February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Arsenal has the advantage of already beating the Blues in two recent games, league and cup. So confidence is not an issue for the Highbury side. Over the weekend, however, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann looked shaky in their 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers. Lehmann is in fact Arsenal’s weakest link. Against Chelsea on such a big occasion there will be little or no room for goalkeeping error.
Such weaknesses are exposed when the Gunners fail to get Thierry Henry involved or better still on the ball. When things are not going their way full back Ashley Cole has a tendency to make unnecessary runs down the flank. Then when trying to make up for losing possession of the ball he does jump in and does get carried away with rash challenges. It happened against Bolton. Cole lost the plot and his Arsenal teammates knew it.
What then crept into the Gunners team was a lack of focus. Perhaps their minds were on playing Chelsea today. Their standard did drop and it was noticeable in the Arsenal midfield. Losing the plot has been a rarity so far this year for the Gunners. But this lapse of concentration has buried Arsene Wenger’s men too many times in the past especially in big CL crunch games. And they do not come any bigger than the short journey to Stamford Bridge. Wenger had mentioned that they missed out on playing against a team from another country by drawing Chelsea down the road. Furthermore, his team was going to treat the fixture just like any other game. That will change rapidly when the starting whistle blows. It will not just be another ordinary game; it will seem like playing in another atmosphere.
It’s extremely likely that Wenger will have Patrick Vieira and Co. well prepared but the Gunners are a very cocky side. Such arrogance can be seen when they celebrate scoring goals, especially the nonchalant expression from Henry. Also, if Arsenal players feel they are impeded in the slightest way by an opponent they stop in the middle of their stride and stare the referee down. They fancy themselves as untouchables. Perhaps they are. They really fancy their chances against Chelsea but that nonchalant attitude can and often does backfire. However, with those two recent wins under their belt over Chelsea the Arsenal players know they are better. Wenger admitted having beaten them twice already meant his side had a psychological advantage.
The sensationalism that tycoon Roman Abramovich has caused at Stamford Bridge has contributed to Chelsea’s underdog status in this fixture. Not a lot of attention has been given to the job Claudio Ranieri is doing at the Bridge. The big question at Chelsea is who will take over from the down-to-earth son of an Italian baker. The lack of support from the Chelsea board has been a disgrace according to the Blues’ fanatical chairman, Ken Bates. “I don’t think Claudio has been treated very fairly by the new owners,” he said. “The first thing you have to do is offer support to your manager. In the time they have been at the club, there hasn’t been one official word about him and I think that’s wrong.”
Chelsea has been given attention for all the wrong reasons, most of them nothing to do with the football they play. And at times they can look world class. Their defensive record is also impressive in the CL. Football-wise, Ranieri had his side playing some outstanding stuff but the flair has gone missing as the pressure to win trophies mounts. Not to win silverware will be deemed a failure. And given all the quality Chelsea has bought in the past, recent form is disastrous.
It’s going to be more than tricky for the Gunners. The return of Ireland’s Damien Duff has at least produced results. Reproducing that excellent form could happen today. It has to happen sometime. The Irish international once again showed how important he is to the side when he scored the winner at Fulham on the weekend. Hard to believe Duff had to complain about lack of playing time in the first half of the season.
Arsenal should also be reminded that Chelsea has more depth for the game today and in general. And that could prove plenty upon the return leg at Arsenal. Injuries or a red card is something Arsenal cannot afford. In the past we have seen Vieira miss games because of suspension. When that happens, Arsenal look disjointed as a team, especially in midfield. The Gunners certainly cannot afford to lose Vieira or indeed Henry. They would not be the same force. Right now, though, it looks like all the big names are ready, willing and able on both sides. The secret is to find the weakest link in such an amazing array of talent from all over the world. That weakest link is Arsenal’s defense. The question is, can Chelsea stop Henry? Or can Arsenal stop Duff?
CL ROUNDUP
Real Madrid vs. Monaco in the Santiago Bernabeu is the other CL quarterfinal game today. It seems like a daunting task for Monaco to stay alive in the competition. Even a result for the French in Spain may not prove enough as Real has a lot in reserve, as do all the great teams. It would be foolish to write Monaco off. They have come through the competition surprising everybody, as did Lyon and FC Porto. Perhaps it’s the year of the underdog. There’s definitely enough running in the CL race. One thing is for sure: a new name will arrive at the CL semifinals as FC and Lyon faced off yesterday as did defending CL Champions AC Milan who played Deportivo La Coruna.