Chelsea v Arsenal, a preview too early

Chelsea v Arsenal, a preview too early

Kick Off  Saturday 29, October 2011 at 12:45
Venue      Stamford Bridge- Capacity: 41,841
Match Record-Premier League Chelsea win 44, Arsenal win 60, Drawn Matches 44
Last Five Premier League Encounters Chelsea win 4 (2 at home), Arsenal Win 1(at home in 2010)
Chelsea Home Record 4 wins, 0 draws in nine premier league matches 2011/2012. Average points per home game 3 vs 0 for the opponents.
Arsenal Away Record 0 wins, 1 draw in nine premier league matches 2011/2012. Average points per away game 0.25 vs 2.5 for the opponents.
Betting Odds: Chelsea win ( 4/7 paddypower, 8/13 bet365, 8/15 Landbrokes)
Arsenal win (5 paddypower, 5 bet365, 9/2 Landbrokes)
Draw  (13/5 paddypower, 11/4 bet365, 11/4 Landbrokes)

Too early a game preview for The Game of  the English premier league this weekend and for that matter the entire football world ? Definitely not.

A big game? Yes. Season defining? I would say just as much as the Bolton,Stoke or any other encounter after doomsday at Old Trafford: Not to play down the significance of the London club rivalries neither am I blind to resurgent run that sees Arsenal now within six points of the final automatic champions league qualification spot.

A win at Stamford Bridge cuts the gap to three on Chelsea at fourth and by a far shot, if QPR do a Chelsea on our North London rivals Tottenham with favorable results against Newcastle and Liverpool, could see Arsenal in the Top Four for the first time since season opening day this time on merit not by alphabet.

The if situations above are telling of days just gone by and of the future to come. At the heights of the lows of Arsenal's worst start to a season following the 8-2, it was if (on the high profile departures of Cesc and Nasri) Arsenal were a team worthy of the Champions league, the better record in that competition notwithstanding.

A bigger 'if' lay on the ability of Wenger to guide his troops as the limp was evident soon after thestart gun had been fired. Worse now that the season was just about to pickup with games coming in thick as the less favored but increasingly important Carling cup neared its 2011 premier.

Even the summer ins were not spared in this 'if' business. For Mertesacker, it was if the experienced German could cope with the pace of the premier league. For Gervinho, it was if the Ivorian could get  as effective as he was exciting.

For Park, it was if he could provide more worth other than being a shirt-seller. Arteta had to deal with if he was as good as Cesc while for Alex Chamberlain and Jenkinson, it was if they could shake the tag of 'just another of Wenger's nondescript youngster buys'.

The doubts were palpable through out the commentaries and media stories so much so that the tag 'club in crisis' seemed too light a coat for Arsenal. If CNN's Chad Myers had been given a chance, he would have termed the Arsenal situation a tropical storm turning typhoon.

Facing Chelsea at the bridge,many will await to see if indeed Arsene Wenger's team has crossed the bridge from the  land whose enormous potential had been tempered by stormy weather occasioned by self destructing at times idiosyncratic tendencies to one of bountiful harvests and swelling granaries.

Once again for the umpteenth time,Arsenal's cup winning credentials will be under electron microscope scrutiny. We the gunner family, as Wenger has repeatedly said to the point of rhetoric, welcome scrutiny provided its objective.

At this juncture, to wear the beads of a foreseer, come Friday when Arsene faces the media for the pre-match interview, chances are that he will once again educate the press on objectivity. The Frenchman won't hesitate to point out that recent happenings at the club in crisis.

Last week's midweek win away at Marsielle means a repeat at the Emirates sees Arsenal qualify top for the second round Champions League draw ahead of all the participant English teams. Last night's win over Bolton puts Arsenal in the pot for the Carling cup quarter final draw for the ninth consecutive year. So much for a good for nothing Arsenal team.

To early? Well for the pessimists the positive happenings mean naught as they will be quick to point out that zilch has been won. The optimists will remind them that it's too early in the trophy race to label Arsenal a lame horse, adding that a result at the bridge diverse from the recent trend will be nothing more than a point falling off the exponential line of best fit.

Pragmatism will demand a consideration of the ifs, an exercise that will demand a footballing dissection right down to the knickers of the situation as it is at the first and second ladies of London football. Keep it Arsenalii for thoughts on possible starting lineups, expected key battles and thoughts on tactics.

Till then, clear your diary, take your replica jersey to the laundry, stock up on the beer and let it chill till then; whatever is your pre-match routine.

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