PL Matchweek 23

[Cassano]

Hard to say, but looked very much like an ACL injury.

Can Denis Suarez play RB @les Habs @Duchene2MacKinnon

 

[Cassano]

Can Marcos Alonso even be labelled a LB?

 

[Blender]

Far too many passengers on this Chelsea team. Too many guys seem satisfied to just sit back on the perimeter and pass the ball around with little interest in trying to break in for a scoring chance.

 

[Gecklund]

Far too many passengers on this Chelsea team. Too many guys seem satisfied to just sit back on the perimeter and pass the ball around with little interest in trying to break in for a scoring chance.

I feel like that’s more of that they don’t have a reliable striker.

 

[Cassano]

This is the most gutless performance I've seen by Chelsea vs Arsenal in my 11 years of following the sport.

 

[robertmac43]

Massive 3 points today, just like that we are back in the top 4 race.

 

[S E P H]

Lol, Chelsea is trash - giving one of the worst clean sheet teams in the league a clean sheet is just....

Also Liverpool would've lost that game if they weren't playing a trash 3rd string goalkeeper who belongs in division III.

Emery the clown subs off our 2 best players.

You're crazy in regards to Emery, but I totally agree. Not sure what he was thinking taking off Lacazette (he was MOTM for me easily, like easily).

I feel like that’s more of that they don’t have a reliable striker.

Chelsea would have not won today if they simply had a better striker, nobody looked good for them except for Kante. Even Hazard looked pointless, that was a team effort loss and a team effort win by Arsenal.

 

[hatterson]

United and Arsenal now 3 back of Chelsea and 4 back of Spurs. Definitely a 4 team race for the last 2 CL places.

 

[Evilo]

Anyone feels like the momentum is United and maybe even Arsenal pushing Chelsea out of the top 4? And Spurs not really safe either.

 

[Blender]

I feel like that’s more of that they don’t have a reliable striker.

It's not just the striker, as playing Willian every week makes it worse as with no striker you need your wingers to cut into the middle a lot more. Sarri runs a lot of passing through Jorginho, but Jorginho almost never goes for a direct ball, he will just pass it laterally to maintain possession. Some times you need to actually go for it, which I appreciate about David Luiz.

 

[YNWA14]

Momentum is real but it's too early writing off any of those teams. I have Chelsea and Arsenal finishing top 4, and Spurs missing Kane will be big, but form can change very quickly. People were pretty down on Arsenal just a week ago.

 

[Cassano]

Anyone feels like the momentum is United and maybe even Arsenal pushing Chelsea out of the top 4? And Spurs not really safe either.

Not a chance Arsenal will be in it. Bellerin done for the season and we have no reliable back up. Ozil is phased out of squad, we will lose a bunch of games to small clubs. Ramsey may leave as well in Jan.

Anyone who thinks they will be in it are delusional IMO.

 

[robertmac43]

Looking at the next couple games for Arsenal: We got Cardiff, City and Huddersfield. Not getting my hope up for 9 points but I definitely think 7 is not that hard to imagine!

 

[Evilo]

Ozil out of the squad doesn't hurt them. Ramsey won't leave now.
Their D was already pretty bad and they're still in it.
Sure form can change, but Chelsea aren't looking good at all right now and Spurs just lost their main offensive weapon for 2 months.

 

[Evilo]

Looking at the next couple games for Arsenal: We got Cardiff, City and Huddersfield. Not getting my hope up for 9 points but I definitely think 7 is not that hard to imagine!

6 is more like it. City is in title hunt.

 

[YNWA14]

Anyone who thinks they will be in it are delusional IMO.

Statements like this are always so rational.

 

[robertmac43]

Not a chance Arsenal will be in it. Bellerin done for the season and we have no reliable back up. Ozil is phased out of squad, we will lose a bunch of games to small clubs. Ramsey may leave as well in Jan.

Anyone who thinks they will be in it are delusional IMO.

1) They can come back from missing Bellerin.
2) they have been a better team without Ozil this year
3)Ramsey is leaving in the summer, he has signed a pre-contract, not leaving this Jan

 

[robertmac43]

6 is more like it. City is in title hunt.

Likely yes, but we are a much better team than the first time we played them. It's in Manchester though so I'm not expecting anything.

 

[Evilo]

Likely yes, but we are a much better team than the first time we played them. It's in Manchester though so I'm not expecting anything.

You shouldn't. Arsenal can reach top 4 without getting points from City. But for that they have to beat the smaller teams as well as the games that matter (Spurs, Chelsea, United).

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Chelsea's run-in is hard, with lots of away games at tough venues. Matchweek 36 at Old Trafford will be huge.

 

[Cassano]

Statements like this are always so rational.

Sorry man, I didn't intend it to be a personal attack - sorry if it came across that way.

I'm just really surprised that they're still being put in for top 4 hunt. Look at the way we play on a weekly basis for the past 2 months. It is shambolic. We never dominate/control games or put away other teams like the other top 6 are doing. We have a backline that is worse than the likes of Leicester and Everton on paper when you factor in injuries.

 

[robertmac43]

You shouldn't. Arsenal can reach top 4 without getting points from City. But for that they have to beat the smaller teams as well as the games that matter (Spurs, Chelsea, United).

Agreed. It's going to be about consistency down the stretch. We cannot go to places like Huddersfield and have an off game...

Also that Spurs game is going to be one of the most stressful days of my life. So much on the line.

 

[Cassano]

Legitimately the 1st good game by him in 2 seasons IMO.

 

[Live in the Now]

Also Liverpool would've lost that game if they weren't playing a trash 3rd string goalkeeper who belongs in division III.

Or if the referee wasn't a fat bastard. But, that's okay, some luck is required to win the title. Liverpool got a lot of it today. Glad that Salah took back his place at the top of the scoring table as well.

 

[robertmac43]

I'm just really surprised that they're still being put in for top 4 hunt.

Cause they are very clearly in the conversation. 3 points out and they just beat Chelsea.

Also its not like they have been that terrible over the last 2 months; it's really just the Liverpool, West Ham, and Southampton results that were terrible