much is said about the injuries to Arsenal, but isn't that where the shrewd 'buys' come into play..the depth of the squad? If Wenger wants to keep using this as an excuse surely he is pointing out the deficencies in his own management?!
I think Arsenal will be exposed as having a 'soft centre' and Chelsea will drive everything thru there. Width won't always be an issue if they get control of the centre, therefore a loss of Duff is not too bad.
Arsenal have fantastic skill in passing and movement , but appear to be too easily disrupted by more physically demanding opponents.
Henry will be vital to making this a winning display. Is he prepared to be patient enough? Will he move himself further afield in search of opportunities?
Bergkamp is too slow to be competitive over 90 mins..so Van Persie will probably share the striking duties.
If Wenger wants to make a go of it, maybe he should try a change in formation...be brave and throw Van Persie, Bergkamp on with Henry from the start.
It has draw written all over it, but I like the odds for a -0.25 handicap on Chelsea. I see them getting in early this time and controlling it from then on.
Will be very physical, and fiery, so a penalty and sending off is on the cards.
Arsenal NEED this..really need it. Settling for a draw with it level and 10mins to go won't acheieve anything really.
They will press all the way and that is where Jose's men should find the gaps to take the 3 pts and condemn Arse to further crticism for their failure to fill the gaps left by Vieira, and Cole/Clichy.
Chelsea -0.25 @ 2.28 pointbet
Chelsea 2-0 / 3-1
(error on bet brain re; Henry)