English Premier League, Preview: Can Arsenal’s Midfield, Defense Handle Chelsea?

Even if Chelsea's 1-0 loss last week at Manchester City provided a blueprint for how to beat the EPLnglish Premier League champions, the Blues shouldn't be too worried. Those plans are so expensive, so difficult for an average squad to pull-off, they may as well been sent in binary from Vega and require a Very Large Array to decode. Manchester City is one of only a few teams in the world capable of building that machine. Arsenal, Chelsea's opponent Sunday at Stamford Bridge, may be another, though to this point, they've been disinclined to buy the parts. As a result, the Gunners are likely to be left Ellie Arroway'd - confused and incredulous - come Sunday night.

If you walk the convoluted metaphor back from its ridiculous precipice you see midfield strength was the key to City's plan. Roberto Mancini has the luxury of being able to match-up with Chelsea's midfield thanks to Nigel de Jong, Gareth Barry and Yaya Touré. It's a rugged and defensively adept trio that can handle the push Chelsea's midfield uses to overrun most opponents. Unfortunately for Arsenal, there are few de Jong and Touré analogs in their side.

Alexander Song and Abou Diaby are the closest approximations, though neither will be confused with Nigel de Jong, whose strength in tackling last week was key to City's defense. Conversely, Song is coming off his worst match of the season, a relatively lazy and absent-minded performance against West Brom, traits embodied in Gonzalo Jara's goal. He'll need to revert to form and get help from Diaby, who is Arsenal's Michael Essien analog. Should Song and Diaby play, Diaby may be more valued as a destroyer than the box-to-box presence he often becomes.

Given Arsenal's personnel at the back, two deep-sitting midfielders may be obligatory, with left-center back Laurent Koscielny and left back Gael Clichy providing targets for Didier Drogba. With Thomas Vermaelen still out, Arsene Wenger will have to start Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci in central defense, creating a left side of the backline apt to be exploited by the often right-drifting Drogba. Drogba i stoo strong for each, and even if the Gunner defenders respect that and give him room, the Chelsea striker is still dangerous. With the Ivorian drifting right and Anelka coming in to play his false nine, Chelsea gets their most creative player and best goal scorer matched against the Arsenal defense's weakest point. The extra DM could help, because even if don't cut-off the Drogba's supply line, it will allow one defensive midfielder to support Clichy (or drop into the line).

Perhaps this is the point where Arsenal's goalkeeping situation should be considered, though when you're debating the virtues of Manuel Almunia and Lukas Fabianski you'd be better served by throwing-up your hands and talking about why Arsene Wenger's let his goalkeeping position come to this. Neither Almunia nor Fabianski are options commensurate with a title contender, and although Almunia's recent failures have led to calls for the Spaniard's benching, the alternatives are not demonstrably better. How short our memories are when we've forgotten the many more egregious failings of his Polish back-up. Fabianski is still the same `keeper that lost time to Vito Mannone last year, which begs the question: Where is the Italian in this debate?

Granted, this would be a much more high-risk approach - one that could see the Gunners completely overrun by Chelsea - but rather than inadequately trying to spackle-over weakness, why doesn't Arsene Wenger play to his strengths, start an extra skilled player in midfield, and try to take their own kind of control over the match. Without Cesc Fabregas, set to be out for this one, this approach may be foolhardy, but if Diaby gave way to Tomas Rosicky to start along side Jack Wilshire in midfield, the pair could be joined by Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin to create a quick, fast, highly technical group that could trouble Chelsea's defenders. Their numbers could mitigate any physical advantages Essien, John Obi Mikel and (perhaps) Ramires have in midfield, and while this would not help the weaknesses inherent in Arsenal's defense, it would give the visitors a way to hold more of the ball, dictate the style and tempo of the game and, if need be, possibly out-gun their hosts.

Consider a practical example, where Arsenal decides to try and move through the right side of Chelsea's defense. Marouane Chamakh stays centrally to occupy Alex and John Terry, and if Samir Nasri comes in from the right, it will force Chelsea to keep Mikel and/or Ramires in the middle. With Nasri pinching in, both Wilshire and Rosicky could move left to create a three-on-two advantage down their left, against Branislav Invanovic and Michael Essien. Clichy and Song would serve as negative outlets.

While both Ivanovic and Essien are quality players, the trio of Andrei Arshavin, Rosicky and Wilshire have the speed and skill to take advantage of Chelsea's right. Once past the Blues' duo, Chamakh and Nasri become danger men as Alex, Terry and Mikel adjust. Without Chelsea having a right-sided player apt to come back and augment this numerical disadvantage (as Florent Malouda could do on the other flank), Arsenal may be able to consistently explore this option.

Perhaps this match is not one of those and Arsene Wenger will come up with a brilliant approach ahead of Sunday's kick-off. Ostensibly, though, Arsenal's defense and midfield are going to have to play to a level we've yet to see from them this season. While a tweek in personnel and approach could help, Alex Song's still going to have to have a great match. The same for Laurent Koscielny and Gael Clichy, and somebody's going to have to pick-up for the absent Cesc Fabregas. In short, Arsenal's players are going to have to out-play their counterparts.