The two biggest clubs in London meet in the Big Match today. Arsenal and Chelsea have not had great times of late but a win would certainly improve their fortunes.
Arsenal's draw with Bournemouth, on paper, seems disappointing but there were positives Mikel Arteta could take from it. He was never going to transform them in one match but they passed and moved the ball better than under Emery or Ljungberg which is impressive. Defending is still an issue which Arteta will need to address as they have no fit left backs and their central defenders are liabilities. Again, the improvements with Arteta will come in the following months but as the table shows, Arsenal are only six points above the relegation zone so could be dragged into the battle.
Chelsea's win against Tottenham was brilliantly set up by Frank Lampard but is largely an outlier in their recent form. The Blues have lost three of their last four league matches and their gap between fourth and fifth has been cut to one point. Like Arsenal, Chelsea have defensive vulnerabilities which undermine their attacking play. They can dominate possession for 95% of the match, fail to create any real chances and then be hit by one shot by the opposition due to their defensive issues. Chelsea have suffered this fate against Southampton (although they scored twice) and Bournemouth.
Arsenal will look to have more possession which will suit Chelsea perfectly, as Lampard can deploy the same tactics that were so successful against Tottenham. The return of Calum Chambers is a positive for Arsenal as having a natural defender is important for them. Hector Bellerin is a doubt so Chambers may deputise at right back. Marcos Alonso and Reece James are doubts for Chelsea but they won't be missed too much if deemed not fit.
I do see a repeat of Tottenham vs Chelsea with this fixture. The counter attack against Arsenal's fragile defence could be the difference.
2-1 Chelsea.
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