Yes, they beat Chelsea in the Community Shield but that does not mask the fact that Arsene Wenger has a really poor record against Mourinho, whom he has never beaten in a competitive match. I don’t see that changing on Saturday.
whereas they could have written of Chelsea
Yes, they have got the better of Arsenal in the league but that does not mask the fact that Arsene Wenger beat Mourinho at Wembley at the start of the season, and Chelsea are just one place above relegation while Arsenal are, as usual, in the top four.
The team changes
For Chelsea, Willian is out, Falcao and Oscar are doubtful, Pedro has a thigh complaint, and Hazard has been called up into the rugby world cup.
For Arsenal, we will presumably see the return of the regular league starters, after using the squad players in the Champions League. I suspect Per Mertesacker will go to the bench, although there might be a tactical reason to play him ahead of Gabriel.
On Petr Cech’s return to Chelsea Mr Wenger said, “It is always difficult to go back to your club and play but fortunately he has handled that this season. That is why I decided to play him in the Community Shield. It is the first step that is important and he has dealt very well with it.”
So overall we are going to have quite a different team from last year when we played Chelsea which was…
Szczesny
Chambers Mertesacker Koscielny ** Gibbs
Flamini Özil ** Wilshere (Rosicky – 83′ )
Cazorla ** (Oxlade-Chamberlain – 69′ ) Welbeck Sánchez** (Podolski – 79′ )
** – I make that just four players from a year ago who will again start away to Chelsea. And yet the aaa go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about not bringing in new players. A turn around of players for a directly comparable match 11 months ago, with only 36% who started last time, turning out this time, is a huge turnover.
The next thing you know everyone will be saying that Wenger fails because his side has no stability.
Chelsea famously has no beach, but if it did, you might find some of these people lurking therein, taking in the last sunshine of summer (Summer ends on monday in case you need to know).
Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud
Arsenal’s biggest problem is that Chelsea are desperate for a win no matter how they get it, so the tackles will go flying in, and with the referee we have, there will be little protection for Arsenal’s defence.
The stat the press like to run out is that Chelsea have drawn with or beaten Arsenal in seven Premier League meetings. Prior to that they lost 3-5 at home, after being in the lead, in October 2011. But Mourinho has lost back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since May 2006.
And Chelsea has already lost as many games this season as they lost all of last season. This is their worst start to a Premier or First Division season since 1986, when they had three points after five games. In that season they ended up 14th. The following season (1987/88) they were relegated, which was such a shame.
They have also conceded as many goals in five games as they conceded in 15 last year.
So what of us? I hear you cry.
We’ve won seven and drawn one of the last eight away league games, put in more shots on target than anyone else (Chelsea interestingly have the most shots on target against them of any team in the league), and Cech is getting close to the Premier League record of clean sheets (four more games to go).
And we have just gone three league games without letting in a goal. Chelsea on the other hand have conceded at least two goals in each of their last five matches in the Premier League.
Of course everyone knows we don’t have a centre forward, which is why it is a little odd to record that Theo has scored 11 goals in the last 11 Premier League games he started. Now for most Premier League centre forwards that is quite something, headline news in fact, and if it were a Chelsea player who had that record it would be front and back page news in every newspaper, and the lead on every TV and radio show about football.
But because it is an Arsenal man….
Here’s another – which player has created more goalscoring chances in 2015 than any other?
- Answer: Mesut Ozil (76).
Now the Injuries Table
- 8: Everton, Newcastle
- 6: Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, West Ham
- 5: Liverpool, Man City, Southampton, tottenham
- 4: Bournemouth, Chelsea, Stoke City, Sunderland
- 3: Arsenal, Man U,
- 2: Norwich, Watford, WBA
- 1: Leicester
- 0: Swansea
Chelsea’s list is made up of Willan, Rodriuez, Falcao, Cortois. Falcao could however be fit.
Arsenal’s list is made up of Wilshere, Rosicky, Welbeck, none of whom is fit.
So there we have it, or not as the case may be.
Walter can’t do a match review today, so we are taking our feed from 888 Sport.
The Untold Arsenal Banner is unveiled at the Clock End
The anniversaries
- 19 September 1970: Arsenal 6 WBA 2. Arsenal programme publishes letter criticising Evening Standard’s reporting of the club. League match 9 of the first Double season. It was Arsenal’s highest score of the season. Arsenal scored 4 goals in three games, otherwise it was three or fewer goals per game.
- 19 September 1999: Thierry Henry scored his first league goal – away to Southampton. He didn’t score again until 28 November when he got both goals in a 2-1 defeat of Derby.
Wow, 11 goals in 11 starts! That’s amazing. Guess it doesn’t count because he didn’t cost in excess of £40m…
the reason why not many people are talkin about theo getting 11 goals in as many starts is coz unfortunately we live in a day and age where eveyone has an opinion and its almost like the most important thing is for their opinion to be right to get some sort of self satisfaction. benzema missed a few unbelieavble chances against shakhtar but ofcourse no1 talks about that, when theo or giroud miss then you can read about it on every singl websit and how they are not good strikers. funny really
Attack Ivanovic through Sanchez, create overloads with Ramsey and Bellerin vs Azpilcueta and use Theo’s pace against that back 4.
Defend deep and attack with speed on the break.
Throw on Giroud(Theo) and Arteta (Ramsey/Cazorla) for last 15 minutes if we have a lead or even take a valuable away point. The Ox if we are chasing the game
I can only see a very close game this time, with Chelsea taking an early lead and us coming back to level, take the lead ourselves only to surrender a late goal for a draw.
On the other hand another 5-3 would be welcome.
OT. The rugby match last night was NOT a good showcase for video tech.
Excellent preview, as usual. My wish is to have a Cheatski injury in added time, so that their medical team get slowly decimated because they entered the field.
I think they’ve started already saying Arsene Wenger has changed his team too much, Tony. That was one of the themes after we lost in Zagreb. By the way, I’ve got a friend who was at the match. He says the peculiar behaviour of the ref was obvious and Arsenal fans were shouting that he was bribed. Interesting in view of what Walter said about the accusation of bribery faced by those in charge of Zagreb at the moment.
You’ve made a small slip on the team. I think you meant Bellerin instead of Coquelin twice.
Glad you mentioned Dr Carneiro. I read the other day that she is considering her position and may sue for constructive dismissal. Don’t know if this is true or not, but I wouldn’t blame her. I’m sure she’d get another job without much trouble with her qualifications.
Sorry, Bulldog. I called you Tony by mistake!
I would take a 1-0 win to the Arsenal, a last minute own goal by Terry after Coquelin fouls Cesc would make my weekend. In other words, I would like us to make it extremely painful for Mourinho this time round, just so we see what the press write in the evening papers.
Good morning to all Untolders. Arsenal will beat Chelsea today to collect all the 3 points at stake by divine intervention of God, and move up to 2nd position in the table. I want Walcott or any Gunner to desist from picking the ball out of the net whenever they score. Let the scored keeper or any of the scored player do the picking out of the ball. And not any of the Gunners doing it, even if they are chasing an equalizing goals. There is a spritual reason behind it. Sir, Mr. Drummond, your starts are great. But for me, I’ve decided to keep my own to myself and leave them for the Boss to reveal his. I don’t want to give away any advance starts imformation to the oppositions to have time to ponder over them. CFC 0-1 AFC is a massive score line the Gunners will not fail to get at the Bridge today, and go back home to the Emirates Stadium to deposit the 3 points into the Emirates Stadium points’ bag.
Very interesting match up.
For the first time in a long time Arsenal have the better keeper for the clash with Mourinho’s Chelsea.
We also have the advantage in speed all over the park.
One disadvantage is size. Set pieces might decide this game for Chelsea.
Another advantage for Arsenal is that we don’t need to win this game.
Chelsea, on the other hand, anything other than a win and they are done in the league if City win their game.
Good start Arsenal keep it up very encouraging !
Theo and Alexis looking sharp….
COYG!!
The dirt started with a Costa dive & Dean gave a free kick, no cards for Coq despite several Chelsea appeals. Costa stickick his elbow in the face of an Arsenal defender & all ignore it. Dean is playing the innocent official by giving Arsenal the odd free kick.
Coq being targeted by Chav kicker Matic.
Here we go a chat with Ivanovic instead of a card. This is the second deliberate foul on Alexis.
Here comes the first card for Santi. The cheats are on the roll.
The BT twats are all on the attack ; They say Chelsea should have had a pen.
Red red red red
What!!!!!!!!!…..
is oscar translating for Gabriel?
Costa should be off
FFS!!!!
What the efff
An unbelievable bit of cheating gets Arsenal reduced to 10. The whole lot are playing together.
Hahahahahahahaha…..
Why didn’t Costa get a red? And why did Gabriel get a yellow? Poor show, Mr. Dean.
Hahahahahahahaha
So is Deans new holiday home being funded by Abramovich or by MaureenO?
All you have to do is read the ref preview. Andrew once again got it totally right.
Worth asking, how is it that we can predict what will happen with the ref, and get it right.
Hahahahahahahaha………………..
Dean is bent so badly
Les not mince about here.
What a farce. It’s a fix.
Costa with the red card offence.
Gabriel sent off.
Mike Dean. He’s no dickie bird.
Not close.
Such a joke of an officiating…
Dirtiest team in the world, the biggest mother f#cker is Costa the Butcher. If he doesn’t get reprimanded after the game, EPL is just a sham.
Why so little added time? Dean, the king of refs. Doing at little dance at half time with Maureen.
Costa, the puppet of Maureen.getting a BFTA for his acting.
So Dean misses Costa slapping Koscielny twice in the face and then bumping Koscielny aggressively knocking Kos over, but he sees Costa’s toes getting stepped on? What a disgrace for an official.
Very predictable. Unfortunately, maybe understandable but also naive if our players …again. I really hope Gabriel was prepped for this ref. how does costa get away with so much…sorry stupid question. Hope coq ok seems to be limping a bit?
Anyone out there still genuinely genuinely confused as to why in 2015 there’s no video ref in top flight football?
Costa is an absolute disgrace a first class Cheat !
Exactly what I said on Andrew’s ref preview, Gabriel would be the one to get sent off. A real joke.
And I also said Costa gets away with fouls 10 times worse than what Giroud got sent off for, and hoped I wouldn’t be proven right. Sad indictment on English footbal. And perhaps honesty too?
Lost for words with Dean…..Costa was probably insulting Gabrial in Portugese…was gabrial warned about the shite Costa?? Dean will see what Costa did to Koscielney and do nothing about it.
The cosmic irony (I think…) of Gabriel’s sending off is that he seemed to get into the altercation with Dismaygo Costa after Costa pushed his elbow into Kos’ face, and then took a swipe at him a moment later. Kos really showed his experience and focus there by not even hinting at reacting. It’s good, in a way, to see that kind of initial reaction from Gabriel as it shows fight and fire, but ultimately Costa got what he wanted. It’s now a real pity and from here a 0-0 draw would be an excellent result.
But wait!
PGMO PR whizz kid Howard Webb to the rescue of the PL’s farcical reputation.
*reaches for the vomit bag*
And commentators saying its Gabriel’s fault because he was too naive and has to learn to deal with Costa. Sad.
I don’t usually comment during a game, but I am livid.
What a bunch of professional thugs and cheats Chelski have become.
Also, this was dirty Dean at his blatant worst – Dean should not be allowed anywhere near a football field.
If any of our resident aaaa’s or their disingenuous apologists blame Gabriel – from me – just go and F yourselves.
Now you know…..therz a big conspiracy against Chelsea…
Now tell me that was not cheating!!!
Where are the AAAs who used to tell us that our players should stand for each other? how about standing for your team for once, just fuckin once!!!!!
As always our players will be blamed and they will get away with it11
I just want Mike Dean to share the same cell with Septic Bladder and Mike Riley on the day the real justice comes to football.
Diego Costa is a skunk. A piece of garbage. An insult to football. A Mourinho among the players.
Gabriel – son, you are going to be an Arsenal legend.
England – I wish you a lot of defeats from dodgy penalties, offside goals given and non-offside goals of yours disallowed. I wish you that until you make a Calciopoli in England and remove all disgraceful thieves with the whistles and flags in the maximum security prison. I wish your football all the worst because you don’t deserve Arsenal.
“Cheats never prosper” not sure who coined that phrase, but they should have waited for the advent of the EPL/pgmol before making such a statement.
Dean embarrasses the game, as do Chelsea.
As per Bein Arabia here, the arabic referee (Who is a chelsea fan) said that Costa should have been awarded the red card 2 times, and then the camera showed Gabriel nick, the commentators said that was a disgrace!!!!
How can our players survive? Am surprised how they still come to Arsenal, and get into the danger of losing their career!!!
BBC MOTD tweet Arsenals red card count. They are all colluding to destroy Arsene Wenger.
The commentators & their puppet ref don’t do anything for the game.
If there is anyone on here that now believes that football in the Premier League isn’t fixed then nothing will convince you. At the same time absolutely appalling and yet totally predictable.
Offside ignored.
Dean 1 Arsenal 0
This is game 50 all over again.
COYG!!!!!
chelsea, costa, mou, pgmol, disgrace of epl…
The whole EPL is s farce.
Got to take our chances, COYG!!
keep your head Chambers
Dean is a cheat & he is doing his bit for The Specialist in mourning.
Come on the OX and OG.Get one, then squeeze in the winner…
wtf??????????????????????ß
Hahahahahahahaha…… Hahahahahahahaha
Dean is a total bloody remedial. Santi didnt even touch him.Fabregas is a total git.FFS!!!!! Funny that Arsenal were getting back in the game.total bulllshit.
This is the worst case of cheating after the 50 in EPL.
Any more proof required!
Come on Arsene take the team off the pitch in protest!
What a farce
Such a bastard….that Costa. Such a….
Deans just doing a dance.Big hug with Maureen and the AAAC
Professional thugs and cheats:
1. FA 2. PGMOL 3. Chelski 4. Mouhrino 5. Diego Costa
and Mike ‘Fu..ing’ Dean! What a fix! What a robbery!
Instead Ivanovic 2 yellow carda, Costa red card, 50 min with one player advantage, Chelski without Costa for 3 matches, we end up with Cazorla 2 y.cards, Gabriel red card, 50 min without one player + 10 min without 2 players, without Gabriel + Cazorla for 1 match, 0:1 after another phantom foul graced by Mike ‘Fu..ing’ Dean and own goal!! Well done Mike ‘Fu..ing’ Dean!! You deserved you salary from Chelski, PGMOL, FA, whoever… Disgusting!
There was an offside before the ball was cut back for the 2nd goal, Another one for the 14 man squad.
I’ve looked at the replays of the foul that led to the free kick and goal…I can’t see the foul.
Cazorla’s second yellow was a foul…maybe…he pulled his feet out of the challenge.
now we know what clencie need to win against arsenal.
dean and 9 man
Well done boys, never wilted in the face of adversity. Proud of this team.
I’m bracing myself for the mocking tone of most media articles and post-match “analysis” programmes until we beat Spurs on Wednesday. At least the Jeff Stelling and Alan McInally called Costa and Dean out, though they did say Dead “fell for it”. He hardly “fell” for it, he clambered down onto the floor for it!
The match report is on
@Andrew,
Same thing was I screaming on the TV (as if they will hear it), take the team out!!!!!
I just want to see the Arsenal fans reaction (Not untolders, but the others who usually says we should take it on the chin)!!!
Seriously is there a way for Arsenal to formally protest this result?
I am disappointed that our players shake hands with Mike ‘Fu..ing’ Dean. It is the same that admitting that he did a good job. That is why I am not a footballer, I would have tackle Mike ‘Fu..ing’ Dean at knee level.
It’s been a long time coming, but something in the English game died today.
Untold Arsenal, PA, FIF have been right on the money.
I don’t know if this is about a ref receiving payment, a ref who hates us, or more likely a ref part of an organisation told to ensure city and Chelsea fight it out for the title, U.S. , Man U and Liverpool for third or fourth. Dean is the foot soldier, but the cause lies elsewhere.
Arsenal won’t join them, and ultimately most likely won’t beat them.
Watching this league is now like watching pro wrestling, many outcomes are determined. I will now watch Arsenal for the enjoyment, but without expectation. This is not about buying players, or wengers tactics or anything else the cry babies and the media will tell us, worth remembering we faced one of the riches clubs in the world , and their special manager, it took a bent ref for them to beat us.
Well done to our players, twice this week they have done their best in the most trying of circumstances.
This is such a corrupt game that it almost brings me to tears. It is difficult to avoid swear words but I will control my temper. The commentators are all over the great Chelsea victory while evading the corrupt chaeting by Dean & his assistants who only see what they imagine.
If Arsenal do not protest in an open letter to the FA, I will seriously consider giving up the game I love.
Menace 2:39
Saw that too, it was Ramires who was offside. Anyway this just shows what we have been saying all these years, cheating is rampant in this league. In the 10 years we have not won the league we certainly deserved to have won 2 or more titles, 2008 being one of them.
@ Andrew, Yassin – Only one person, as I know, did the right thing. H.E. Sheik of Kuwait. In World Cup, year ? in Spain they gave a hard time to France and were cheated to the bare bones. Well, from his place in stands, he made a sign with his hand and the team left the farce to the ‘Great footballing nations’ which are not supposed to lose. Similar in our PL. They just did not want to be part of the scum anymore. Kuwait did not fear the sanctions. Well done and a lesson to everybody. Unfortunately, nothing had changed since or in English PL since game 50! Disgrace to FIFA, UEFA, FA, PGMOL, Chelski, Mourinho, Drogba, Costa, Hazard, Fabregas, Ash.Young, Rooney, Stevee G. and all similar cheats. COYG!
Nekuhan, agree, but when most of Arsenal fans are still blaming the team and not putting a thing on the refs, I think its harder on the club to do that. I would have been really proud had they left the field. At least Wemger should have left in protest.
Nekuhan
September 19, 2015 at 3:12 pm
You are right. There comes a time when the righteous should stand up to the criminals.
Costa is sport’s biggest cheat, a dispicable person and fits right at Chelski
The Premier League is no different to the Greek Super League…RUN BY CORRUPTION and CHEATS!
Disgraceful game, I don’t care if arsenal lose in a fair game but this is ridiculous. How is Gabriel a red card when Costa did the dirty on Kos. Normally I don’t fume at refs cos you win some lose some but this is totally ridiculous. How is Santi’s challenge a yellow then red? There are worse challenges and ref gives another chance before red. Totally ridiculous. Usually I don’t believe in conspiracy but this game look suspectful.
Not even the most hard core AAA can argue with the fact we were blatantly cheated today!!!
THIS HAS TO STOP!!!!
MOTM – Gabriel…don’t care what other people say about him being ‘wound’ up by Costa. Bullies and cheats are called ‘wind up merchant’ now, eh?…Rubbish… He stood up for his teammate. He played brilliantly and didn’t take and sh*t from the other team. Well done – a legend in the making!!
As for you Mr. Dean…must say you do know how to set the bar for others!
Praise to Kos for not making a meal out of Costa’s dirty action. It’s funny that when the player go down for play acting the ref usually gives the allege tackler/offender a yellow but when the player who got fouled but didn’t play act the ref ignore. No wonder a lot of players do fakes to get fouls.
Wow!!! I’m really proud of d manager and the players. Can’t really ask for more than dt in the face of blatant cheating. They will only grow stronger on the undiluted n strong foundation of respect n fairness they av built unlike d crooks we faced 2day. Disappointed we ddnt come out with any points but I left the viewing proud of club I support, excluding some idiots who think they are supporters, and I believe the same should apply to the manager and players.
I hope our firepower can grow sharper subsequently so dt we can really destroy The crooked one n other strong teams in the future. Up the Arsenal.