Looking at it as a total neutral, supporting a team that hit the premiership by default and has no real right to be here, ( Sorry Preston ) , i see it like this, Chelski players are now on such good money and will turn into actors for the crowd rather than concentrate 100 % on the game, whereas Arsenal are hungry again after their relatively poor display last season after rising to the heights they reached. I , for one, make it a favourites choice for an Arsenal win !

Of course I'd like to see us win, and we can. It's ten years since Chelski (or, Chelsea as they were then known ) beat us in the prem. We had 59% possession at Cardiff but didn't turn it into goals. We should have scored a couple in the last prem match at the Bridge, and, despite their money, we do consistently play a better class of football than has been seen in the English league for a very long time.

Wow, the "Arsenal complex" is very well developed in you cat

If you cant look to your trophies and wins to show your superiority over a team then you smugly state that you play the better looking football than them anyway so ARE the better football team.

I'm a bit confused at what Big Jono was trying to say, but I have no problem stating that when Arsenal is playing up to there capabilities the play a game of football that is a delight to watch, on where everyone is involved and usually gets a touch on the ball. Now that doesn't mean we are the best team in the world, but a flowing style game, close but not quite to the 'total soccer' that the Dutch developed is the Arsenal style and it is called 'The Beautiful Game', and it'd nice to see it played as such.

yes i think it is fair to say Arsenal over the last few years have played the best football in the Premiership . On the right day we can rip teams apart with ease , 3 goals in 15 mins type of thing. The trouble is playing the best football does not mean you will win the league. Chelsea did not play the best football last season but they were the best team in the league.

Being somewhat biased, my prediction will be for a 1-0 victory to Chelsea with a goal by drogba all be it a lucky touch

Great win for Chelsea, Arsenal didn't even test Chelsea once, bit of a shabby goal but Lehman should of done better bit slow reacting and no one bother complaing bout offside or"shud of been a penalty" if u wannna complain go to this site
www.thefa.com

that was really precise, Andy.

A positive for Arsenal, Hleb looks like has has a lot of talent, maybe another great Wenger buy!! I wouldnt be surprised.

I haven't seen the game yet, waiting to catch the relay in a few days so I can't comment on it. I will say the top teams are not alloted too many losses in the EPL anymore so getting one this early makes it tough. I suppose getting onre this early is better than late on, but a loss is never a good thing.
I will have more to say once I see the game if this thread is still active........

It won’t go down as his best strike of a football ever but as at Cardiff two weeks ago, Didier Drogba has put the Gunners to the sword. The substitute’s second-half goal was enough to give Chelsea a first league win over Arsenal for a decade.

All I ever hear is Chelsea have tried to buy their way to the top. 2 seasons ago I would have agreed with you. Many have tried it and failed.

Last season we won the title on merit. This season we will retain it!!

Like I said earlier Chelsea has no equal.
Arsenal is still number 2 on my favorite Club tho. GO Chelsea, GO Arsenal

I'm wondering how many teams you can name that have spent as much money as Chelsea ? We never hear much about there youth academy, do they have one?

They won today, that's the bottom line, but I think we need to keep things in perspective here since there spending record speaks for itself and there is no getting around it

wow , have you got a time machine or something , talk about spot on .

and to Sharon Osbourne who says we didnt test Chelsea even once . So that means if Peter Cech had not been in goal we would not have had a couple of goals , i think not actually. We did not cause Chelsea too many problems it is fair to say but we did compete.

Arsenal did compete but only looked to have Chelsea troubled near the end, after the goal. Before that i dont think Cech even broke a sweat.

Apart from the goal Lehmann looks solid tho doesnt he guys? So much was said about him before the season started but i think he has answered his critics in the prefect way, with good solid performances.

Now onto the goal, does anyone else feel that Drogba wouldnt have got that goal if Senderos hadnt pushed him in the back? It looks like just as Drogba is thinking about what to do with the ball, Senderos pushes him and his knee hits the ball past Lehmann as a result of the nudge.

Hats off To Alexander Hleb - great game i thought!

Quite even but the best team one even if the goal was a bit lucky!

Didnt like the way Drogba acted when he first ballooned one wide and then went back to verbally attack a fan who had obviously jibed at his poor initial effort!

I must just say that to Arsenal's credit - Chelsea defended superbly again and that could see them through once the flair starts to rock again!

I think that the top two will be Chelsea and Man United this season - Arsenal wont be in the Champions League first round next season without having to qualify!

well i dont know , Drogba may have been about to shoot for goal . Did any one else think that Cole should have got a penalty .

Touch and Go - Who said no to in game technology!

In slow motion after the event you would have had that mate!

Yea i noticed Drogba doing that too Gen, he had another go at the fan once he got the goal too.

The decision on Cole could have gone either way, its bad luck for Arsenal on that one, Cole did seem to make a bit of a meal of it tho.


The commentators were making a good point, about how Arsenal didnt have an out and out center forward playing today who runs into the box and poaches goals.

Arsenal seem to rely on making all their goals completely, and want to pass it till they can walk it into the net, which is great but i think they need to combine that with some good poachers goals, such as Owen, or Shearer are good at.

Yes Niall Quinn sent a great Go Get Owen message didnt he!

Go Away Mackem!

LOL!