Arsenal vs Chelsea
Arsenal and Chelsea have been Premier League giants for the longest time, but the previous season has been nothing but a disappointment for their supporters as they finished outside the Champions League places.
However, both teams now face new eras in their history as new men take the helm and attempt to lead them back to glory. They will square off at the Aviva Stadium for an ICC 2018 game in preparation for a grand clash before the actual Premier League season begins.
One can see this as a preview of how these two teams will perform against Premier League competition. However, they might not want to expose all of their cards against their opponents before the Premier League season even started.
Regardless of the players they will field, fans of both sides will be able to gauge how their London rivals will be able to perform in the Premier League. It’s through this match that we will know if London will be painted Blue or Red by season’s end.
Talking Points
Premier League fans that will be looking at Arsenal vs Chelsea betting tips better consider the new tactics being implemented by Unai Emery and Maurizio Sarri.
The former gaffers of the Blues and the Gunners relied on the 3-4-3 and looked at their wingbacks for the width of attack. However, both Emery and Sarri veer away from the three-in-the-back formations brought about by Antonio Conte two years ago and are sticking with a traditional four-in-the-back formation. Both will use a high defensive line to constrict the opposition and force them to lose possession.
However, the big difference would be the shape the two sides will have moving forward. Sarri’s Chelsea will use a 4-3-3 with the attacking play starting from the deep-lying midfielder. Jorginho, one of the best summer signings of the Premier League so far, will be a key player for the offensive and defensive integrity of the Italian’s tactics at Stamford Bridge.
Pairing Jorginho up with N’Golo Kante makes a very dangerous midfield that will allow some breathing room for Eden Hazard and the rest of the attacking core. However, we might not see the full-strength lineup of Chelsea in a friendly where the results matter little.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are slowly finding their way in the very attack-oriented 4-2-3-1 system that brought the Spaniard much success in Spain and France. The width will still come from the fullbacks, but the tactic will focus on Mesut Ozil’s talents as the playmaker in the middle of it all.
They have already produced some results that take the front page ICC news sites. In particular, the 5-1 result of their match against PSG was a pleasing result for many of the Gunners faithful. While the top dogs of the Parisiens weren’t present to play, the fact that they easily overpowered this team without their full-strength squad is also encouraging news for the club.
This might also be the first time we will see Lucas Torreira play in an Arsenal shirt against a tough rival. Supporters already look forward to his leadership after making his mark during his first Arsenal training session. The €30-million acquisition from Sampdoria will be a wall that Chelsea will find hard to crack if he suits up for this friendly.
While this match won’t mean anything other than finding the form of the players, this will be a matter of pride for the fans. They expect their club to come out on top against their London rivals, and their presence in Dublin should make this game a lot more interesting.
History
These two sides have a long history of matches, and Arsenal have always been the better club before the club’s acquisition by Russian billionaire and oil magnate Roman Abramovich in 2003. Since then, the Blues have won or drawn more of their league and cup ties with the Gunners.
However, last season was a complicated mess for Chelsea. Antonio Conte struggled to get Chelsea in top form against Arsenal, losing the Community Shield and the League Cup replay. Their Premier League matches were draws, the last of which was a 2-2 tie, with Hector Bellerin salvaging a point in the game’s dying minutes.
Both teams have performed well in the preseason, so it’s tough to tell which side will come out on top. Arsenal’s most impressive result was an 8-0 thumping of National League side Boreham Wood FC. I imagine that game was more of a pleasant picnic just north of London. Meanwhile, Chelsea secured wins against Perth Glory and Internazionale.
What are the odds?
SBOBET predictions see this game as a close contest, but everything depends on the players both managers will field. If one of the bosses deploy a stronger squad, then there should be no question on which side will win the game.
Arsenal are obvious favourites after stomping PSG’s second squad. The 1X2 market offers 2.33 if you think the Gunners will win the game. However, Chelsea are at 3.45 if you think Jorginho will finally be able to connect to his team-mates and help them score goals with his chip through passes.
This game has the makings of a low-scoring game, but I wouldn’t put it past Unai Emery’s squad to do what they did against Paris Saint-Germain. Over 3.00 Goals is at 2.07. Over 1.25 Goals under the First Half Over Under market is also a tempting buy at 2.11.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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