For Arsenal, we all know that we will have to make do without the services of Mikel Arteta for the rest of the season. With Yossi Benayoun ineligible for this fixture, Arsene’s options are fairly limited although we have a double midfield boost with Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin returning to the squad. Aaron Ramsey is likely to start the game but which position? He has spent most of the season as the furthest forward but Tomas Rosicky seized his chance when Ramsey picked up and

If I could start this blog with some dramatic music then I most certainly would. A grudge match, a crunch game or whatever you fancy calling it, this is pretty important as far as the Champions League places go. There is only one available place for us that will give us guaranteed Champions League football and that is third in the table, we are in pole position to finish in that spot but it is down to us to re-find our consistency and fight for that position, it all starts with our lunchtime kick off with Chelsea.

Ourselves, Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea are stumbling towards the finish line, all clubs are waiting for a slip up so they can stand on their opponents face in the mud as they climb over in search for a place in the top four. This fixture is almost like a crossroads, taking the right path could secure third and the wrong path could result in a fight for the top four.

I am not quite sure what to make of Chelsea right now, I am pleased that the likes of Drogba, Ivanovic and even David Luiz will be missing. The latter has improved considerably as the season has gone on but at the same time I am not comfortable with the amount of people expecting us to turn them over because of the Barcelona fixture sandwich.

We have been expected to roll over teams in the past only for that to bite us on the behind. When you look at the players likely to come into the Chelsea side, they have several top players who cost them a fair whack. Players like Fernando Torres, Mikel Essien and Florent Malouda are all players who have been successful at the top end of the Premier League in recent seasons.

For Arsenal, we all know that we will have to make do without the services of Mikel Arteta for the rest of the season. With Yossi Benayoun ineligible for this fixture, Arsene’s options are fairly limited although we have a double midfield boost with Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin returning to the squad. Aaron Ramsey is likely to start the game but which position? He has spent most of the season as the furthest forward of the midfield but Tomas Rosicky seized his chance when Ramsey picked up an injury and the Czech has been our best player in the last couple of months.

The obvious solution would be to replace Arteta with Ramsey but the team may function better if Rosicky took up Arteta’s role and Ramsey played furthest forward in the midfield where he can use his high level of fitness to press Chelsea and drift into goalscoring positions.

Arsene also has to consider his left side of the pitch, usually this would have been a game where we would have seen more of a midfielder to readdress the balance but his options are limited. I wonder if he is tempted to go with either Diaby or Coquelin if they seem ready and play Ramsey on the left. I think only fitness and sharpness will stop him making that decision so will Arsene be forced into playing two wide forwards? The last time we started two wide forwards was against Aston Villa at home nearly four weeks ago.

Arsene also needs to make a decision on who will play at left back. Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos should both be fully fit now, the first time they have been fit and in the squad at the same time since in the early part of the season. Andre Santos is experienced and better in possession but Gibbs has been an important part of an improving back four alongside Sagna, Vermaelen and Koscielny who incidentally is back in the squad and likely the team after his suspension.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up:

Chelsea’s approach to the game will be interesting. They sat behind the ball and counter attacked well against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, looking at the likes of Essien, Mikel and Meireles, they would be perfectly set up to protect their back four. The trouble is, they need to beat us to close the gap as both Tottenham and Newcastle have more points than they do with only a handful of games remaining.

I yearn for AVB to be back in charge of the blues, making it a nice open game for us to punish them. Even though Chelsea need a victory, I cannot see them over committing against us. Perhaps the Wigan game will have given them something to work towards. Soak up our pressure and then hit us on the break.

It will be down to us to move the ball quickly and press them into mistakes before they can launch any attacks themselves just as we did so well against Manchester City at the Emirates.

A big 90 minutes is not far away, let us hope that we can watch the rest of our rivals later on in the afternoon with a smile on our faces.

COYG.