A ‘big match’ this one and I hope AG will agree. Reason one is the impact the result might have on Chelsea’s title race. Reason two is the impact of the result on the team morale and confidence. Reason three is the home league record at stake. If you remember, the last home league loss in Feb 2004 was against this very opposition but I would go for a 1-0 home win this time.

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We should go with a 4-4-2 to match them in their five-man midfield. The first person I would choose in this playing line up in Makelele. He could be such an important player in matches like this. I’d play both Drogba and Anelka as the strikers with the hope that they must be training together for weeks now and should be fine enough to partner the attack. In the midfield, it’s Maka, Lampard, Ballack and Joe Cole. In defence, it should be Terry, Carvalho, Belletti and Ashley Cole. Cech may not be ready yet. Now, I’m going to name the bench too. Hilario, Mikel, Kalou, Essien and Alex.

Four things we should do:

1. Read the game and make the changes soon enough: Normally, you’d be able to see which way the game is going within 20 minutes. Of course things can change if you have powerful manager who can lit fire in the players’ arse in the halftime talk. Don’t wait for the goddamn 70th minute for a change that should have happened in the 30th minutes and yes, that means you’re allowed to make subs in the first half too. It’s not just about the subs, it’s also about changing the formation or tactics, depending on how the opponents are playing. We normally come to the pitch with some kind of study of how the opponent has been playing of late and our tactics could be around that. If the opponent springs a surprise on the pitch, you make changes accordingly.

2. Control the tempo of the game: Something JM’s Chelsea were real masters at. They knew how to move the slider and when. This is the best way to protect or extend the lead against decent oppositions. When we lead, I don’t want us play at the same tempo as if we have not scored yet. At 0-0, at 1-0, at 0-1, at draw with 15 mins to go, at leading with 15 mins to go – in all these circumstances, you gotta play at different tempo. Nowadays, we play like we’ve left the brains on the sidelines, oh well there’s not much brains in the sidelines too!

3. Retain the momentum: When we have momentum, we should try to prolong the period of our momentum as much as possible. Should not do something too risky and waste the possession and momentum. When we have the momentum and the opponent also reaslises that and if this situation continues, we’re wearing the opponent down. It will make mentally more and more stronger while sucking the confidence out of the opponent. Shall we try this in this match?

4. Put more pressure: Play like your life depends on this match. Make the opponent work hard even for the simple things. Make him sweat. Pressurise him so much that he should do things outside of his plan or his normal playing style. Break his rhythm.

All the above are expected from Avram Grant and converted into understandable instructions to the players. Assuming that we do the above, I don’t see why Chelsea should not win.

Why Chelsea ‘should win’ / ‘cannot lose’:

1. We have a stronger team: Of course, you’d acknowledge this unless you’re a goner fan. We have a stronger team comprising of players with better individual skills and quality. We have a group of match winners who can on their day, win matches against any team. Except Cech, we’ve got a full squad to choose from.

2. We have a more experienced team: The big match experience of the Chelsea players is much more than that of the Arsenal players. But we are not AC Milan. We are young enough and we have always attacked the oppositions and we always play to win. A good lot of our team have beaten teams like Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, Valencia, Bayern Munich etc. They know what it takes to beat these teams.

3. Arsenal are on a free fall: Being a 5 point leader, they have now dropped below Man Utd after a series of four draws, two of which they were lucky to draw. Their team morale must be low at this point. Especially if Man Utd beats Liverpool this afternoon, Arsenal are really going to be under pressure. They have been buckling under pressure and we have always punished such teams and added to their misery.

4. Fortress Stamford Bridge: A massive advantage. We have gone unbeaten in 77 home league games thus far. In these 77 games, we have played the big English teams over and over again but still the record has remained. It requires a very very special effort to beat us at the Bridge. This Arsenal team on this form, against this full Chelsea squad should not beat us.

BBC’s Lawro predicts a draw at Old Trafford and a win for Chelsea. He is getting more and more accurate with his predictions of late. Hope this one comes good too. I don’t think Avram Grant has the passion and hunger to win trophies for Chelsea. Looks like he is happy with his big job that pays him like he was never before (‘unlike before’ lol) all his life. Even if Chelsea wins nothing, he would go on about his winning percentage while all his losing percentage would be the key matches. I’m sure the players want the victories and trophies more than Avram Grant does. That’s because they have this much talked about ‘winnning mentality’ in them. Either Grant should make a positive contribution or just leave the team alone, at least for these matches. In short, I don’t expect him to be a good manager but let him not be a bad one at least.

I had never been so nervous ahead of a big match. I used to look forward to these matches which used to be a gradual progression of Chelsea’s status and Chelsea’s breaking through the European football elites. The other big rivals could not stand Chelsea’s success and I just loved it. And that’s why I loved to play them. I especially enjoyed the way we scared the life out of Arsenal in Dec 2006, when we drew 1-1 from being behind and should have finally won 3-1. In just 15 minutes time, we should what we are all about. But now, I’m not very comfortable or confident playing our rivals. Now I believe in our prayers rather than players.

For the live match chat, let’s join at BC shout! I can’t see us losing. I can’t see us drawing too, especially as I expect Man Utd would have got their three points by then. We gotta win. C’mon Avram, you have lots of reasons and ammunitions to win this match! Go Chels!