The London Derby: Chelsea Takes on Arsenal in Stamford Bridge
SteemSports Presenter: @timoshey
SteemSports Editor: @writingamigo
Game Information
Sunday, September 17
13:30 GMT
Stamford Bridge, London
Preview
It will be the second major London Derby this season after Chelsea ran away as 1-2 winners over Tottenham last month. Stamford Bridge has been a difficult place in recent years for Arsenal. It has not won any of the last 13 Premier League away games against last season’s top six teams and has suffered defeats on seven of their last eight visits to Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal
Arsenal will go into this game on the back of a shocking 3-1 victory over Cologne in the UEFA Europa League. It was impressive to see Arsenal come back from a goal down and eventually win the game. Goals from Kolasinac, Sanchez, and Bellerin were enough to earn them all 3-points after a mistake of Arsenal's goalkeeper David Ospina helped Cologne open the scoring in the early minutes of the first half.
Arsenal has somewhat recovered from their poor start to the season winning their last two games against Bournemouth and Cologne after two successive away defeats to Stoke City and Liverpool. They now face a stern test against Chelsea who has also rediscovered their last season's form.
Arsenal’s Possible Line-up
Cech; Laurent Koscienly, Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Sead Kolasinac; Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez; Alexandre Lacazette.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s impressive run to clinch the Championship last season started after they were embarrassed 3-0 at the Emirates against Arsenal. This game proved to be the turnaround for Antonio Conte and his men because for the first time, Conte experimented his 3-4-3 formation and it turned out to be very effective in the closing stages of the game.
Chelsea had a very decent summer transfer window, bringing in very good players. The likes of Alvaro Morata who has already hit the ground running, Tiemoue Bakayouko, Antonio Rudiger, Zappacosta, Danny Drinkwater, who is out with injury, and Andres Christensen makes Chelsea look even stronger than ever before. It is a very decent squad that has a very good shot at the title. The return of star boy Eden Hazard is also a big boost for Chelsea going into this game as his solo goal against Arsenal last season in this same fixture is still fresh in our minds. According to Arsene Wenger, the Gunners have learned from their past mistakes and will try to be defensively compact this time around. I guess we'll find out how Wenger's words will stand against Chelsea's offense soon enough.
Chelsea's Possible Line-up
Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Tiemoue Bakayoko, N’Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Pedro, Eden Hazard; Alvaro Morata.
Stats
Arsenal has not kept a Premier League clean sheet at Stamford Bridge in their last 12 visits.
Arsenal has lost their last five away Premier League games versus Chelsea.
Arsenal last won a Premier League away game against a top six team back in January 2015 (2-0 at Man City).
The last time Arsenal lost their first 3 away games of the season was 1954-55.
Should Arsenal concede here, it will equal their longest run of away games without a clean sheet against a specific opponent in Premier League history.
Flying high up in the sky,
We'll keep the blue flag flying high
Too bad they can't both lose
Flying high up in the sky,
We'll keep the blue flag flying high,
From Stamford Bridge to Wembley,
We'll keep the blue flag flying high.
It's on like donkey kong!!
Well... I am gunning for arsenal. Odds are not in favour, but miracles do happen! Even stamford bridge will learn to fear gunners!
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