Source: Daily_Mail
LEO'S LONDON: Battle of Stamford Bridge could prove Arsenal's last stand
Arsene Wenger is a man of science, a manager who knows how to measure just about everything that is quantifiable in the game. [LNB]So he will know that when the statistics are collated, Roman Abramovich is close to claiming victory. That Wenger's conservative transfer approach is on the verge of being vanquished by the Chelsea spendthrifts. [LNB]When Arsenal go to Stamford Bridge on Sunday they need to win not just to stay in this season's title race. They require it too for those who believe in Wenger's laudable, conservative management approach to keep the faith. [LNB] Breach of the wall: Arsenal have suffered at the hands of Chelsea in recent times, with Didier Drogba (scoring at the Emirates, above left) particularly rampant[LNB] More from Leo Spall... LEO'S LONDON: Tottenham misfit Pavlyuchenko points the way to what is wrong with football27/01/10 LEO'S LONDON: Four years on, Theo Walcott must now prove he's World Cup class20/01/10 LEO'S LONDON: Simon Jordan may have ruffled a few feathers, but the game will be duller without him13/01/10 LEO'S LONDON: Florent Malouda will get nowhere with his Frank talking - Lampard is Mr Chelsea06/01/10 LEO'S LONDON: Super Cesc proved he is Arsenal through and through30/12/09 LEO'S LONDON: Harry's handling of Christmas bash has been spot on22/12/09 LEO'S LONDON: It's time the FA came down hard on the likes of Benoit Assou-Ekotto 16/12/09 LEO'S LONDON: Forget Beckham, Milner and Wright-Phillips... Aaron Lennon is the right choice for England09/12/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEFor the first eight seasons of the Frenchman's reign at Arsenal (he joined in October 1996), his team never lost to Chelsea in the Premier League. Not once. Their head-to-head record read: Played 15, won 10, drawn 5, lost 0. [LNB]Since 2004/05, a year after Abramovich parked his tanks on the Arsenal lawn and started firing £50 notes, they have hardy won. Their record against Chelsea since then reads: P11 W2 D4 L5. [LNB]There has been a similar trend in head-to-head games against Manchester United too, although not as stark. [LNB]That Arsenal have been on the slide recently we know from the empty trophy cabinet. But the fact that they have simply been squeezed out at the very top by London' s new kings has been obscured by wishful thinking. [LNB]Some have argued that Wenger has been building a young team that needs time to mature, that his team's prospects have been blighted by injuries or that Chelsea's early success was unsustainable. [LNB] Plenty of people have found ways to hang on to their belief that nurturing a young team who play attractive football can be enough to win the Premier League. [LNB] It would be victory for the purists if that was the case but, as Chelsea rein in their spending and look to add youngsters to their experience, the statistics say Wenger's approach needs tweaking.[LNB] Does anyone else think Harry Redknapp was overdoing it just a tad when he claimed Robbie Keane's loan move to Celtic was a 'dream come true'? [LNB]The Spurs manager obviously wants to put a favourable spin on the departure of a one-time fans' favourite. [LNB]But the striker also described his switch from Tottenham to Liverpool in the summer of 2008 as a 'lifelong dream' and while he may well have supported more than one team as a kid, his latest transfer is more like the end of a nightmare. [LNB] A bit over-Keane? Celtic's new signing Robbie in action on Tuesday night[LNB]Keane's place on the fringes at Spurs was not what he thought he would be getting when he returned from Anfield, so the playing time and adulation at Celtic will be a refreshing change. [LNB]The striker has had nomadic career - Celtic are his eighth club - and to settle somewhere and become an established first choice must be at the top of his agenda.[LNB]If he could go back and change what he dreamed of as a boy, another period like his first stint at Spurs would probably be just the thing. [LNB] Price is right: Premier League flop Mido has returned to West Ham despite a modest goal-scoring record[LNB]If the cost of Mido to West Ham is only £1,000-a-week in total, I make it about right. [LNB]Not only has the striker flopped after bright starts at Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Wigan, but he was also struggling in Egypt before moving to Upton Park. [LNB]Apparently he scored only once for El Zamalek this season and there have been stories about problems with his weight again. [LNB]Nobody can blame West Ham's new controllers David Sullivan and David Gold for going for him. Mido was clearly not their first choice at a very difficult time to make good signings and he has only joined on loan, with Ilan and Benni McCarthy also coming in.[LNB]Mido appears to be cheap so there shouldn't be too much to lose and there must be a reason why he always seems to get another move. [LNB]A bright start from him might be all West Ham need to kick start their survival bid and a desperate situation requires desperate measures after all. [LNB] Talking of the two Davids, Sullivan and Gold, the former Birmingham owners have made it clear where they would have gone if their bid for West Ham had failed. [LNB]As the most obviously serious football club buyers in the market recently, they were courted by many before moving in at Upton Park. [LNB]Watford, Norwich, Crystal Palace and Charlton were all represented in talks with Gold with a view of attracting the pair as investors. [LNB]But Charlton were the only other club they were serious about, leaving them proud of their product at The Valley - but still looking for a buyer. [LNB]
