Ed also reflects on the Ryder Cup and looks ahead to Longchamp
Thursday 23 October 2014 15:44, UK
"We will learn a lot more about Arsenal".
That's a phrase I've used a lot on air over the last 18 months ahead of an important game for Arsenal. Yet again Arsenal have impressed against the likes of Aston Villa and Galatasaray. Now they need to do it against one of the big guns.
Last season they came up short on those occasions. The Gunners won the fewest points against the Premier League's top five. They were heavily beaten in all four away games against those rivals, scoring four goals and conceding 20.
They were blown away at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were 2-0 up after just seven minutes through Samuel Eto’o and Andre Schurrle before the infamous sending off of Kieran Gibbs by Andre Marriner after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's handball. Eden Hazard, Oscar (twice) and Mohamed Salah increased the misery for the Gunners. 6-0 was Chelsea’s biggest ever league win over Arsenal. It was a miserable way to mark Arsene Wenger’s 1000th game in charge of Arsenal.
Power v poise
On Sunday we will find out if lessons have been learnt. Will Arsene Wenger set his team up differently to make Arsenal harder to beat?
They will arrive on a high after Wednesday night's performance against Galatasaray. Danny Welbeck was electric, grabbing his first professional hat-trick. Arsenal are also the most successful opposing team at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, winning 27 points, but they are up against a Chelsea side that was brilliant against their title rivals last season. They look even stronger this time around.
As Gary Neville has explained on Monday Night Football this Chelsea team can adapt to any match situation. At the Etihad they were strong and resilient. Then this weekend they comprehensively outplayed Aston Villa. They can fight you if necessary or out-pass you. Jose Mourinho installs such a work ethic in to all of his players and has so much power at his disposal. That is what Arsenal will have to withstand from the off on Sunday.
Chelsea's midfield is so powerful and Jose will surely send them out with all guns blazing to unsettle the visitors again. Arsenal will have to weather a storm and then hope to get their danger-men Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Welbeck in to the game.
There are great match-ups on and off the field. Will Arsenal's back four be able to handle Diego Costa, who is 4/5 to score in the game? Can Danny Welbeck's pace and movement unsettle Gary Cahill and John Terry?
Jose Mourinho against Wenger; who you will remember Jose described as a “specialist in failure” in February. Plus Cesc Fabregas is set to make his first appearance against Arsenal since leaving to join Barcelona for £25.4m in August 2011. Wenger rejected the chance to re-sign him in the summer. Could that come back to haunt them?
Fabregas has hit the ground running big time at Chelsea. He currently has the most assists (six – three for Diego Costa), joint most chances created (20 – with Stewart Downing), most successful passes (453) and most successful passes in the opposition half (297) in the Premier League so far this season. Impressive.
Entertainment should be guaranteed between these two. Chelsea (4/6) v Arsenal (18/5): the only unbeaten teams in the Premier League this season. See it live on Super Sunday this weekend from 1pm on Sky Sports 1.
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup was a magnificent spectacle at Gleneagles. The Sky Sports team did a terrific job - what a spectacular studio that was - and yet again the Ryder Cup threw up some of the best television of the sporting year. However, the contest badly needs the USA to win at Hazeltine in two years’ time. For so many years the US dominated, until Seve stepped in, and now it's swung full circle. It's almost become too easy for Europe. The Ryder Cup needs its needle back. The US team needs its mojo back. They might need Paul Azinger back (he's 4/1 to get the job). They are 5/4 to win in 2016 and a USA victory would do no harm in keeping the Ryder Cup magic alive.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
In 2018 it will be over to France to host the Ryder Cup. Gleneagles will be a hard act to follow but the French do occasions like this better than anyone else. Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day is the perfect example.
Despite the big improvement to Champions Day in this country, Arc day at Longchamp remains the best single day of flat racing in Europe. The racing is superb but the occasion and atmosphere is even better. A sea of colour, music and fashion. If you haven't been, it's a must for the bucket list.
My only issue with the day is the track they run the Prix de L'Abbaye on. It's in another district of Paris, miles away from the stands and punters will have to be on the ball to watch Tiggy Wiggy thrash her elders as the race can happen without you even noticing.
The rest of the card is magnificent. I hope Garswood runs a top race for his great trainer. I look forward to reading Mr Fahey's weekly preview and I'm sure the maestro from Musley Bank will have another new designer suit up his sleeve for the Longchamp catwalk.
Treve did us a big favour in last year's Arc but finding the winner of the 2014 Arc looks brutally difficult. The vibes seem strong about Taghrooda's chance (4/1 with Sky Bet). The Japanese seem obsessed with winning this race and their challenge also looks ominously strong.