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Chelsea: Three things to mind against Arsenal

By Travis Tyler

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Tammy Abraham of Chelsea is challenged by Rob Holding of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Adrian Dennis - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Tammy Abraham of Chelsea is challenged by Rob Holding of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Adrian Dennis - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s English midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi (L) pulls away from Arsenal’s English midfielder Joe Willock during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 26, 2020. (Photo by Julian Finney / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by JULIAN FINNEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s English midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi (L) pulls away from Arsenal’s English midfielder Joe Willock during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 26, 2020. (Photo by Julian Finney / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by JULIAN FINNEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. How competitive and informative will the match be?

This is preseason where the games are made up and the points don’t matter. Many forget that these matches are an exercise in fitness and cohesion, not victories and performances. Obviously good preseason results can bolster you in the regular season but it is far more important to be ready to go on match day one, not match day t-minus 11.

That being said, the match against Bournemouth certainly didn’t play like a preseason game. It was fast, energetic, and (mostly) sharp. The only thing to distinguish it from a midseason match was the amount of substitutes.

Then comes Arsenal who, should they or Tottenham win this Mind Series, will surely commission a trophy to celebrate their success. It’s preseason, the result doesn’t matter, but it’s also Arsenal (and later Tottenham).

So, it will be interesting to see the pace of these matches. Will they play like a normal preseason match or will they look like an FA Cup final? This match is first in the series and will set the tone.

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What are you keeping in mind for this match? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

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