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PREVIEW: Arsenal vs Chelsea: Team Teams, Preferred XI & Prediction

By on December 23, 2013

A game of epic proportions is upon us as we welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium tonight.

Having taken just 1 point from our last two games, if we have any desires about winning the Premier League, we need to secure all three points this evening.

The 6-3 loss to Manchester City last weekend needs to be put to bed immediately and what better way to do it than to get one over another title rival.

Arsene Wenger’s record against Jose Mourinho is terrible, with no wins from their previous nine league meetings. However, this isn’t the Chelsea of old. They are no longer the rock solid unit with Didier Drogba causing havoc up front.

They are weak at the back and none of their three strikers have scored an away goal in the Premier League yet this season. They also just got knocked out the League Cup to bottom side Sunderland so this is an excellent opportunity to show we are genuine title contenders and secure the win that would see us top the table at Christmas.

Team News

Jack Wilshere is unavailable as he starts a two-match ban for swearing at Man City supporters last Saturday. Laurent Koscielny is close to being fit after cutting his knee last weekend but it looks like he might just be short meaning Vermaelen will play alongside Mertesacker at the back.

Wenger must decide who to line-up in the centre of midfield and I personally hope he doesn’t opt for the Arteta-Flamini combination. It’s only ever worked once – against Napoli at home – and I just don’t think we have the right balance with both of them in the team. It should be one or the other tonight please Arsene.

Aaron Ramsey needs to play centrally and there’s little doubt Theo Walcott should start on the right. He proved against City what a threat he is going forward and his pace will be vital tonight.

We need big performances from Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud, as well as whoever starts on the left, be it Santi Cazorla or Tomas Rosicky. Lukas Podolski is available again but he’ll most likely be among the subs after such a long time out.

Preferred XI

Prediction

I fear the game could be ruined by something out of our control; the weather. The forecast is for torrential rain and 80mph winds through-out the game and unfortunately this is going to have an adverse effect on the match, and there is still the very-real possibility it could be called-off.

However, should we complete the 90 minutes, I’m backing the boys to edge this one as I think Chelsea are certainly vulnerable at the back and if we can keep their attacking midfielders relatively quiet, we should have enough going forward to beat them.

Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea COYG!!!!

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