Chelsea vs Arsenal: Stamford Bridge - 'The Gunners' graveyard'

(Baonghean.vn) - At 7:30 PM on September 17th (Vietnam time), Coach Wenger's team will face Chelsea in Round 5 of the 2017/2018 Premier League. Will Arsenal break their five-year losing streak at Stamford Bridge, or will smiles remain on Coach Conte's side?

The king is resurrected.

“If Hazard plays, there’s no doubt Chelsea are the stronger team. But in this match, I think Chelsea didn’t need Hazard. The way Arsenal played showed they were too naive. They can’t trouble Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with the open game they’re playing.” That’s the assessment of former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy regarding the Chelsea-Arsenal clash in Round 5 of the 2017/2018 Premier League.

Indeed, Danny Murphy's blunt remarks are perfectly reasonable, at least given the current situation of the two teams. After their opening match defeat of 2-3 against Burnley at home, Conte's team has won four consecutive matches (three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League). Chelsea's strikers have scored 12 goals, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has only been beaten twice.

Chelsea players celebrate after their 6-0 victory over Karabakh in the Champions League. Photo: Internet

Notably, the three opponents Morata and his teammates suffered humiliating defeats against in their respective domestic leagues were all formidable teams: Tottenham, Everton, and Leicester City. Even more impressive was the fact that at the time, manager Conte's squad was missing several key players. Star player Hazard was still recovering from injury, as were Pedro and Bakayoko, while captain Cahill and playmaker Fabregas were suspended after receiving red cards in the defeat against Burnley...

Yet, under the guidance of the Italian captain, the Chelsea ship not only avoided sinking but instead surged towards its finish line with extraordinary strength. The tragedy of Mourinho in the 2015/2016 season with Chelsea and of Ranieri with Leicester City in the 2016/2017 season did not repeat itself with Conte and the Stamford Bridge team, at least not at this moment. The Blues are returning to their rightful place as reigning champions.

The children were confused.

Witnessing Chelsea's resurgence, Arsenal fans are undoubtedly extremely worried about their team's trip to Stamford Bridge. Even the most optimistic Gooners lack confidence in Arsenal's ability to leave West London with more than one point, given the numerous disadvantages facing the team nicknamed "the Gunners".

Mental strength seems to be a luxury at Arsenal. Looking at how Wenger's team was tormented by Liverpool in the third round match, no one would be surprised if they repeated the same thing. Sanchez, after his unsuccessful attempts to leave Arsenal, is now playing listlessly like a shadow. Even when playing for the Chilean national team, the number 7 player was lackluster and ineffective.

The Sanchez-Ozil duo are experiencing instability in both their mental state and performance. Photo: Internet

The situation with Ozil is even more serious; so far, the German star hasn't scored a single goal or provided a single assist. The former Real Madrid midfielder is often invisible in attack, contributing significantly to his team's defeats. Interestingly, the player of Turkish origin has been playing brilliantly for the German national team. Therefore, Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit didn't hold back his criticism of the midfielder: "What disappoints me most is Ozil's attitude."

With their two best players displaying such a lackluster performance, it would be surprising if Arsenal didn't appear demoralized and weak. If they bring that spirit to Stamford Bridge, what will Wenger's team have to stop the home side's relentless onslaught?

Even with the best morale, Stamford Bridge is not a "lucky ground" for the Gunners. Since October 29, 2011 (when Arsenal beat Chelsea 5-3), Wenger's team has only known defeat on their visits to their neighbors (5 losses). It's worth noting that in their two away matches in the 2017/2018 Premier League season against Stoke City (0-1) and Liverpool (0-4), the North London team suffered defeats on both occasions. This trip away from the Emirates Stadium will likely be more bad than good for the Arsenal players.

Wenger will likely be clutching his head in the dugout, while Conte will be dancing with excitement on the sidelines – that's probably the scenario for the Chelsea-Arsenal match!

Thanh Hung