4/20/05 Matchday 33: Chelsea FC v. Arsenal [R]

[GPK]

http://www.uefa.com/ImagesContent/Competition/Clubs/Logos/70X70/52914.gif v. http://www.uefa.com/ImagesContent/Competition/Clubs/Logos/70X70/52280.gif

Chelsea FC 25-5-2, 81 PTS, 1st Place (+11)
Arsenal 21-7-4, 70 PTS, 2nd Place (-11)

8:00 PM GMT
3:00 PM EDT

US TV: Live FSC & SDD 8PM
UK TV: Live Sky Sports 1
CN TV: Live FSW Canada

Live on Big Blue (http://www.chelseafc.com/article.asp?article=103464&Title=Big+Blue+Radio&lid=Navigation+-+TV+and+Media&sub=Big+Blue+Radio&nav=&sublid=)

ChelseaFC.com (http://www.chelseafc.com/index.asp)

News on Soccernet (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team?id=363&cc=5901)

TEAMtalk-Chelsea (http://www.teamtalk.com/teamtalk/News/Story_Listing/0,7759,1773,00.html)

BBC-Chelsea (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/default.stm)

Latest Chelsea News From Google (http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&ie=UTF-8&q=Chelsea+)

Other Fixtures - Matchdays 33, 34 & FA Cup US TV

Saturday, April 16, 2005
FA Cup
7:15 Arsenal v Blackburn Live FSC, SDD 5PM FSC

Premiership
10:00 Charlton v Bolton NDD Sunday 1PM FSC
10:00 Crystal Palace v Norwich SDD 3PM FSC
10:00 Fulham v Man City
10:00 Liverpool v Tottenham Live PPV
10:00 Southampton v Aston Villa
12:15 Birmingham v Portsmouth Live FSC

Sunday, April 17, 2005
FA Cup
9:00 Newcastle v Man Utd Live PPV

Tuesday, April 19, 2005
3:00 Bolton v Southampton Live FSC, SDD 11PM FSC
3:00 Middlesbrough v Fulham

Wednesday, April 20, 2005
2:45 Aston Villa v Charlton
2:45 Man City v Birmingham
2:45 Norwich v Newcastle
2:45 Portsmouth v Liverpool
2:45 Tottenham v West Brom
3:00 Blackburn v Crystal Palace
3:00 Everton v Man Utd SDD 5PM FSC

***No trolling***

[Forza Moskva]

***No trolling***
ahh shoot.

[adri]

***No trolling***

Yeah, signs like this are just kryptonite to trolls:D:D

aaaanyway, if we have Terry & Robben back we'll win, if they have Campbell & Henry back they could win, if there's a combo of players out on both sides it'll be a big ol' one pointer.

[icecoolguy22]

This is a match I'm slightly concerned about: 1. Arsenal will be desperate to win the match 2. Chelsea will be distracted by the CL match in the following week. Dont think it's wise to rush Robben back for this match, maybe the match after to give him sometime on the pitch in preparation for the CL match.

A 1:1 draw is my prediction at this stage.

[Walter3000]

This is a match I'm slightly concerned about: 1. Arsenal will be desperate to win the match 2. Chelsea will be distracted by the CL match in the following week. Dont think it's wise to rush Robben back for this match, maybe the match after to give him sometime on the pitch in preparation for the CL match.

A 1:1 draw is my prediction at this stage.

I agree about not rushing robben back, If predicting a tie Id lean more for 2-2 with our injuries in the back , and how well our attack has been going.
I dont feel comfortable predicitng until I see whos in the lineup.

[gomez]

If predicting a tie Id lean more for 2-2 with our injuries in the back , and how well our attack has been going.

Amen my brother. We don't exactly have our choice defense out on the pitch and I'm still waiting to see Arsenal's this season. ;) I can't see us keeping a clean sheet, so we must out score them....or grab the tie but I like a win better. Will Johnson be in the RB spot? Maybe he will play a bit better in the good ol' familiar EPL. I have no doubt he can do it - let's just minimize the silly mistakes Glen. Please, Jose, no Huth in RB. The guy gets closer and closer to an own goal with every touch. You can only play Huth if Arsenal play Cygan.
Many people are pedicting a tie, but I see no reason we can't grab the win. An upset by Blackburn in the FA semi would be a nice blow to their confidence. :D I guess we will see in a few more hours. No point of going to sleep now.

[gomez]

An upset by Blackburn in the FA semi would be a nice blow to their confidence.

Scratch that. I guess I had forgotten how much I hate Blackburn. What a bunch of thugs. Anyways, bring on the Arse.

EDIT: Uh-oh. I'm quoting myself like Clan... :p

[the101er]

Why doesn't Geremi get a look in at right back? Hasn't he played there in the past? Where does Morais play? He's not a reasonable solution for this match, but for future consideration.

I don't know, both Huth and Johnson are young so they are going to make mistakes. They need matches like this to toughen them up. Huth has come close to scoring an own goal, but usually off of headers. He's got an attitude plus he's got a cannon of a free kick. If he played for me, he would take every free kick with instructions to aim for their (the wall) knees.

Maybe the best thing is for each (Huth and Johnson) to play 45 minutes, thereby cutting in half their chances of screwing up! ;)

Could Forssell see time in this match?

Prediction: We draw or beat Arsenal, we win the CL. Lose to Arsenal, we don't win the CL. We're almost to the point now where we can focus on the CL. That's one for the boys in the stat department. Any correlation between size of lead (or current league position) and chances of winning the CL, for the teams in the semifinals? Of course, the correlation could be due to the fact that teams with big leads at this point in the season, are better than teams struggling to qualify for Europe...

[Riz]

Scratch that. I guess I had forgotten how much I hate Blackburn. What a bunch of thugs. Anyways, bring on the Arse.

EDIT: Uh-oh. I'm quoting myself like Clan... :p

Heh, amazing how much I still hate Blackburn too. ;)

[bluemen groupee]

2. Chelsea will be distracted by the CL match in the following week. Considering that Arsenal is our biggest rival AND they are in 2nd place AND a win here would pretty near clinch the EPL AND the CL match is not for another week, I doubt Jose will have much trouble getting the lads fired up for the match.

Without Henry, Arsenal will be just average against us. Remember the first match at Highbury? Henry ran rampant, but everyone else was pretty much a nonfactor, even Vieira.

Predict 3-1 Chelsea.

[yasik19]

well, Arse won pretty handlly today and they looke pretty smooth. Rovers are just a bunch of thugs, played the same way as they did against us, feet-kicking strategy, bunch of wankers. Arse will definitely be a tough game. If Sol and Campbell are back, they have a good chance at winning. I just hope that IF we do lose, it won't put a mental bloke in lads heads about winning the EPL.

[icecoolguy22]

I think Henry and Campell will play, 40% of each is better than a fully fit Reres and Sendoros ( he's quite ok actually).Motivation wont be an issue, it's the fatigue matter that is a bit of concern. A win against Arsenal ( long overdue) will seal the title for the blues, cant wait for the match..

[Dear_Claudio]

Trivia Question: When was the last time Chelsea beat Arsenal in the league and who scored the winning (and only) goal?

[Val1]

I think Henry and Campell will play, 40% of each is better than a fully fit Reres and Sendoros ( he's quite ok actually).Motivation wont be an issue, it's the fatigue matter that is a bit of concern. A win against Arsenal ( long overdue) will seal the title for the blues, cant wait for the match..

I agree re: the motivation. Anyone who can't get motivated for this game should be looking for a new line of work. (With apologies to Mats Wilander...)

[Bluto11]

I agree re: the motivation. Anyone who can't get motivated for this game should be looking for a new line of work. (With apologies to Mats Wilander...)
i thinking draw and expecting a Arsenal loss. Arsenal have a tendency to not show up for big games. Henry not playing might be a blessing in disguise. The team looks for him to step up in big games and when he doesn't no one know what to do. If he's not playing they will have to step up themselves.

In all honestly I hope it is a good clean match of football that is fun to watch, like the reverse fixture at Highbury.

[yossarian]

Remember the first match at Highbury? Henry ran rampant, but everyone else was pretty much a nonfactor, even Vieira.


I imagine it would have been quite hard for Vieira to have been a factor in the first match.........................since he did not play in it.

[Forza Moskva]

I imagine it would have been quite hard for Vieira to have been a factor in the first match.........................since he did not play in it.
well put.

[gaijin]

Trivia Question: When was the last time Chelsea beat Arsenal in the league and who scored the winning (and only) goal?


September 1995

Mark Hughes. 1-0

I remember watching it on the tele. He scored a cracking overhead, scissor type kick past Seaman.

Great stuff.

Lol. 10 years? is it that long.

[leftwing]

I imagine it would have been quite hard for Vieira to have been a factor in the first match.........................since he did not play in it.

So you're admitting he wasn't a factor then? :)

[yossarian]

So you're admitting he wasn't a factor then? :)

Caught me red handed you did...... ;)