English Prem 17th & 18th Dec

[bromsgrovegreen]

as a brum season ticket holder i know how bad we are but man cty are so unreliable so cant touch this game, one things for certain, it wont be pretty!

[slick]

Charlton are struggling @ the mo PTD and i have a feeling Wigan will be looking forward to this game for a bit of respite.
Allthough Wigan have lost there last 3 ,each game was against top class prem opposition and i have a feeling they will beat Charlton and get there wheels back on track.

[fasteddy]

soccernet.com :
Arsenal:

"Jose Antonio Reyes is ruled out after failing to recover from a thigh injury. However, Dennis Bergkamp is ready to make his comeback after missing two games with a hamstring injury to compete with Robin van Persie for a place up front alongside Thierry Henry. Gilberto is suspended following his red card at Newcastle last weekend, while Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy and Pascal Cygan are all injured, meaning Lauren is set to continue as emergency left-back."

Ok , lets have a look at Arsenal:
Home form : 7-0-0..100% record intact..unbeaten.

Teams won against:
Newcastle 2-0..scored after the 80th minute. They were held by an admittedly poor Magpie squad for so much of the game, so I don't view this as a a great victory. But they won.
Fulham 4-1: first goal in the 42nd minute, then 53, 82 and 90th. Still slow to get on the board.
Everton 2-0: crap side to beat. Scored in 11th and 30th. Should have been more decisive.
Birmingham 1-0: needn't an OG by Birmingham top secure the points! Very poor.
Man City 1-0: penalty seperated the two sides. They had to fight to get it, but at least City are a decent challenge.
Sunderland: 3-1: did what they had to do, but still conceded.
Blackburn 3-0: clean sheet. Good win against a tough, physical side, but you could argue that , again, this is a team they should beat easily.

Overall Arsenal have had 6 clean sheets in 15 matches, and that's not good enough when facing a side like Chelsea. I believe that they are way off the pace in the EPL this season, with Henry not getting the service he used to from the midfield because there isn't Vieira putting it all together for him. ALso 'boys' like Fabregas, Flamini and Eboue aren't able to compensate for the absences at the back of Cole/Clichy. Cygan is not quality and it shows. They appear to be too concerned about everyone else's positional play that they screw up their own.
Wenger calls for 'steel' from his players...who?..where? The gamboling Pires, or Ballerina Henry..surely not the schoolboy Fabregas? THERE IS NO STEEL.

Two EPL's and a CL match and no goals. That's a near crisis in my book when you have assembled a squad like Arsenal. Disgrace.
The defence must terrify even their own players. Very loose, lots of errors and a patent lack of understanding between the backline and midfield.

Their CL form is excellent, but that's no help in the Premiership. In fact it only causes more worry.
Chelsea have the physical advantage, skill advantage and the biggest advantage...confidence and arrogance...deadly combo.

They have managed only 11pts from 24 in the matches against the top half.


Chelsea:

"Jose Mourinho could have Claude Makelele back. Makelele has recovered from his knee ligament strain and is back in training although Sunday's clash may have come just too early for him to be considered in the starting line-up. Mourinho's only doubt surrounds Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, who was forced out of last week's home victory against Wigan at half-time with a slight Achilles problem. "

Chelsea:
Away form 5-1-1..not bad, eh? Lost to Manyoo 1-0. Fair game and deserved to lose in many ways. That match showed the other side of mighty Chelsea, a side we don't often see: they can drop their heads and struggle to penetrate when away. They don't like the direct approach of the long ball, but have managed to deal with it well enough.
Arsenal make good use of the odd 'over the heads' ball for Henry to run onto. He is very skillful at catching them flatfooted. Possible tactic? Yep, I think so.

If there is a weakness to exploit it has to be their opening 45mins of play. Very slow to get into full swing: only just scrape into the top 10 for 1st half stats.
They've managed a paltry 9 GF 1st half vs 25 in the 2nd half.
The fact that Terry has been the match winner the last 2 matches is a worry...have Arsenal met them at the right time?...NO. Don't think so.

OVERALL:
Chelsea need to start tight and make sure that there are no silly early goals. These 2 sides havea 100% record of scoring first and winning the match: Arsenal 7-0-0 and Chelsea 12-0-0.

Much is said about the injuries to Arsenal, but isn't that where the shrewd 'buys' come into play..the depth of the squad? If Wenger wants to keep using this as an excuse surely he is pointing out the deficencies in his own management?!

I think Arsenal will be exposed as having a 'soft centre' and Chelsea will drive everything thru there. Width won't always be an issue if they get control of the centre, therefore a loss of Duff is not too bad.
Arsenal have fantastic skill in passing and movement , but appear to be too easily disrupted by more physically demanding opponents.

Henry will be vital to making this a winning display. Is he prepared to be patient enough? Will he move himself further afield in search of opportunities?
Bergkamp is too slow to be competitive over 90 mins..so Van Persie will probably share the striking duties.
If Wenger wants to make a go of it, maybe he should try a change in formation...be brave and throw Van Persie, Bergkamp on with Henry from the start.

It has draw written all over it, but I like the odds for a -0.25 handicap on Chelsea. I see them getting in early this time and controlling it from then on.
Will be very physical, and fiery, so a penalty and sending off is on the cards.

Arsenal NEED this..really need it. Settling for a draw with it level and 10mins to go won't acheieve anything really.
They will press all the way and that is where Jose's men should find the gaps to take the 3 pts and condemn Arse to further crticism for their failure to fill the gaps left by Vieira, and Cole/Clichy.

Chelsea -0.25 @ 2.28 pointbet
Chelsea 2-0 / 3-1

(error on bet brain re; Henry)

[kompressaur]

good luck Eddy. Here's the bbc's take on it all today...

Arsenal v Chelsea

Highbury Sunday 18 December Kick-off: 1600 GMT BBC Radio Five Live Arsenal forward Jose Reyes is missing with a thigh injury but Dennis Bergkamp is ready to make his comeback after two games out with a hamstring problem. Gael Clichy and Ashley Cole are injured and Gilberto Silva is suspended. Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has recovered from a knee ligament strain and is back in training. Blues winger Damien Duff was withdrawn against Wigan last weekend with an Achilles injury and is Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's only new concern. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "This game is of massive importance for the whole season, not just for the Premiership. "We have to focus on how we want to beat Chelsea and not think too much about the consequences of the result. "We have to go at them and play the game we want to play. "The noise has gone around England now that to beat Arsenal you have to go into their face, bully them and try to get away with it. "I feel we have to respond with more authority and calmness than we have until now. "Chelsea's strength is physical power and you expect a physical game and commitment at the top level." Chelsea keeper Petr Cech: "Arsenal is not just about Henry and they have lots of good players. "We have to approach the game as Chelsea against Arsenal, not Chelsea against Henry. "It's always difficult to play against him but we don't worry about our opposition and try to concentrate on our game. "Last season he scored both goals but if Henry doesn't score it becomes more difficult for them as he's their key player. "Our strength is that we are a team, we have dangerous and quality players in every position. That's why we're such a strong team." Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Ferreira, del Horno, Bridge, Terry, Carvalho, Huth, Makelele, Lampard, Essien, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, C Cole, Crespo. Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Almunia, Toure, Lauren, Campbell, Senderos, Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Song, Larsson, Hleb, Pires, Ljungberg, van Persie, Henry, Bergkamp, Owusu-Abeyie. BIG-MATCH FACTS ARSENAL and champions Chelsea go head-to-head in the pre-Christmas fest at Highbury. Chelsea will be top of the tree at Christmas for the second year running, due in part to a Scrooge-like meanness when it comes to giving away points (only 13 dropped since Christmas Day 2004). Twelve months ago these clubs shared four goals on this ground in a match marked by Thierry Henry's quickly taken free kick, which caught Blues keeper Petr Cech off guard. The champions will provide the sternest challenge yet to the Gunners' 13-match home League winning run. Both these clubs have 100% home records in the top tier, but while Chelsea have gained 16 points on their travels, Arsenal have only chalked up five. This will be Arsenal's 350th Premier League game under Arsene Wenger, and they're desperate to stave off a third defeat on the bounce. A 2-0 loss at Bolton was followed by last Saturday's 1-0 reverse at Newcastle - the first time in over three years and 117 Premiership matches that the Gunners had suffered successive defeats. They've not gone down to three League losses in a row in Wenger's reign or in 403 Premiership outings . Stewart Houston was at the helm when that last happened in March 1995. The Gunners have won nine and drawn four of 13 home Premiership matches against Chelsea, but have not beaten them in six games, home and away, in all competitions - drawing three and losing three in the League, Champions League and Community Shield. Arsenal last beat Chelsea 1-2 at Stamford Bridge on 21 February last year, having already recorded a similar success in the reverse fixture that season to achieve the 'double'. CHELSEA fans should be full of the joy of the festive season, their side having won all but two of 16 League clashes this term. Although they've played one more match than Arsenal, they have a massive 17 more points. Jose Mourinho's men are bidding for a 15th victory from this League campaign, and fifth in a row. They've only been beaten once in 16 League matches this term and in 45 top flight outings, spanning last season. No club can beat their return of 35 goals scored or a miserly seven conceded. Amazingly the Blues are yet to concede in the second half of a Premiership game this season. Indeed they do their best work after the break. Seven of their League games have been goalless at half-time, and they've turned round in front in only four of the 16, on level terms in nine and in arrears in three. They've only scored one first half goal in five League outings, and 26 of their 35 League goals have come in the second period. Eleven of Arsenal's 22 Premiership goals have been scored in the first half. Since losing to Arsenal in February 2004, Chelsea have played 15 Premiership London derbies, drawing three of them and winning the other 12. That includes the last five (v Fulham and Charlton last season, and Arsenal, Spurs and Charlton this season). The Gunners have lost one, won one and drawn two capital clashes so far this season, but their record in London top flight derbies remains impressive having taken points from 37 of the last 38. The Blues have never beaten Arsenal in the Premiership at Highbury, and have not eclipsed the Gunners in an away League game since the 0-1 triumph on 17 March 1990. Mourinho's men won this season's reverse fixture 1-0. Second-half substitute Didier Drogba earned the victory on 73 minutes, bundling in Frank Lampard's free kick with his knee. That gives Chelsea the chance of a first 'double' over the Gunners since the 1969/70 season, and a seventh of all time. REFEREE: Rob Styles (Waterlooville) SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM ARSENAL Club stats Fixtures Going into the weekend: 6th 26 points (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures) Last lost in excess of two successive Premiership games between 5 and 22 March 1995 when West Ham (h), Blackburn (a), Newcastle (a) and Manchester United (a) all defeated Arsenal in consecutive League matches. Not scored in 295 minutes (four hours 55 minutes) of League and Cup soccer since Arturo Lupoli's goal in the 3-0 home win over Reading in the Carling Cup on 29 November). Not scored in 180 minutes (three hours) of Premiership football, since Robin van Persie's stoppage time effort in the 3-0 home win over Blackburn on 26 November. Won four of the last seven Premier League games. Scored more goals in the last 10 minutes of Premiership matches this season than any other club (eight). Four of those have come in the last five minutes, and three of those in stoppage time. 26 points after 15 games is the Gunners' lowest return since 25 points were pocketed after the first 15 of the 1998/99 season. Interestingly, they went on to finish runners-up that season. Awarded more penalties than any other club in Premiership matches this season, but only two of their five spot kicks have been converted. Holding a 100% home Premiership record (seven wins out of seven). One of two clubs with 100% home top flight records this term. Chelsea have won all nine of their fixtures at Stamford Bridge. Challeneging for a 14th successive home League win. Last failed to grab maximum points at Highbury on 1 February, when beaten 2-4 by Manchester United. Scored in all home League games this and last season, and gone 27 Premiership matches at Highbury since last failing to find the net in a no score draw against Birmingham on 1 May 2004. Conceded twice in home League games this term (by Claus Jensen of Fulham, and Alan Stubbs of Sunderland). Gained 16 more points at home than on their Premiership travels - the widest such dicotamy in the top tier. Scored three goals in each of the last two home League encounters, against Sunderland and Blackburn. CHELSEA Club stats Fixtures Going into the weekend: TOP 43 points (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures) Claimed 43 of a possible 48 League points this season. Won 18 of 24 in all competitions this season. Not conceded in six League and Cup games, or 599 minutes (nine hours 59 minutes) since Darren Fletcher scored Manchester United's winner at Old Trafford on 6 November. Won five more games than any other club in the Premiership. Lost fewer matches in the top grade (one). Boast the strongest attack in the highest echelon (35 in 16) and the tightest defence (just seven conceded). Scored every 41 minutes of Premiership football played on average, and conceded one goal every 206 minutes (three hours 23 minutes). Played 419 minutes (six hours 59 minutes) of Premiership football without conceding a goal. Lost one of 45 Premiership matches. Experienced only two defeats in 54 Premiership games under Mourinho, winning 43. Conceded two goals in a Premiership match in one of the last 37 (4-2, home win over Blackburn on 29 October). Conceded two goals only three times in League games under Mourinho. Gone 21 top tier contests since a no score draw (home to Arsenal on 20 April). Opponents kept Chelsea at bay in one of 16 Premiership matches this term (at Old Trafford). Failed to score in one of 21 Premiership fixtures, and in two of the last 28 top flight clashes. One of two clubs to have missed the target in only one Premiership fixture this term. The other is Manchester United. 100% record when a clean sheet has been kept in the top tier (10 of 10). This is the first season Chelsea have accrued in excess of 39 points after the first 16 games of a Premiership season. They are four points better off than at this identical stage last season. The club's previous highest after the first 17 games in this League was 40 points last season. They already have 43. Gone 74 League clashes since losing by more than a single goal (4-2, away to Charlton on Boxing Day 2003). Ahead at half time in only four of their Premiership matches so far, drawing in nine, and losing in three. Aston Villa, Bolton, Everton and Manchester United have all scored first against Chelsea in the League this season. Kept clean sheets in 15 of their 24 League and Cup matches this season. Registered 10 Premiership shut-outs. Only Liverpool can beat it (12). Opened the scoring in 12 of their 16 top League engagements, winning all 12 games. Third in the Premiership's "Last Six Current Form" table with 15 points out of 18 - three points behind Liverpool, and one behind Manchester United. Scored more penalties than any other club in Premiership matches this matches this season. All four spot kicks awarded have been converted. The 100% start to this League crusade was ended when Everton held the champions to a 1-1 draw at Goodison on 23 October. The 40-game unbeaten League record was ended by Manchester United in the last but one Premiership game on the road - the 1-0 loss at the Theatre of Dreams on 6 November. Lost one of 21 away League games, winning 17, drawing three. Gone 17 away games since conceding more than a single goal (2-2 with Arsenal on 12 December last year). That's the only time two goals have been conceded in a League game away from Stamford Bridge during the Mourinho era. The last three away League contests have resulted in a draw, a loss and a win in that order. Failed to score in only one away top League clash this season, and in one of the last 21 League skirmishes on the road. KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES ARSENAL Squad profiles Thierry HENRY holds the club record as Arsenal's top scorer of all time, but with 145 Premiership goals, he's still five short of Cliff Baston's Arsenal record of 150 League goals. HENRY has scored 11 goals in 14 League and Cup appearances for the Gunners this season. Robin VAN PERSIE has scored eight in 11 appearances for Arsenal. When next involved from the outset, Ashley COLE will be making his 150th Premiership start for north Londoners. Suspended: GILBERTO Silva CHELSEA Squad profiles Should he figure, Frank LAMPARD will extend the Premiership's record for consecutive appearances to 163. LAMPARD has scored 12 goals for his club this season, and trails Manchester United's Ruud VAN NISTELROOY by two as the highest scoring Premiership player. LAMPARD is one goal behind VAN NISTELROOY in the Golden Boot standings, with 11 Premiership goals. If he keeps goal, Petr CECH will be making his 50th Premiership appearance - all for Chelsea. If in the eleven, Joe COLE will be making his 200th club career start (West Ham and Chelsea). LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME: Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea 12 December 2004 - Ref: Graham Poll Arsenal scorers: Henry 2, 29 Chelsea scorers: Terry 17, Gudjohnsen 46 THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE: Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal 21 August 2005 - Ref: Graham Poll Chelsea scorer: Drogba 73 HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS League: Arsenal 57 wins, Chelsea 38, Draws 42 Prem: Arsenal 14 wins, Chelsea 4, Draws 9 HEAD TO HEAD at Arsenal League: Arsenal 34 wins, Chelsea 16, Draws 18 Prem: Arsenal 9 wins, Chelsea 0, Draws 4

[kompressaur]

Middlesbrough v Tottenham

Riverside Stadium Sunday 18 December Kick-off: 1330 GMT BBC Radio Five Live Middlesbrough defender Chris Riggott is suspended following his red card at Liverpool last weekend. Mark Schwarzer, Gareth Southgate, Mark Viduka, George Boateng and Aiyegbeni Yakubu are likely to be recalled after being rested against Liteks Lovetch. Tottenham duo boss Mido and Wayne Routledge will both have fitness tests on slight knee ligament strains. Teemu Tainio is a major doubt with a bruised knee, while fellow midfielder Aaron Lennon has a a hamstring strain. Middlesbrough (from): Schwarzer, Jones, Bates, Queudrue, Pogatetz, Southgate, Ehiogu, Wheater, Boateng, Doriva, Morrison, Rochemback, Johnson, Kennedy, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Viduka, Maccarone. Tottenham (from): Cerny, Robinson, Stalteri, Kelly, Lee, King, Dawson, Naybet, Brown, Davids, Carrick, Reid, Defoe, Keane, Mido, Rasiak, Lennon, Tainio, Jenas, Davis, Mendes, Routledge. Middlesbrough defender Franck Queudrue: "We're at home and we need the win because we have had two straight defeats. "We are 13th at the moment and want to get back into the top half." Tottenham coach Martin Jol: "We've come through a difficult sequence of games in an excellent position. "If we finish above Arsenal, I think we will have done very well. "But I still think the big four clubs will be in the top four spots at the end of the season." BIG-MATCH FACTS MIDDLESBROUGH face the task of putting on the brakes on a resurgent Tottenham, who visit the Riverside bidding for a fourth successive Premiership victory. The Teessiders are in danger of plummeting to a third top flight defeat in a row, having lost at Chelsea and Liverpool without scoring. They also have to conquer another European hangover. This will be 14th Sunday fixture following a Thursday night Uefa Cup match. Only two wins from the previous 13 such fixtures have been victorious, but they will be boosted by their qualification to the last 32 of Europe's second most prestigious club competition. Boro hold the longest sequence without a clean sheet in the Premiership this term of 13 matches. Chelsea went 13 games without a block-out in 1996/97 - the longest such string in that season. But it's a long way from the Premiership record run without a shut-out. That belongs to Wimbledon, who went 26 matches between February and October 1999. Boro are striving for a fourth home win in succession over Spurs, to extend their unbeaten home Premiership sequence against them to eight (four wins, three draws). Last season the Teessiders won the narrowest of victories, courtesy of an 11th minute goal from George Boateng. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR go to Teesside in search of a second win in a week, following Monday's 3-1 home triumph over Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth. Spurs have picked up 12 points out of 12 - a feat they last achieved a year ago when a five match winning sequence began with a 2-0 eclipse of Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane on 28 November, and concluded with another 2-0 victory at Norwich on Boxing Day. The North Londoners, who've never before accumulated as many as 30 points after the first 16 games of a Premiership season, are pursuing a 20th League victory under Martin Jol. They can boast of being the most resilient side in the highest League, jointly with West Ham. The Portsmouth game was Tottenham's third this season which was won from a losing position. In addition they've fought back to draw after conceding the opener in two other matches, so effectively picking up 11 points from matches in which they were in arrears. They've lost only one of the last seven away League fixtures, but defeat here would be their 200th in the Premier League, and the first goal conceded will be the 5,000th shipped in Tottenham's League history. Spurs made it six points out of six with no goals conceded from their first two games of this season when they beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in the reverse fixture in August. It was the Londoners' second 2-0 victory of the campaign. Jermain Defoe struck a sensational 25-yard drive just after the break, and Mido doubled the lead in the 75th minute. It puts Tottenham on target for a fifth League 'double' over Boro. But would be their first against them in nine years, when incidentally the Londoners last recorded a victory on Teesside, 0-3 on 19 October 1996 - Teddy Sheringham bagging a brace and Ruel Fox the other. REFEREE: Howard Webb (South Yorkshire) SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM MIDDLESBROUGH Club stats Fixtures Going into the weekend: 13th 19 points (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures) Not suffered three top flight defeats on the spin since between 17 April and 2 May last year, when Wolves (a), Villa (h) and Liverpool (a) all defeated Boro. Won only one of five Premiership matches (3-2, home to Fulham on 20 November). Not scored in two, or in 204 minutes (three hours 24 minutes) of top League soccer since Yakubu netted their second in the 2-2 draw with West Brom at the Riverside on 27 November. Gone 13 matches since a clean sheet in the top tier (0-3 at Birmingham on 23 August). Kept one clean sheet in the last 15 League outings. Played 15 League matches since a goalless draw (home to Liverpool on the opening day, 13 August). Conceded more Premier League goals in stoppage time than any other club (four). Used more players in Premiership matches this season than any other club (26). Scored 12 goals and conceded 12 in seven home League matches this season. Unbeaten in four home League games, beating Manchester United and Fulham, and drawing with Portsmouth and West Brom. Lost one of the last six home League matches. Scored in each of the last four home League clashes. Failed to score in one of the last six Premiership games at the Riverside. Not recorded a clean sheet in seven home League engagements, since a goalless draw with Liverpool on the opening day. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Club stats Fixtures Going into the weekend: 4th 30 points (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures) Won the last three against Wigan (1-2 a), Sunderland (3-2 h) and Portsmouth (3-1 h). Won six of the last 10 Premiership matches. Lost one of the last 12 League games. The 1-0 defeat at Bolton on 7 November is the only time Spurs had failed to score in 11 Premier League encounters. Gone 29 Premiership matches since conceding more than two goals in a match (3-1 defeat at Bolton on 1 February). Gone 11 Premiership matches since a no score draw (home to Liverpool on 10 September). Completed 12 top flight matches since a loss by more than a single goal. Failed to score in one of the last 11 top tier encounters. Conceded one goal in each of the last seven matches, with the exception of the home clash with Sunderland when two were shipped. Kept one clean sheet in nine League engagements. Lost only one Premiership match on the road (1-0 at Bolton in last away game on 7 November). Failed to hit the back of the net in only one League clash on the road this term (at Bolton). KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES MIDDLESBROUGH Squad profiles Jimmy Floyd HASSELBAINK is a one shy of scoring 150 goals for English clubs - that's ahead of the Uefa Cup tie with Liteks Lovech. Mark VIDUKA needs a hat trick to complete 100 goals in English and Scottish League football. Suspended: Chris RIGGOTT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Squad profiles MIDO has scored three goals in his last four Premiership games. Jermain DEFOE has netted two goals in his last three Premiership appearances against Middlesbrough. LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME: Middlesbrough 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur 7 May 2005 - Ref: Dermot Gallagher Middlesbough scorer: Boateng 11 THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Middlesbrough 20 August 2005 - Ref: Martin Atkinson Spurs scorers: Defoe 49, Mido 75 HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS League: Middlesbro 32 wins, Spurs 24, Draws 17 Prem: Middlesbro 8 wins, Spurs 6, Draws 7 HEAD TO HEAD at Middlesbro League: Middlesbro 22 wins, Spurs 5, Draws 9 Prem: Middlesbro 5 wins, Spurs 2, Draws 3

[slick]

Nice write up Eddy and good luck with your bet, Its too tight to call for me personally especially with Chelsea looking like there lacking something of late, strange thing to say really as there flying high but to me it looks like they have switched on auto pilot.
But it was a similar scenario when they went to Liverpool with something to prove after the previous weeks draw in the champs league and they destroyed Liverpool at a canter.If they can switch it on when they like then the game is in the bag for Chelsea as Arsenal are very inconsistant.

Talking about inconsistancy leads me to Boro , they seem to be taking the piss out of the word @ the moment, Looking @ the results it looks like Mclaren is concentrating more on the uefa cup and just gathering enough points to stay in the prem.
Now the uefa cup has took a back seat till the new year i'd expect Boro's results to start picking up a bit.
Spurs are beginning to pick up again after a little slump last month winning there last 3 but they dont instill enough confidence in me to back them against a side like Boro not bet for me but if i had to pick a result i'd opt for the draw.