Closed Arsenal vs Chelsea

[Mr. Ziggles 110]

My Starting XI for the game, bring on Meireles, Lamps, Drogba ect in the second half if you must.

Cech

Bos - Terry - Cahill - Bertrand

Essien - Romeu

Sturridge - Mata - Malouda

Torres

[TomCFC 356]

So many big games coming up! I'd rest Drogs for the Nou Camp.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This is so hard, we can't rest many players since winning this game actually gives us half a chance of getting a CL spot but at the same time, I'm not sure our main players have the energy left. I'd go with:

Cech

Paulo-Cahil-John-Bertrand

Lampard-Mikel

Danny-Mata-Kalou

Torres

And hope for some lucky goal again.

[Krypt 241]

This is a massive game in its self , lets face it , it would be great to be in the CL final , but would you want that in the place of a sure fire CL spot next year ?

We have to play the best team possible.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This is a massive game in its self , lets face it , it would be great to be in the CL final , but would you want that in the place of a sure fire CL spot next year ?

We have to play the best team possible.

If we get to the CL final we'll have a 50% chance of getting into the CL without getting fourth place.

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

If Danny doesn't start this game then I think it will confirm that he doesn't have a Chelsea future.

[didierforever 7,349]

This is so hard, we can't rest many players since winning this game actually gives us half a chance of getting a CL spot but at the same time, I'm not sure our main players have the energy left. I'd go with:

Cech

Paulo-Cahil-John-Bertrand

Lampard-Mikel

Danny-Mata-Kalou

Torres

And hope for some lucky goal again.

i dont think lamps Could play even if he wanted to. put essien beside mikel infact essien-romeu in mid and the rest seems perfect.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

i dont think lamps Could play even if he wanted to. put essien beside mikel infact essien-romeu in mid and the rest seems perfect.

Lamps and Mikel in the holding midfield roles have been the main reason for our recent good run of results. They must start imo. Essien and Romeu are too rusty to start a game like Arsenal, we mustn't forget that this match is potentially as important as the one against Barca.

[Krypt 241]

If we get to the CL final we'll have a 50% chance of getting into the CL without getting fourth place.

Id rather a 100% chance with 4th ( well if you don't count the qualifiers )

[Jase 43,479]

Sheeesh. All this big games are sure coming thick and fast. Rotation(again) will be key here and do think we can get a positive result with our recent momentum and more importantly, if get our attitude right!

[didierforever 7,349]

Lamps and Mikel in the holding midfield roles have been the main reason for our recent good run of results. They must start imo. Essien and Romeu are too rusty to start a game like Arsenal, we mustn't forget that this match is potentially as important as the one against Barca.

true but we have to consider that lampard is not 25 anymore. sunday night, wednesday night and now saturday and tuesday are way too many. plus y risk a ucl final place. we should be realistic and prioritize our matches.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Id rather a 100% chance with 4th ( well if you don't count the qualifiers )

Well yes of course, but honestly we have a better chance with the in the CL. For fourth place, imo we need to get at least 13 points from 15 available and hope both Newcastle and Tottenham drop points. The CL is still very much in our hands, all we need is two more performances like yesterday. (easier said than done, I know)

true but we have to consider that lampard is not 25 anymore. sunday night, wednesday night and now saturday and tuesday are way too many. plus y risk a ucl final place. we should be realistic and prioritize our matches.

I think that is up to lamps and the manager to decide whether he can play that often. I think he can because unlike most, he didn't play too often at the start of the season and therefore is not as tired as everyone else. We really need him for those two matches, which is why I think he will pull through.

[magic weeds 446]

Arteta injured for the rest of the season. Benayoun cant play against us.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Arteta injured for the rest of the season. Benayoun cant play against us.

They still have Song, Ramsey, and Rosicky in the middle. Not to be taken lightly at all.

[capriccioso 2,545]

This is a vital match, we absolutely must send out a full strength team, with the exception of Mata perhaps as the lad drops hugely in his performances when tired.

Anyway Barcelona will be sending out a full strength team as well, so they'll be just as tired as us.

[Blue Armour 4,290]

I think that is up to lamps and the manager to decide whether he can play that often. I think he can because unlike most, he didn't play too often at the start of the season and therefore is not as tired as everyone else. We really need him for those two matches, which is why I think he will pull through.

I would rest him personally, but he isn't called a box-to-box midfielder for nothing.

[Spike 12,049]

Arteta injured for the rest of the season. Benayoun cant play against us.

For those that are too lazy to Google:

http://www.guardian....n?newsfeed=true

Mikel Arteta has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with ankle ligament damage, leaving Arsène Wenger with selection issues in midfield for the derby against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Yossi Benayoun, who is on loan from Stamford Bridge, is ineligible to face his parent club and, with Jack Wilshere out for the season and Abou Diaby short of full fitness, despite taking part in a training ground friendly against Oman on Wednesday, Wenger has little scope for manoeuvre.

Aaron Ramsey is expected to come in for Arteta alongside Alex Song, with Tomas Rosicky continuing in the No10 role and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Gervinho starting on the left. Wenger has to hope that Diaby will be fit enough for the substitutes' bench or his options will be restricted in a game that he described as "massive and vital".

[capriccioso 2,545]

Midfield battle more or less won then