Premiership / Chelsea v Arsenal: Claudio Ranieri has ordered his expensive Chelsea stars to start acting like a team if they want to destroy their Arsenal jinx.
Chelsea's FA Cup fifth-round defeat at Highbury last Sunday was the 10th time Ranieri's team had failed to overturn Arsenal and he is desperate to make it 11th time lucky when the two collide again this afternoon in the Premiership at Stamford Bridge.
Ranieri concedes another Arsenal triumph - putting them nine points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table - will be the end of his side's title ambitions, increasing the pressure on a manager who has already been told, in a thinly veiled manner, by new Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon that a season without silverware will not be tolerated.
And Ranieri has put the onus on his players to perform, recalling last week's cup-tie surrender after they were a goal ahead, as "not good at all".
"We didn't press and they (Arsenal) scored twice," he said. "We must have a little more discipline and play in a more compact way. There was a good determination in our team at Highbury but everybody wanted to do something on his own and unless you play as a team you pay against a team like Arsenal."
Chelsea, though, have suffered three major blows ahead of this latest clash. Ireland's Damien Duff has still not recovered from an Achilles tendon injury while Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo, making his way back after a calf injury, has been ruled out with a high temperature. Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is still suffering with the groin injury that forced him off in the second half at Highbury.
But Ranieri, who could have hardman Geremi back in action from African Nations Cup duty, insisted: "This is another match and another competition. I am sending a team out telling them to play like they did in the first half at Highbury."
It was 16 meetings ago on September 30th, 1995, that Chelsea last beat Arsenal in a Premiership fixture, courtesy of a single Mark Hughes goal, though Arsene Wenger yesterday said he will not be lulled by statistics.
"We know we can beat them and maybe there's a slight psychological advantage there, but each time it's a new challenge," he said. "We don't think that we will win again because we've beaten them for a few years. We just think that Chelsea will be at their best so we need to be at our best, and give everything to win it."
Wenger has a number of injury problems, with Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour, Sylvain Wiltord and Jeremie Aliadiere all ruled out, while Martin Keown is suspended. Thierry Henry and Sol Campbell should both be fit, while Fredrik Ljungberg and Gilberto may come through fitness tests. Chelsea v Arsenal
Saturday, 12.30. On TV: Sky Sports 2
