Chelsea v Arsenal: Expecting another home nightmare?

On Sunday, Chelsea take on Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the early kick off and being honest, I am not looking forward to the game at all. You can be as positive about our club as much as you like and you can all jump on the “Get behind Benitez” bandwagon but the facts and results are there in black and white and cannot be ignored.

Rafa Benitez has won TWO games at Stamford Bridge out of the SEVEN he has managed in all competitions and those victories were against FC Norsjaelland and Aston Villa. No disrespect to either of those sides but it pretty much says it all at the moment, doesn’t it?

Rafa Benitez has failed to beat Fulham, QPR, Swansea and Southampton at Stamford Bridge and it is unacceptable. Again, no disrespect to those sides but you have to be honest here. With the players Chelsea have and with those games being at home, we shouldn’t be dropping points and we have.

I appreciate that you have to give each of those sides credit and if you read my blog, you will see that I have, but we are a football club that has just won the Champions League, have received investment from the owner once again to challenge for the Premier League title this season and should be up there with United and City challenging and NOT watching our backs hoping that Tottenham don’t overtake us!

Sunday is another massive game for our football club. It’s the Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, a place they love to come and upset the apple cart almost time and time again. We have had the odd victories against them but they have had the upper hand for the most part. I will never forget the Kanu episode or last seasons 3-5 defeat at the hands of a certain Robin Van Persie (remember him?).

The Gunners will be out for revenge since we beat them at the Emirates earlier in the season. Back then, Chelsea were a different proposition under RDM and playing expansive, expressive attacking football and Arsenal couldn’t live with us.

Now we struggle to break teams down who come here to defend and hit us on the counter and have literally been sucker punched by QPR, Swansea and Southampton FIVE times in the last three games!.

Chelsea need John Terry back in the side to organise as there is no one better. Chelsea need to remain solid at the back to form a base to build on because if we have any defensive frailties, Arsenal will counter attack us and with the pace of Theo Walcott, could get in behind us time and time again. We cannot have a repeat of last season.

Going forward it’s far more promising. Juan Mata needs to conduct proceedings once again with Eden Hazard next to him. For this one, I would like to see Marko Marin given the start out wide as it’s obvious to everyone but Benitez that Oscar isn’t a winger.

Whether it’s Demba Ba or Fernando Torres that starts, they need to create the Arsenal defence problems with their movement. It’s interesting to see that Demba Ba has started the last two games and Torres as a substitute has had around 20 minutes of football in those games. I expect Torres to start on Sunday.

To conclude, this game could be a cracker with plenty of goals. Both sides will look to attack to the other and will contest every single ball as usual. Whoever gets their defence sorted out and organised will win the game and it’s as simple as that.

I just hope if things are going wrong or stuttering during the game that Rafa makes changes early enough to affect the outcome!

Prediction? God knows!

Carefree & KTBFFH!