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I'm not saying today's game is a foregone conclusion, but considering the last few weeks Arsenal have endured in the Premiership, there are other teams I'd have preferred to play today than Chelsea at their converted dog track. Arsene Wenger has a right to feel a little persecuted by the footballing Gods.

Historically Chelsea have lost more points and conceded more goals against Arsenal than any other team - we live in the now though don't we people and when one weighs up the form of this season, even a life long Gooner such as myself, who finds Chelsea only just a fraction less abhorrent than Tottenham, can't help but feel the 4/1 being offered around sounds about right.

The argument that Arsenal aren't 4/1 against anyone is fair enough, but a little flattering in the current climate. Arsenal it's true have beaten AC Milan in the San Siro and Real Madrid in the Bernabéu in recent seasons and ought to see off the mighty Burnley next Tuesday in the Carling Cup. We appear, however, to have forgotten how to win and apparently none of our players like each other.

But though but, Arsenal are at their best when they're playing the other three members of the 'top four' and I don't mean Aston Villa who are just keeping our spot warm for us at the moment. Chelsea also have a lot of injuries - Drogba and Cole the most notable and they struggled against Newcastle and were poor in the Champions League this week. Nichola Anelka has a rat's face too and that can't help. Finally, it's pissing down today and that always makes for an unpredictable afternoon.

I fancy Chelsea may be a lay at 8/11. Even if I was allowed to back Arsenal I'm not sure I'd take the 4/1 though if I had my sensible objectionable head on rather than my died in the wool Gooner head on.

I also fancy Robin Van Persie to score today, he's due a goal. I might be making this up, but I'm quite sure we've taken the lead against Chelsea pretty often in this fixture in recent years only to squander it when we get tired later on in the game - bless us we're only little. So Van Persie to score first at 8/1 might be worth a shilling or two. Oh and a red card...there used to be a red card every twenty minutes in this fixture, but there hasn't been for a while - bound to be Gallas though unfortunately for punching one of his own players.