Super Sunday : Chelsea Vs Arsenal
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Gilberto Silva - plays down Henry absence.
Gilberto Silva insists Arsenal should draw inspiration from their Old Trafford heroics without Thierry Henry as they prepare for Sunday's Barclays Premiership trip to Chelsea.
Henry missed the 1-0 triumph at Manchester United in September with a foot injury but the Gunners still outplayed Sir Alex Ferguson's side with Emmanuel Adebayor firing the winner.
The Arsenal skipper is unavailable for the Blues clash because of a neck problem that could keep him out until the new year but Gilberto insists victory at Stamford Bridge is still possible.
"We are doing our best without Thierry," said the Brazilian midfielder, who has taken the captain's armband in Henry's absence.
"Thierry is very important to us because he's the skipper. But we are doing best and have shown that we can play without him.
"Against Chelsea he might not play so we need to do our best without him and I hope we do the job well.
"We won at Old Trafford and, more recently, against Tottenham when he wasn't there so we can win at Chelsea without him."
It's a real tough ask for Arsenal, especially without striker Thierry Henry. One of Arsenal's problems on the road has been playing against teams that are physical like Chelsea, who eventually will break them down.
Arsenal can't win the league even if they win as they have just got too much to do. Chelsea have so many different options and their quality of substitutes just make all the difference.
by BBC Sports -
Arsenal boss Wenger hopeful Djourou will make Chelsea clash
tribalfooball.com - December 07, 2006
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is hopeful defender Johan Djourou will be fit for Sunday's huge clash with Chelsea.
Djourou suffered a hamstring injury in Wednesday night's goalless Champions League draw with Porto but his chances of featuring at Stamford Bridge are good.
William Gallas, however, underwent a scan on the thigh problem he sustained in training last month and could be sidelined for longer than expected.
"William Gallas is a big question mark, Johan Djourou is a small question mark," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.
"All that will be assessed Friday morning or Saturday morning at the latest.
"I'm reasonably optimistic for Djourou and a little bit less for Gallas. William had a scan today.
"That will tell us whether we can go further with him or he has to slow his recovery down."
Arsenal are already missing Kolo Toure for the Chelsea clash through suspension.
No date has been set for Thierry Henry's return, with the French striker possibly out until the new year with his neck injury.
Czech winger Tomas Rosicky will spend two more weeks in the treatment room because of a muscle tear between the hamstring and groin. -
dun worry
arsenal wun win
i wan them to lose
it is time for wenger to stop believing in his team and start to buy some new decent players
wad kind of nonscense is not going to invest in jan transfer window
even man utd who is at the top realised the importance of strengthen
Depend on adebayor, van persie?
Die liao lor
Defence also shaky these days
dun find senderous and djouror that stable yet -
Chelsea are too strong for them.3-1 to chelsea
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wah everyone expect arsenal to lose. sekali they turn up a 5 star performance like against man utd.
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Death to Chelsea
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won't without gallas , henry , toure , rosicky , djorou and maybe senderous (i am unsure wheather he is suspended) I don't think they can even dream of drawing with chelsea @ stamford bridgeOriginally posted by stellazio:wah everyone expect arsenal to lose. sekali they turn up a 5 star performance like against man utd. -
chelsea will win it!!
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Chelsea's Cole: I know I'll be hammered at Arsenal
tribalfooball.com - December 08, 2006
Chelsea fullback Ashley Cole admits he expects a difficult return to former club Arsenal on Sunday.
Cole made an acrimonious switch to Chelsea in the summer after a saga that included a "tapping up" row and a savage attack on Arsenal in his book.
England defender Cole said: "I have to be honest with myself. I think I am going to get booed badly.
"I am very well aware that some fans are very angry."
Cole insists he did nothing wrong in making his move from his boyhood club.
He said: "Some people are going to agree with what I have done and some are not. But I didn't move for money. It was a point of principle. I didn't feel I was wanted.
"In any other job, if someone works for one company then goes to work for another it's not a problem.
"But if you do it as a footballer you are greedy and leaving for the money. I'm not going to say it's unfair because footballers have a great life. But it's not easy.
"I think I am going to get stick when I go back there. Yet if I stayed at Arsenal I was still likely to get abuse.
"All through last season I had to deal with it and it's made me stronger and hopefully it can keep making me stronger." -
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"It is a big test for them and us. We are in good form and played well in our last two games - when we beat Tottenham and drew with Porto.
"These two results have given us confidence and we want to show that attitude on Sunday.
"We will give them a good game. We will go there and try to beat them and I believe we can do that."
Johan Djourou and senderos is fit -
Wenger is confident the 21-year-old Switzerland centre-back will prove he has developed as a player since the last of his duels with Drogba nearly a year ago.
"Senderos will play at his best ," the Frenchman said. "He's had some games against Drogba. He can show he has improved a lot from last year.
"He had some excellent games in the Champions League last season. We didn't concede for 10 games so I'm very confident he will do very well against drogba.
Today, Senderos is more experienced and he can show that against Drogba.
"I'm not worried about the situation. Senderos has improved tremendously over the years.Who has improved the most? We'll answer that on Sunday."
Wenger Full Confident In Senderos Taking On Drogba -
hope arsenal can upset chelsea!
go gunners go!
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Gilberto so proud to be chief Gunner
Gilberto has voiced his pride at being handed the Arsenal captaincy - and draws confidence from the faith shown in him by boss Arsene Wenger
The Brazilian midfielder has taken the armband while Thierry Henry recovers from his neck injury and will lead Arsenal in Sunday's Premiership clash at Chelsea.
He said: "I'm enjoying the captaincy. It's a lot more responsibility for me. I'm very proud of myself for being captain of Arsenal.
"It shows Arsene has a lot of belief in me. I try to help the team, even when I'm not on the pitch, so that they can do the best they can.
"Most of the time the players respond to me on the pitch when I talk to them."
Arsenal will face Ashley Cole for the first time since his controversial move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
Cole is no longer a favourite with Gunners fans following the publication of his autobiography, 'My Defence' - in which he is highly critical of the north London club.
But Gilberto insists there is no ill-feeling at Arsenal for the England left-back.
He said: "We haven't thought about Ashley Cole, just about Chelsea - because it will be a hard game.
"Ashley will want to do his best, and we will do our best to win the game. I haven't seen Ashley since he left us."
Arsenal secured a goalless draw with Porto in Wednesday's Champions League clash to finish top of Group G.
They will resume European action in February, and Gilberto knows expectations remain high after the Gunners reached last season's final.
He said: "When you achieve something or you go very close, the pressure is a lot greater than before.
"Beforehand, no one expects you to win - but because we got to the final last season, there is a lot of pressure on us.
"But the team is ready for it, because we are growing game by game and getting more mature.
"It's up to us to keep this good thing going and cope with the pressure." -
Chelsea's Germany midfielder Michael Ballack is warning the Blues must overcome the rarefied atmosphere of a London derby to ensure they wrap up the victory they need over Arsenal on Sunday.
Ballack is well aware Chelsea could be nine points adrift of Barclays Premiership leaders Manchester United - albeit with two games in hand - by the time they kick-off against the Gunners.
But he is adamant they must not let any of those considerations, let alone the ire of travelling fans towards Chelsea's former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, to deflect the champions from their purpose.
"It is very important to beat Arsenal. We cannot be satisfied with a draw," Ballack spelled out.
"United are playing first (in a derby of their own at home to Manchester City today) - so there could be a gap.
"But we have to remain cool and not be distracted by that. We must concentrate on our game
sound to me from all the news arsenal are more confident of winning !
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Carlo Cudicini is a serious doubt with a leg muscle injury.
Hilario Or Hedman ? Or John Terry Or Drogba?
Did you know that John Terry switch to keeper role @ injury time aganist Reading As 2 Keepers are injured in the match.
Did You know that In The champions league match against Levski Sofia there was a backup keeper Shirt with Drogba Name on it As John Terry Is Suspended While Hedman is ineligible for the champions league group stage.If Hilario was injured in the match we can see Drogba being the keeper For Chelsea ! -
x2Originally posted by 798:hope arsenal can upset chelsea!
go gunners go!
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Wenger: Arsenal have gone backwards compared to Chelsea
tribalfooball.com - December 10, 2006
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits his team has gone backwards in recent years compared to the Chelsea juggernaut.
Ahead of today's derby, Wenger said: "Chelsea have become better in recent years.
"It is a side that has been slowly growing and maturing. All their players are between 26 and 32 so they know how to handle big games and be efficient.
"Three or four years ago it was a young side with Lampard and Terry but they are better now. They have also had an injection of good players and they have a good manager. That has made a difference.
"You can only go with the table and think that we have regressed a little bit in comparison but we have rebuilt now and we have huge potential.
"We got to the Final of the Champions League without losing a game and we had a good run after Christmas. That is why I feel the team is ready to take off again." -
Shevchenko makes pledge to Blues
Shevchenko says he is happy to follow Mourinho's instructions
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has insisted he does not have a problem with manager Jose Mourinho and says he is happy to fight for his place.
Mourinho has made it clear the striker is not "untouchable" and must improve, while Shevchenko was recently reported as ready to leave Stamford Bridge.
But Shevchenko said: "If a player has to be dropped, it has to be accepted.
"If the club decides they want to bring in other players, I have no problem. I am staying here."
The Ukraine international has struggled to adapt to life in the Premiership since his £30m move from AC Milan and he has been linked with a move back to his former club.
But Shevchenko is adamant that is not going to happen.
He added: "It is just talk, talk, talk. I never thought once of this situation about going back to Milan.
"I had difficult times also in Milan but I earned my respect there. What I am doing here is working hard to help the team to win.
"My role in the team is the same as it was in Milan - no different. But you need time to adapt to the style of play.
"I have no doubts that when I get into my right form, I will play and my objective is for Chelsea to win something important." -
Chelsea (from): Cudicini, Hilario, Hedman, Ferreira, Geremi, Terry, Carvalho, Boulahrouz, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Essien, Makelele, Ballack, Drogba, Robben, Shevchenko, J Cole, Diarra, Wright-Phillips.
Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Djourou, Senderos, Clichy, Ljungberg, Fabregas, Gilberto, Hleb, van Persie, Almunia, Walcott, Adebayor, Baptista, Hoyte, Song, Flamini -
i believe chelski will b too strong for the gooners. lets face it, the gooners r not the team they were 2-3 seasons ago. gone were they days of their free-flowing football. wifout henry, they r jus another average soccer team.
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here we go start !
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nice try drogba backhill and try to run pass senderos
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It's a open game, chelsea din play defensively and Arsenal can use the space given.
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y cant wenger play a more balanced 4-4-2 like they used to last time.... keep playing flamini is not gonna help the team score...
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This is how they beat Man U.Originally posted by BrUtUs:y cant wenger play a more balanced 4-4-2 like they used to last time.... keep playing flamini is not gonna help the team score...