My favorite memory of the bus stop in Fulham is the vision of the former Chelsea captain executing the calamitous slip that allowed RVP to score his critical goal in Arsenal’s 3-5 win in October 2011. I couldn’t find a picture of the exact moment he hit the turf but Terry’s face in this image taken a few seconds later pretty much tells the story. To adapt a phrase that basketball announcer Chick Hearn often shouted when his Los Angeles Lakers allowed the other side to score without resistance, Terry’s dive was a sterling example of “matador defense” — sweeping aside his cape to let the bull rush onward toward the goal. Still photography tells one story, but I thought you would enjoy watching the whole play one more time, so here’s where they’ve stashed in on the web.
The opposition
After last week’s home win against Nottingham Forest, Arsenal travel across the capital to the bus stop in Fulham, otherwise known as Stamford Bridge, where the ghost of Roman Abramovich hangs heavy, and I suspect will continue to do so for some time. This year’s model though is American Todd Boehly who, together with co-owners Clearlake Capital Group, are rumored to be rich enough so that Chelsea should still be able to afford some very expensive players. Right off the bat, to use either a baseball or a cricket phrase, Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel for no particularly good reason I can see, and brought in Graham Potter to manage but so far Chelsea are doing no better than hovering in the Europa League places. It’s hard to say if the culture of Abramovich, who seemed to replace his manager every other Monday, is still hanging around too but it will be interesting to make a judgement for ourselves on that score.
This Sunday’s match has a different feel to it than other recent meetings of these two clubs, with Arsenal standing in a better position in the table, and with a younger and might I say, sexier set of players. As reported by Simon Johnson in The Athletic, “the average age of Arsenal’s squad members who have played in the Premier League this season is 23.8, the lowest figure in the division. Chelsea’s is 26.5, the 11th highest… The youthfulness of Arsenal’s players suggests their emergence as one of the main contenders again isn’t temporary, that they will all get to play together for the long term. This is what Boehly-Clearlake want.”
Chelsea had conceded just twice in seven games (including European matches), having drawn their league games with Brentford and the Red Mancs, and defeated Aston Villa, Wolves and Crystal Palace before conceding four goals in last week’s loss at Brighton that featured two own goals. Based on that evidence it would appear that Potter was able to tighten up their defence for a spell, but a screw managed to came loose again. Chelsea conceded to the Seagulls as early as the 5th minute, and as late as second half injury time, but the one that appeared to polish them off may have been their second own goal, conceded damagingly just before halftime.
Chelsea played Champions League football at home on Wednesday, defeating Dinamo Zagreb 2-1, but had already won their group so may not have fully exerted themselves. In any case they will have enjoyed one more day of rest than Arsenal who defeated FC Zurich 1-0 in a match of actual meaning in UEFA’s lesser competition. Against Zagreb, Chelsea fell behind early when their defence reacted poorly to a cross, and allowed their opponents to score on a close range header. Chelsea equalised when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang backheeled to Raheem Sterling who slotted in. Chelsea debutant on-loan midfielder Denis Zakaria completed the scoring midway through the first half. Full-back Ben Chilwell injured his hamstring late in injury time.
One angle of viewing this game is as a reunion of Arsenal with Aubameyang, their former captain. “What in the world is he doing at Chelsea” could be the words on the lips of many an Arsenal fan. Chelsea signed him at the end of the transfer window to increase their goal threat, but Auba already seems to be dropping down in the Chelsea pecking order. Most of us can attest that he has lost a step, but he also may be Potter’s odd man out as he was signed under the previous manager. What’s more, we may not get a chance to see him because Auba featured in midweek, and he has started only three of the seven league games since he arrived back in London. But the wily Mikel was not being fooled in his pre-match press conference: When asked about the threat he still poses aged 33, Arteta didn’t tempt fate when he said: “He’s very dangerous. You know, if Auba’s got something it’s the ability to put the ball in the back of the net and he’s going to be doing that until the day that he decides he’s had enough of football.”
But Arsenal must pay attention to a number of other new faces at the bus stop including left back Marc Cucurella, who was signed for big money from Brighton, and has been a constant in Potter’s team selection. Potter had re-instated goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had been thrown onto the scrap heap by Tuchel, but Kepa is currently injured so we can expect to see Edouard Mendy. Other players on the Chelsea injured list include Ben Chilwell, who hurt his hamstring in midweek, N’golo Kante, Reece James, and newly signed central defender Wesley Fofana. Chelsea have brought in to their attacking rotation 22 yearold Conor Gallagher and 21 year old Armando Broja, who enjoyed impressive loan spells last season at Crystal Palace and Southampton, respectively. Both players featured in nearly all of Chelsea’s Champions League games (Gallagher with more minutes than Broja) and each has scored once in the Premier League. But with both first choice fullbacks missing for Chelsea, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be hoping to take advantage down the wings.
The Arsenal
Bukayo Saka was injured early in last week’s win against Nottingham Forest, and as Bathgooner posted in the drinks, the only blemish on Arsenal’s day was how long it took to replace him after he was clearly hurt. The upshot is that Saka is a doubt to be available to face Chelsea, but he was back in training on Wednesday, and featured as a substitute on Thursday so he seems to be alright.
To repeat TTG’s comment in the drinks after the Forest game, “We have beaten the Chavs on the last two visits to the Bus Stop. Let’s make it a hat-trick.” And I didn’t get a chance to see Brighton-Chelsea but c100 reported that “Chelsea were woeful” so Arsenal must nip in the bud any improvement of their opponents’ form, and give a statement performance against a big club.
Here’s hoping that Arsenal will repeat their pattern of last week, when they followed a sleepy performance in the Europa League with a five-star bashing of Nottingham Forest in the league. It would be beyond greedy to predict another 5-0 win but knowing that several players were rested in midweek I think Arsenal should have enough energy to nip the points in an exciting 3-2 victory, which would keep us top of the league.
The match kicks off at noon GMT, making for some awkward pre-game preparations for Gooners in the various time zones but no matter where you are watching, enjoy the game, ‘holics.
Great preview bt8. I hope that we can meet TTG’s demand and produce that hat trick of victories at the bus stop. I expect the usual first XI with a well rested, highly focused and hungry attitude. I will be driving south and hope to hear encouraging commentary on Radio 5. Any kind of win will do nicely.
COYG
Good preview. A win at the Bridge would be great. The blue Manc’s got a very generous penalty decision go their way on Saturday so we need to show we are a legitimate threat and regain top spot. I’d love to see us in first place before the break for the WC. I expect it will be the same XI as last week but Tierney in for Tomi.
Great in-depth preview, bt8.
Not something I would have expected to say about a Chelsea game, but this is a banana skin for us.
This is a huge test to see if we really are contending for the title. We’ve shown we can win against the top teams at home but we need show we can win away. There is no reason we can’t beat Chelsea but as Ned noted this is a potential banana skin.
Nice preview bt8. I agree with Mikel, I think Auba will be up for this one and he can still be dangerous. But it’s not a bad time to be playing them as noted by bt8 – Kanté and the full backs are out. I hope Azpi plays as he is vulnerable these days and Gabi could give him a miserable afternoon. 3-1 to The Arsenal.
Not sure if we will throw Zin straight in or not but I don’t mind he or KT.
Excellent preview bt8! Thorough and reasonably optimistic.
A well-rested Xhaka and Martinelli may help to set up the early dominance and hence control of the match. Zinchenko if fully fit would be a good choice as well to get control of the midfield. Also hoping for another derby masterclass from Saka.
Come on Arsenal!
Cheers bt8! Watching this one safely and quietly at home. Not very confident I must admit. Bordeaux relinquished top place in Ligue 2 yesterday, and with City’s absolutely gutting last minute win, I fear we won’t be top of the table tonight.
But I’ve been wrong many times before and so here’s to me being wrong again!
COYG!
Cheers bt8. Comprehensive and optimistic preview through and through as recent performances allow us to be.
I expect us coming out of the block flying and give them a game. We have a real chance beating them at the Bridge but it will be a fight. I would like to see Zinchenko starting on the bench and coming in in the second half. He could give the team a push when it needs most.
Now is the time for Jesus to open the goalgate and flood the busstop in Fulham.
3:1 to the Arsenal.
COYG
Thanks bt8
I fancy 2-1 myself – to us of course.
UTA.
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Jesus
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Holding, Cedric, Lokonga, Elneny, Vieira, Nelson, Nketiah
and cheers for preview bt8!
Also from previous drinks
“Cynic went off in a huff a couple of months back now.”
Hahahahahahahaha – to those of us who knew him in the past in a different place under a different moniker – that sounds familiar!
Great stuff, bt8, thanks !
Lovely memory of Terry munching grass. Kanu’s goal from a pond on the goal line always in my mind too.
Proper test today. Genuinely, any win. Thank you !
Cheers Esso 😀
Many interesting angles to this game and I don’t expect a 0-0
Whoops, hope I didn’t just jinx it
And Cheers Trev and everyone else. The 6am kickoff here notwithstanding. Good timing for my first coffee
Cheers bt8.
Important game today. Fingers crossed.
UTA!
Ollie. I hear your feeling that we might not be able to pull this off so here’s an extra dose of optimism. 2-0 to the good guys with goals by Zinchenko and Jesus. I just dialled it in. 😎
Thanks bt8. With kick-off upon us, I feel energised and optimistic again. Let’s do it!
If we keep this 1-0 or not, we’ve played brilliantly
DEEP FUCKING JOY!!!!!
Would have been no consolation if they’d equalised (and yes I try to rationalise sometimes but I’d have been absolutely devastated). Fabulous win, great dominant performance. Would be good to score more but in the end we didn’t need to.
bt8’s optimism was very well placed.
WHAT ESSO SAID!
1-0 to the Arsenal.
Never in doubt.
Superb performances all around; Any of five or six could have been MoTM, Saliba, Gabriel, Party, Xhaka, Jesus, or Martinelli. Ramsdale able to nip off to pick up his unemployment money, again.
We’ve got to get into the habit of putting the ball in the net. We should have been three up after the first half hour.
But, overall, what Esso said @19.
Get the fuck in!
We completely outplayed them at home.
So happy, it’s fucking great to be a gooner
Man, did we boss that or what? Very impressive.
And Unai’s boys just made the day even better.
Massive, massive win! The whole team played well but Saliba, Jesus and White were exceptional. That was a nerve tingler!
Arsenal is at its best!
Top Of The Table! Are you talking to me?!?
What Esso said
COYG!
Mugsmashers could do a favour though.
Zinchenko’s return was key today. Allowed us to stifle their midfield, which was why they had no attacking threat. Arteta got his tactics right today, and Potter had no answer.
Great preview Bt8 which I did not acknowledge.
If Carlsberg did football weekends this might be one . If only Citeh had been refereed by someone who knew the rules! We were terrific today . This is a very capable team with a very fine coach and brilliant support
No to ignore the ladies,
Leicester 0 Arsenal 4
bt8, fine preview and fine result. wot esso said @19, big time. a statement win, the away fans brilliant, and eric dier 🤣🤣🤣
we are top of the league!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>