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Saturday, 22 March 2014
How can Arsenal break Mourinho's Chelsea Home Record?
I don't give them much of a chance. Nothing Arsenal have shown recently tells me that they can beat a BIG team with a GREAT HOME RECORD. But it's football, and anything can and has happened. But for Arsenal to upset Chelsea and get their asses in this title chase...there will need to be a change in approach.
Playing the same exact way, with the same passing game relying on Giroud for a tap-in, WON'T work against a very good defensive team.
I said it in my preview, Mourinho's eggs and rice is finding out how a team plays and subduing their strengths and exploiting their weaknesses. So if Arsenal come again with that setup that they have always had, it will just be the same old story again...that's if Chelsea can actually score which they seem to find a tricky proposition. Without Drogba, the SCOURGE of Arsenal for all the years, Wenger can rest a little bit. But, Chelsea have many other goalscorers, and even without Willian and Ramires, they can bring in fresh troops that have the physicality and effectiveness that the Arsenal team lack.
Rosicky is the key man. Out of all the players that Arsenal have, the ONE dude who HAS start and will be the difference of Arsenal winning or losing, is the man that actually has the confidence to RUN WITH THE BALL, and is not afraid to shoot.
Against a very tough defensive team, passing all day won't cut it. Chelsea are trained to shut off space and restrict any forward attacking passes that could be turned into chances. It is what they do, and it is how they roll.
Having someone who can run into space, and FORCE Matic out of position, can actually free things up for other players who can now open the Chelsea backline that is DISCIPLINED AS FUCK!!!!
Something just tells me this will be a routine Chelsea victory. Arsenal just don't have the heart or the approach to play against proper teams. There will be times where Arsenal will look good, but overall I expect Chelsea to be tougher and stronger and create the better chances...and eventually, I think, put them away and take this by a two goal margin.
HH