Probable Lineups
Probable Lineups Statistical Comparison
Goals
Assists
(6.7)
7
Average Ratings
6.8
(6.7)
31.5
Average Age
32.3
182.4
Average Height (cm)
181.5
(1.2)
1.3
Shots pg
1
(0.8)
(51%)
50%
Aerial Duel Success
47%
(47%)
(0.9)
0.8
Dribbles pg
0.6
(0.6)
(1.3)
1.1
Tackles pg
1.1
(1.1)
* Values in brackets (x) are overall player statistics in Premier League.
Missing Players
Chelsea
Arsenal
| Player | Reason | Status | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marco van Ginkel | Out | N/A | |
| Isaiah Brown | Out | N/A | |
| Cesc Fàbregas | Out | 6.28 | |
| Mateo Kovacic | Doubtful | 6.65 |
| Player | Reason | Status | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sead Kolasinac | Out | 6.61 | |
| Laurent Koscielny | Out | 6.92 | |
| Ainsley Maitland-Niles | Out | 6.64 | |
| Carl Jenkinson | Out | 6.31 | |
| Nacho Monreal | Doubtful | 6.97 | |
| Danny Welbeck | Doubtful | 6.39 |
Team News
Chelsea
Arsenal
- Cesc Fabregas is carrying a knee injury and joins Izzy Brown and Marco van Ginkel on the sidelines.
- It remains to be seen if Mateo Kovacic will feature having missed out on the 18-man squad at Huddersfield, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek in line to start at Ross Barkley's expense in midfield.
- Eden Hazard is expected to start after an excellent cameo appearance last weekend and could replace Willian, though the Belgian may start as a false nine too with Alvaro Morata possibly dropping out.
- With Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles sidelined, and Nacho Monreal a doubt, Stephan Lichtsteiner is set to make his full debut at left-back.
- Laurent Koscielny misses out with an Achilles problem, while Danny Welbeck will be assessed.
- Lucas Torreira and Alexandre Lacazette may come in for Granit Xhaka and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, respectively.
I think we witnessed two teams still adapting to a new way of playing. Chelsea are closer to Sarri's vision than Arsenal are to Emery's but there were players on both teams who looked perplexed at times. I can't argue with the result at all. I did like our fight after going 2 down. In the Wenger era, that would've been a guaranteed 5-0 bottle job. I think Unai is realising the task he faces. A decade of mediocrity, ineptitude and negligence will not be put right instantly but there are signs we are going in the right direction at least. Whether he will be able to persevere with playing this high a defensive line with two average-paced CBs and playing out from the back with Cech in goal remains to be seen. I do think a formation switch is needed to steady the midfield and if that means Oezil is benched, so be it. I'm a big fan of his, he is in the top 0.1% of passers, but if you don't press and help in defending your days are numbered irrespective of your offensive ability.
@SteveHyland Why are you being so rac1st against Ozil?
@MathCatsFootball sorry.
@MathCatsFootball this site is not for children,many people saying bad words here,go to other site.
@Whou- You do realise what we are going on about, right?
@SteveHyland i doidn't see rac 1
@Whou Not sure but I think he's being sarcastic
Two games in and Arsenal already have 0 chance of winning the EPL.
@capra As if that was ever possible or their goal ...
Amazing performance by Mikhitaryan!
@maxifoot Not too amazing.. him and Aubameyang should have been better finishing those clear cut chances. Bellerin messed up the defence at the end but since it was Mkhitaryan's wing he should have dropped and helped more even though he kind of did but it wasn't enough.
Amazing match and imo Chelsea were the better team and won deservedly.
What is special about bellerin? He seems like quietly such a weak player
@Ersatz2018 he used to be much better, especially faster
@Ersatz2018 Third goal was pretty much his fault, Chelsea saw the weakness on the left and took advantage.
@stiop futbal iq
@stiop exactly he always seems so selfish bombs forward and relies on being faster. He has minimal futbal is
The 2nd half has been very one sided but arsenal are holding on so far......
@spectre08 I was hoping for another 4 goals
@nekt And Chelsea deservedly take the lead.
The impact of Özil is amazing again. After quitting the german team, the next step would be quitting competitive football... He is a joke
@neumi17- Racist! :-p
@SteveHyland lol
Mkhitaryan on fier
@yervand.beglaryan fire*
Chelsea need new CBs
@nekt Indeed. With Rugani, this Chelsea team would have been complete. Alas...
@nekt Christensen one of the world's best young CB's is on the bench.
4 or 5 clean goals not realized by Arsenal .... I'm going crazy...
Wow this match will be a classic
Wenger out!
Its becoming humiliating... & why is torriera not playing, I think he's arsenal's best midfielder
We need Wenger back
@Cannavaro69 Be patient ! AFC is not playing bad, maybe missing easy chances, tough they already tied the score.
@dib You are right buddy
@Cannavaro69 hehe emery is more naive than I thought!
At Stamford Bridge there are no excuses, CHE 3-0 ARS
@ObiOne dream bigger
@nekt Hey at least we got the 3 goals!!
@nekt I will
lol arsenal
Both goals came fromeimmediately after clear chances missed by Ozil and Audebayang respectively. Nice counterttacks from Chelsea but Arsenal defenders are so slow.
chelsea will win over 1.5 goals.
Unai Emery still not playing with 2 strikers up top... they will play from the back again today, guaranteed. I imagine that Chelsea will try to compress the space and press high, especially on Cech. This game will be a battle in the midfield, and on the flanks. Jorginho Barkley and Kante will sinply overload xhaka and Guendozi in Arsenals 2 man midfield. Mkhitaryan isnt fast enough to give alonso problems, and Iwobi will be smothered by Kante and Azpilecueta. Look for Chelsea keeper Kepa to have a stand out game too. He looks the big game type. All in all Arsenals only hope for me is if they brin on Lacazette to partner with Auba... it looks doubtful though, and with Giroud and Hazard to come off the bench surely for Chelsea in the 2nd half, they are going to be too much for Arsenal. 3-1 to the Blues at the Bridge.
Arsenal double chance, both team are sucks this season
@Cannavaro69 Chelsea will probably surpass your expectations imo.
@spectre08 You was right bruhh. thumbs up...Arsenal so pathetic
@Cannavaro69 And it's 2 2 lol
@spectre08 lol
3-3
does anyone here bet on corners fouls and other statistics? i think arsenal chelsea match will be with many corners from both sides
this shud be like watching rodeo clowns at the carnival, funny as heck but its very serious business...
2-1
Amongst The Top Five Teams In EPL, There are two teams that give Chelsea Hard Time Namely M.City and Arsenal. So i smell something for the Gunners Tonight
@baker You wot m8? Arsenal were a bogey team only to Conte, not to Chelsea. That's in the past now.
@baker Arsenal is not top 5 ...
@SteveHyland I feel like your being overly optimistic. Im predicting a comfortable 2-0 win for Chelsea.
@Overmars- I often am with Arsenal.
Double chance to the Blues.
Can anyone give me a 3 odd sure win stake
@Cannavaro69 there's hardly anything sure in football.
1-0 Chelsea
X2 double change,Chealsea won't win.
@st1skorpion7 2:0 in the first half dude
I see no justification anywhere in dismissing Arsenal and making Chelsea heavy favourites for the tie based on only 2 games. New Arsenal played a £800m squad under the best manager in football and current title holders. They lost fair but Chelsea beating mighty Huddersfield doesn’t make them any hot favourites here. A few weeks back this Chelsea side were humbled by same or weaker City side in FA Cup final. Chelsea were average in preseason, have a striker problem, manager is new. Club is unsettled. Last friendly was a game of 2 halves where Arsenal won on penalties! I cant see Arsenal winning the game unless something happens like a red card or something. but I believe Emery will get a draw or If* lose by 1 goal margin. There is nothing special about Chelsea this season. 1:1/2:1 my prediction.
@albgunn You've gone mad mate. If you tell me a team that kept Hazard and Kante plus went on to sign a manager who played some of the most exciting football in Europe last season isn't special then the world must be flat
@ObiOne thank the stars Aubumeyang and Mkhitaryan were blind today! Missed 3 open goals from 5 yards. Sarri has never won anything in his career in contrast to Emery! Sorry there is nothing special about Hazard! You are one deluded fan who thinks he is top shelve! His stats are atrocious for him to be considered a great! He is a top 15 player in Europe!
@albgunn Nice analyse
Chelsea 3-0 jorginho, pedro & hazard gonna fvckn' score
@Kant3holic 10-0 lol
What a midfield? Kovacic's ball carrying, Jorginho's ball distribution, Kante's ball recovery. Perfect ingridients for #SarriBall. Chelsea win 3-0 KTBFFH!
Can't see Arsenal taking anything from this game... Same old, same old from them. 2-1
3-1 Chelsea
@neumi17 Or 3-0
Arsenal will have to wait for their first win of the season.
Chelsea look like they've discover their fine form in their previous matches. I think Chelsea will win by 5 - 0
Chelsea to win by 2 goals difference
Hazard to make it 1-0 in the 8th minute. Aubameyang to equalise in the 39th. Chelsea will come back stronger in the second half with Morata scoring in the 70th and Alonso in the 89th to wrap it up. Hazard = MOTM with 1 goal and 1 assist.
@MidgetPower7 Might as well make Morata the MOTM if he scores
@MidgetPower7 Morata will be substituted off before 70th minute.
12 & GG
Chelsea to win
Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Sorry for the triple post but nobody reads my comments anyway. Lastly it brings us to the front 3. Mkhitaryan and Oezil both largely neglected their defensive duties against City which led to the FBs being overloaded and made first half dominance inevitable. Mkhitaryan was better in the second half, especially when he switched to his best position (RF/RW), but with Eden Hazard looking in ominous form already (MotM after just 15 minutes in Chelsea's opener lol), I don't like the idea of Bellerin contending with him AND Alonso. That may mean a start for Welbeck, despite him not even being named on the bench against City. His adaptability and jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none utilitarianism is a blessing as a squad member but a curse as a first teamer. Here against a rampaging Hazard, I wouldn't be too sad to see Danny get the nod safe in the knowledge he has the pace to get up field when defence becomes attack. Failing that Mkhitaryan starts having had a "last chance!" verbal warning.
@SteveHyland I read your posts, most people on this page probably too ;-)
@neumi17- The ones I pay for sure.... Ha
@SteveHyland your posts are always informative and make a lot of sense, so keep posting. What do you think the outcome of this match is going to be then?
@daveco7- Thank you. I would guess a draw. Chelsea are also learning a new system/style so that could help us. It depends how well we do with Hazard and if we put pressure on Jorginho which we didn't do in the friendly a few weeks ago. We can't allow him time on the ball to pick out passes at will.
@SteveHyland I was travelling so I didn't see the match against City, but Miki is usually known as quite responsible defensively and made 5 tackles, so I'd expect him to be good option for the right (he has good connection with Auba). I'd also like to see him going against Alonso, who is top class wing back but could be exploited if he leaves space behind him, particularly now that there's fewer CBs to cover him. Miki could also be an option for midfield if Emery feels Guendouzi isn't up to start. I'm not sure how much there is difference between these teams, but I feel Hazard will make a difference whether he starts from the off or on the bench.
@Castle- On the right, I like him, but he strikes me as somebody who needs 'incentivising' now and then though. He is certainly a better defensive option than Mesut. If we can put 2 on 2 over on the right hand side then we could win that battle. 1 vs 2 like against City and Hazard will take the mick.
@SteveHyland I read them (usually).
@MEHJones- Cheers, though maybe avoid on the N.London day(s).
@SteveHyland If you feel no one is reading then why are you writing???
@jpwisestilo You are not familiar with english humour and understatement, aren't you ?
@neumi17 I was indirectly telling him I do cos if I don't I wouldn't have replied. It's really not a case of me not understanding his, it's bout you not understanding mine. Peace
@jpwisestilo- Thanks for reading them. I actually had a reply once saying "nobody reads your essays" or something of that ilk, which was ironic. Since them I drop it into my comments now and then.
As for Torreira, he is at his best in the middle of a 3-man midfield (like we saw with Uruguay in the world cup) but, unless we play Guendouzi, whoever we play LCM (Xhaka, Oezil) will have a lack of pace which may in turn void the pressing Emery wants in that vital part of the field. Unai is ruthless enough to drop Oezil but is Xhaka the man to play there? Guendouzi went ball chasing too much against City and at 19 with his only experience being Ligue 2, I feel he needs easing into things. Ramsey has to play, he is the archetypal Emery CM, Torreira should play and I think Xhaka will given Unai's comments about him prior to the season. That probably means Xhaka will play in the middle, Ramsey RCM and Torreira LCM. Torreira has the legs to hunt down the ball and Xhaka is a better midfield architect & recycler than Aaron or Lucas. Granit does, however, switch off and find himself out of position. If he is to play in the middle of the 3, it will require patience from fans while he learns.
@SteveHyland Torreira would be my option in the middle of 3-man midfield too. But we indeed lack options for no 8 position. It's strange Emery let Wilshere leave; he's not known of his defensive skills but he would certainly have dynamism to press the opposition and carry ball forward which Xhaka and Özil aren't capable. So Xhaka could start on the bottom despite being deep-lying playmaker rather than traditional ball winner. On the other hand, defending isn't Chelsea's Jorginho's strengths either, so this could turn out quite interesting match.
@Castle- Regarding Torreira, Emery suggested as much in his press conference- "We can speak about the No 6, the No 8 and the No 10. Torreira today is a 6, 8. Normally every player has two positions- Torreira is 6, 8. Maybe also Elneny is 6 and 8. Xhaka maybe also 6, 8. Matteo maybe 6, 8 or 8, 6. Maybe another player, a more attacking player like Aaron Ramsey, he is more of an 8, 10- but this possibility to play with two or three midfielders, it depends on each match whether to change or not and the demand in each match. Whether we can do one midfielder more either more attacking or more defensive, it depends". Unai named their strongest position first (which is why he corrected himself with Guendouzi), so Matteo and Aaron are true #8s with a secondary position whereas Torreira/Xhaka/Elneny are true #6s with a secondary position. It also suggests he will be fluid with a 4-2-3-1, a standard 4-3-3 and an attacking 4-3-3 (essentially a 4-1-4-1).
@SteveHyland So that statement suggests Emery sees Ramsey as a most advanced player of three midfielders rather than together with Özil in 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1, while Özil would start out wide? Or did he mention in which positions he sees Özil to play? At Sevilla, he used to play Ever Banega as #10 and was very reluctant to play him in bottom of the midfield, where he could have suited better against smaller oppositions at least. Ramsey and Banega aren't that similar players, but I don't think Emery as a coach who has adjusted his line ups according to opposition that much. Time will tell but I expect him to put defense first for a while, although nice run of fixtures after Chelsea should allow him to experiment more attacking options.
@Castle- It would be a really progressive 4-2-3-1 if Ramsey plays as the 8 with Oezil 10 because with Banega at Sevilla: when the 8 (whoever that was at the time) went forward, Ever slotted back to cover the space while the 6 stayed put. Aaron could do this when playing as the 10 and, say, Guendouzi played as the 8 but Mesut almost certainly (would/could)n't when playing as the 10 if Aaron was the 8 so it would be effectively a 4-1-4-1 which, reading between the lines, Emery would reserve for a game against a team where our dominance and an 'attack vs defence' scenario was guaranteed (Burnley, Cardiff, Huddersfield...). I thought we'd see that against City, because the aggressive pressing up front could stop them at source and Torreira could have slotted in as a 3rd CB when out of possession. Mesut is the problem because, without him in the squad, I'm sure Emery would play a 4-3-3 every time but where can Oezil play when he is a 10 and only a 10?
Leno, Lichtsteiner, Torreira and Lacazaette should start. Choosing who to drop for Torreira and Lacazette is tricky but I feel it is imperative that we get both in the team and have a settled XI as soon as possible. It is difficult enough to implement an entirely different concept but it is even more-so when you have a turnstile of personnel. Aubameyang, imo, has more of an effect on the game when playing wide and drifting in a la Henry. He is difficult to mark, too fast to get tight to as a FB and not only finds himself on the ball more than when playing in the #9 but, more importantly, finds himself in more goal scoring positions than when he plays as a #9. Lacazette is made for the role of #9. I know there is an issue defensively with Auba playing LW but let's be honest, with Oezil and Mkhitaryan out wide against City, we weren't exactly secure on the wings. I think the offensive benefits you get from having both Auba and Laca on the pitch outweigh the defensive disadvantages.
Arsenal have loads of weakness
@nekt If you're referring to the Team Characteristics, I think so far it's just based on the opening game again Man City It will mean more after 6-10 games.
Chelsea win 1-0. Arsenal to struggle again in front of goal.