Arsenal v Chelsea: Attacking 3-4-3 formation with Drinkwater and Kante starting for me tonight.

 

It's a massive game for Chelsea once again knowing that Manchester City and Manchester United picked up three points again. We simply cannot afford to drop points this evening and with reports that some key players could be missing for Arsene Wenger, it's the perfect opportunity to attack their defence after a fantastic response against Stoke.
I had stated ahead of the Stoke game that Chelsea seemed to be stuck in second gear for most of this season and as yet, not really firing on all cylinders. We needed something to happen for us to move into first, to click and get back to the scintillating football we had witnessed last season. Antonio Conte's side responded in the best way possible with one of the performances of the season and will head to North London this evening full of confidence.

Having called for Danny Drinkwater to start a game for us in the Premier League as soon as possible after it was clear that Tiemoue Bakayoko was still adjusting to life in England, the England midfielder excelled once again in his partnership alongside N'Golo Kante reviving their form from their title winning season with Leicester with the addition of scoring a fantastically well taken goal from outside the box.

You watch the two of them together and it's easy because they understand each other, they know what to expect from each other and work so well in tandem. In my view, this will be key this evening because I expect Arsenal to adopt the same 3-5-2 formation that brought to Stamford Bridge tonight knowing they are playing with a weakened side.

If they decide to play with that formation then our own 3-5-2 formation with a three-man midfield (including Cesc Fabregas) will become pointless because Alvaro Morata will find himself man-marked giving the likes of Fabregas and Eden Hazard little options to play which is exactly what happened against West Ham.

Antonio Conte MUST stick with the attacking 3-4-3 formation to attack Arsenal, push three men forward forcing his wing-backs to sit deep with in turn gives our wing-backs licence to press forward. We cannot start with the same formation as it will become a game of chess with a stalemate on the pitch. The only problem Antonio Conte will have is to decide who would miss out for the return of Eden Hazard back into the side.

Chelsea have had some big nights away at Arsenal and tonight is no exception. We are on a fantastic run of form and have a full strength squad to choose from having had three days to rest. This is a game to lay down a marker and make our intentions between now and the end of the season clear - we will never give up until it's over and will hunt down Jose Mourinho's Manchester United side first to regain second place, stay there and then try and chase down Manchester City.

Anything less than three points based on everything I've said about their injury problems would be a failure for me.