Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Gunners must go right to exploit Blues’ weakness

Unless you are a Chelsea fan, no one wants to see a runaway one-horse race to the English Premier League (EPL) crown, so Arsenal owe it to themselves and the chasing pack to keep things interesting with victory at Stamford Bridge tonight.

Arsene Wenger (right) must find a way to stop Antonio Conte's Chelsea juggernaut or risk Arsenal falling further behind in their title pursuit. Photo: Getty Images

Arsene Wenger (right) must find a way to stop Antonio Conte's Chelsea juggernaut or risk Arsenal falling further behind in their title pursuit. Photo: Getty Images

Unless you are a Chelsea fan, no one wants to see a runaway one-horse race to the English Premier League (EPL) crown, so Arsenal owe it to themselves and the chasing pack to keep things interesting with victory at Stamford Bridge tonight. Can they pull it off? TODAY’s football analyst Adrian Clarke (sports [at] mediacorp.com.sg) reveals what the Gunners must do to get the result the watching world craves.

 

Securing 12 clean sheets in their past 17 EPL matches, leaking a paltry seven goals during that spell without changing a single member of their back five — it is safe to say Chelsea are built on firm foundations.

The league leaders are disciplined, balanced, super-fit, well-drilled and resilient. They do not “gift” you anything. But every solid outfit has a soft spot, and the Blues are no exception.

It is Arsenal’s responsibility to be clever enough to prey on it during this crossroads London derby.

 

WHERE IS THE WEAKNESS?

If you move the ball quickly enough to get into advanced crossing positions down the right-hand side, the Blues get shaky.

Remember Gary Cahill’s own goal against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium? Remember Peter Crouch’s close-range finish for Stoke? Remember Dele Alli’s double for Tottenham at White Hart Lane (above. Photo: Getty Images)? Remember Tom Nichols’ tap-in for Peterborough in the FA Cup?

All five goals stemmed directly from right-wing deliveries that Chelsea’s defenders failed to cope with.

Throw in Bruno Martins Indi’s goal at the Bridge via a Crouch knockdown that went across the area from (you guessed it) right to left; and Georgino Wijnaldum’s header for Liverpool that was preceded by an early Jordan Henderson right-wing cross — and you will surely agree that a pattern most definitely exists.

The past seven concessions have been unerringly similar.

Before he takes his seat in the director’s box, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will surely urge his players to feed Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott down that flank as often as they possibly can.

They ripped Chelsea apart in September’s 3-0 success, with Walcott scoring from a quickly-played centre from the right back, and the Gunners can recreate the magic again. Stretching the Blues before flashing balls into the box from this position feels like the most likely way to breach them.

 

PACE, PACE, AND MORE PACE

Now is the right time for Wenger to revert to his early season all-out pace attack.

Alexis Sanchez (above. Photo: AP)  is itching to play as a striker again, Theo Walcott returned from injury with an FA Cup hat-trick last weekend, and fit-again Danny Welbeck — fresh from his brace against Southampton — looks tailor-made to give Victor Moses and Cesar Azpilicueta a tough time down Arsenal’s left.

It is a triumvirate of jet-heeled players that would frighten any rearguard on the planet, and on a day when the North London side know that only a win will suffice, I would suggest there is no harm in unleashing them.

On a human level, Wenger will be cut up at the prospect of leaving out the in-form Olivier Giroud (if fit) and Alex Iwobi, but deep down he knows speed is a weapon Chelsea would rather avoid dealing with. It is time to be ruthless.

The Blues want to stay nice and compact, but with that threesome bearing down at them from various angles I am not so sure that will be possible for 90 minutes.

 

CONTROLLED AGGRESSION

Arsenal have the ammunition to hurt Chelsea, but it will count for little unless they come up with a hostile game plan to nullify the hosts’ star turns. And they know this.

Allow Diego Costa and Eden Hazard (above. Photo: Reuters) the chance to breathe, and the Blues will take the game away from you in the blink of an eye. So to curtail them, space squeezing will be the name of the game.

Just as they did at Emirates Stadium, the Gunners’ back four must get touch tight every time a Blues forward takes possession of the ball. Standing off is asking for trouble. From in front and behind it is imperative that red shirts are snapping away at the ankles of Conte’s front men. Aggression is vital — this is no game for wimps — but it must always be balanced out by self-control.

Costa was anonymous for long periods against Liverpool on Wednesday, but the moment his marker Dejan Lovren got over-excited and tried to pinch a ball he was not entitled to win, the Spaniard spun him, raced through on goal, and won a penalty. That is how fast it can change.

Before that, had Jurgen Klopp’s side been fully switched on and in the right positions, Hazard would not have drawn a disputable foul 25 metres out. They only lost focus for a brief moment, but after one small error they were 1-0 down to a sensational David Luiz free kick.

Games like this often hinge on fine margins. As a collective, Arsenal’s off the ball decision-making has to be on point from the first whistle till the last.

 

PREDICTION: CHELSEA 2 ARSENAL 2

More than five years have passed since the Gunners romped to a famous 5-3 win at the Bridge, but that was the last positive memory they created at the stadium. It is not a happy hunting ground for Arsenal.

With fire in their bellies, not much to lose, and a forward line equipped to give anyone headaches, Arsenal, I sense, will go closer this time.

However, to get the better of Antonio Conte’s impressive unit, they must be as good without the ball as they are with it — as they were in September. It is do-able, but hand on heart I cannot guarantee they are capable of putting the full package together. Chelsea have the look of champions-elect.

 

 

BIG MATCH PREDICTIONS

 

Hull City 1 Liverpool 1

People scoffed when the Tigers appointed Marco Silva as manager last month, but he’s turning Hull City into an assured, tactically astute outfit. Buoyed by their draw at Manchester United, I think they can ruffle Liverpool’s feathers too. I fancy the hosts to score from a set piece.

 

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Middlesbrough 0

Middlesbrough’s speed machine Adama Traore will give stand-in Spurs left back Ben Davies plenty to think about, but I don’t see how else Middlesbrough can hurt Spurs. The uber-defensive Aitor Karanka will keep things tight but, without a proper goal threat, Tottenham may only need one goal to take the points.

 

Leicester City 2 Manchester United 1

When the Foxes score first at the King Power, they always win the match. It’s happened five times already this season and, providing they start quickly, they can do it again and claim a vital shot-in-the-arm victory. Jose Mourinho’s side are playing OK, but they’ve been unconvincing on their travels. If the attitude isn’t right, they’ll slip up.

 

 

TV LISTINGS

TODAY

Chelsea v Arsenal

Singtel TV Ch 102 & StarHub Ch 227, 8.30pm

 

Southampton v West Ham

Singtel TV Ch 102 & StarHub Ch 227, 11pm

 

Hull City v Liverpool

Singtel TV Ch 103 & StarHub Ch 228, 11pm

 

Everton v Bournemouth

Singtel TV Ch 104 & StarHub Ch 229, 11pm

 

Crystal Palace v Sunderland

Singtel TV Ch 105 & StarHub Ch 230, 11pm

 

Watford v Burnley

Singtel TV Ch 106 & StarHub Ch 231, 11pm

 

West Brom v Stoke City

Singtel TV Ch 107 & StarHub Ch 232, 11pm

 

Tottenham v Middlesbrough

Singtel TV Ch 103 & StarHub Ch 228, tomorrow, 1.30am

 

SUNDAY

Manchester City v Swansea

Singtel TV Ch 102 & StarHub Ch 227, 9.30pm

 

Leicester City v Manchester United

Singtel TV Ch 103 & StarHub Ch 228, 11.55pm

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.