Who will score the goals at Stamford Bridge?
Will it be Essien or Arshavin? Malouda or Nasri?
Will it be Drogba, who has scored 12 goals in 12 games against Arsenal so far?
Or can Chamakh, a player new to this fixture, outwit the Chelsea defence?
It’s a big game for Jack Wilshere, his biggest challenge so far, and it would have been much easier for Wilshere if Fabregas was playing alongside him.
On the Arsenal team, I can’t tell you anything you don’t already know.
Mainly, I think, Arsenal must guard against an early goal.
If Ivanovic hits a bending cross, and Drogba’s head connects after 10 minutes, it’s game, set and match. Thank you and goodnight. If that ball comes over, Squillaci won’t get it, Sagna has to get it.
With Lampard still out, old mates Malouda and Drogba will try to head and flick the ball to each other. Their combinations may prove decisive.
At the beginning of this season, Drogba said, “I feel fit for the first time in five years.”
Wenger says power isn’t all-important, that intelligence and technique play a big part too. He’s right but he would say that before his middleweight team plays a heavyweight team.
Essien is shorter than Song but two stone heavier.
Chelsea’s shortest player is Ashley Cole, who is five foot nine, two inches bigger than Jack Wilshere and three inches bigger than Arshavin.
Clearly, Cech is far better than Fabianski, John Terry has played well in their last two games, despite the 1-0 defeat at Man City last week, and Mikel will whack Arshavin and Wilshere if he gets the chance. The ref is Mike Dean.
It’s a serious game for Chelsea because if they win they will be seven points ahead of Arsenal.
However, it doesn’t decide the season. Or it shouldn’t decide the season. But if it’s a massacre, it will damage Arsenal’s season, no doubt about that.
Brazilian midfielder Ramires had a nightmare against City, losing almost every ball. His game is making fast slaloms through centrefield, a bit like Kaka in his pomp, except can’t score the spectacular goals that Kaka used to score. Arsenal need to stop Ramires doing that.
But Chelsea might play the Russian, who is a tidy, zippy and under-rated footballer. Zhirkov is very direct. He almost always passes the ball towards the penalty area, rather than passing wide. And quite often he just gets the ball and starts to run straight at the penalty area. Not a lot of left backs or left midfielders do that. When I first saw Zhirkov, that’s what I noticed. If he comes on, he’s a threat.
My gut feeling is that Chelsea will turn it on for Carlo Ancelotti, whose father’s funeral was on Saturday
To beat this Chelsea team, Wenger really needs his 1998 team or his 2004 team.
That’s what I think and we’ll soon find out if I’m right.
Football is unpredictable, of course, and it could be a 1-1 draw if Arsenal play for a draw.
Myself, I’ll be amazed if Arsenal beat Chelsea.
So will the bookmakers.
They’re offering 5-1 against Arsenal winning the game.
Attractive odds.
Don’t be tempted. Gambling is sinful.