Arsenal vs Chelsea - How do we protect Flamini?

Cesc vs flamini, that is all i need to say . So what should wenger and the team do to protect him and get a result in this game? or at least not get a freaking frashing!


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Expected Lineups

Arsenal

-----------------------------------Szczesny------------------------------------
Chambers---------Mertesacker-------------Koscielny--------------Gibbs
---------------------Flamini--------------Wilshere--------------------------
Oxlade-------------------------Ozil-----------------------------Sanchez
-----------------------------Wele----------------------------------------


Chelsea

----------------------------------Courtois-----------------------------------
Ivonovic--------------Terry--------------Cahill-----------------Azpilicueta
--------------------Mikel---------------Matic------------------------------
Ramires---------------------Fabregas---------------------------Hazard
---------------------------Costa-------------------------------------------

Stats - FourFourTwo

• Didier Drogba has scored 15 goals in 15 appearances against Arsenal in all competitions (including Emirates Cup).
  
• Arsenal have lost just one of their last 14 Barclays Premier League games since defeat at Stamford Bridge in March.
  
• The last time these two sides met was Arsene Wenger's 1000th competitive game in charge of Arsenal and turned out to be his heaviest defeat (0-6).
  
• Jose Mourinho has never lost as an opposition coach against Arsene Wenger in any competition (W6 D5 L0).
  
• Arsenal have won away at Stamford Bridge more often than any other visiting side in the Barclays Premier League (7).
  
• The last five Premier League wins Arsenal have enjoyed at Stamford Bridge have all seen the Gunners come from behind to win.
  
• Arsenal have won none of their last 14 Premier League meetings against Chelsea, Man Utd or Man City (W0 D7 L7).
  
• Former Gunner Cesc Fabregas leads the league with six goal assists and has 76 overall ranking him seventh in the all-time Premier League list.
  
• Arsenal and Chelsea have both recovered six points from losing positions this season, the joint-most in the Premier League.
  
• Chelsea have scored with 26% of their shots this season, the best chance conversion in the Premier League.
  
• Arsenal have conceded 199 goals in Premier League London derbies while Chelsea have conceded 198.
  

By not playing him?

I kid, I kid, we don't much choice but to play him, R'hllor save us that's all.

By not playing a 4-1-4-1

Just anything but that pls.

By playing 5-4-1 and parking a plane in front of Chesny, I'll take boring goalless draw, thank you.

Why does a DM need protection? A DM should be doing the protecting.

Forza wrote:Why does a DM need protection? A DM should be doing the protecting.

Dude you're Milan fan, you should have the most knowledge of this matter by now

Forza wrote:Why does a DM need protection? A DM should be doing the protecting.

Welcome to Arsenal

If we're not confident Flamini can shackle Fabregas 1v1 and assume he's going to have all the space in the world to play his passes, then we need to cut off the passing channels and options he'll have.

Doing that means the whole team needs to be committed to defending. You'll need to double up on certain players and have sufficient numbers back to deny space in behind and in front of the backline.

The other way is to be very brave and push up, squeeze the middle of the pitch and make it difficult for Chelsea to get the ball up to Fabregas in the first place.

Either way, it requires the whole team to have discipline and work incredibly hard.

Twoism wrote:

Forza wrote:Why does a DM need protection? A DM should be doing the protecting.

Dude you're Milan fan, you should have the most knowledge of this matter by now

Yeah, I do. My solution: bench him. You can't have a DM who can't tackle, can't intercept passes, can't distribute and can't run out a full game in top tier football. He's a liability if he can't perform the basic duties demanded of that type of player. Glad we sold him and bought Nigel De Jong.

Flamini's distribution isn't the issue. He's quite good in that respect.

He just doesn't have the athleticism to weather attacks from powerful and pacey opponents which a DM needs to have, especially in 4-1-4-1 where there's no Ramsey right by his side to help.

Btw you never sold him. He left you on a free. It's kind of his thing.

I am terrifed about this game, admittedly. But can it really be worse than last season?

Think we'll go:

Szczesny; Chambers Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs; Flamini; Chamberlain Wilshere Ozil Alexis; Welbeck

Ospina Monreal Diaby Rosicky Cazorla Campbell Podolski

I am not even worried about this match, I would not play Flamini tbh, would rather send someone who can play the full game.

I know Flamini will get a red card before half time.

If we had any cover in defense we could just play chambers there and we'd be solid. But he's going to have to play pretty much every game because we don't. Ugh.

If Diaby can play, I would pick hi ahead of everyone else, we will have chance with 11vs11, dont trust Flamini at all.

Remain focus, defend well and take our chances, our big losses last year started with us missing good chances to score and it could have changed the outcome of the game.

The problem with Flamini is that he is unrealible and his he is reckless. You never know when he gets the red card.

Flamini has lost everything within the space of 6 months or so

He can't tackle
He can't intercept
He can't press
His awareness is awful.

I don't think we can protect him unless prime Diaby plays. We can use Coquelin who is at least quick but Wenger won't go that far

It's 100% Wilshere-Flamini. Wilshere is good but his talent lies up rather than back.

I hope we park the bus.

Also don't think we need a preview thread now tbh. We can just use this one instead.

I'll update the OP with some facts and lineups

I am not hating on Jack or anything I just think this is not the game for him and Flamini.
The game will be won or lost in the midfield, I wish we had better options.
I would start Jack with this line up though, make sure 5 players back at all times.

Well we can always start Cazorla in CM

RealGunner wrote:Well we can always start Cazorla in CM

What line up would you go with?

Wenger will almost certainly go back to 433 again in a big match.

I expect:

Raptorgunner wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Well we can always start Cazorla in CM

What line up would you go with?

Bellerin----Flamini---Hayden-----Coquelin
--------------------Diaby--------------------
------------------Welbeck

I actually think that if we start this game with a plan of trying to stop Cesc that we might as well put it down as a loss before the match starts. Cesc will get his time on the ball and he will create chances. We need to stay on those in front Cesc from completing those chances. I am more concerned about trying to contain Hazard, Costa and Schurlle. I also do not think that this is will be a great game for Wilshere and would go with the same team that we started against Galatasaray. If for some reason Cazoral can not go then I would choose Diaby.

Chambers-Per-Kos-Gibbs
Flamini-Cazoral/Diaby
Ox-Ozil-Sanchez
Welbeck