This is the BIG game and a potential title decider.
Arsenal Ladies are trailing Chelsea by two points and cannot really afford a defeat which would let Chelsea open up a five point gap.
Chelsea are in superb form with a 100% record and are currently unbeaten in all competitions.
Chelsea have used a very unusual system in recent times with no generic centre forward, that is what they did in the FA Cup quarter final game with two attacking midfielders and two central midfielders behind them with two wingers playing ahead of them on the pitch. This allowed them to see players coming and forwards to run from deep, making them harder to mark.
The downside is they sometimes cannot hold the ball easily up front as seen against Liverpool.
Arsenal were missing a few players through injury on Sunday against Sunderland., namely Chamberlain, Nobbs and Sampson.
Yankey also was not used, so the squad size is a bit short at the moment.
There was only one defender on the bench alongside rookie goalie Augustus with the rest of the spots filled with attacking midfielders and strikers. The team seems to be settled in the 4-3-3 system and has now found League form that has been missing for the last two seasons.
It will be a tough and tight game and a point would certainly be a good result while three would take the team to the top of the table.
Predicted line-ups
Chelsea ( 4-6-0) : Lindhal, Borges or Blundell, Fahey, Flaherty, Rafferty, Chapman, Bright, Spence, So-Yun, Davison, Aluko.
Arsenal (4-3-3) : Byrne, Scott, Stoney, Rose, Williamson, Bailey, Losada, Sanderson, Carter Sanchon, Ubogagu
Who would you have?
Ji So-Yun to take over from Kelly Smith in the number 10 position, a genuine and rare playmaker, she won the PFA player of the year award earlier this week.
Gemma Davison as a proper right winger is a must for a team playing in the 4-3-3 formation.
Opposition key players
Eniola Aluko. The winger has been in superb form last season creating many chances for her teammates with her pace. She was selected in the PFA team of the year.
Ji So-Yun is a fantastic playmaker, the kind of player that the system does not produce in England as they are often labelled lazy or not hard-working enough. PFA player of the year winner.
Hedvig Lindhal is Sweden’s number one goalkeeper. A newcomer to the FA WSL she’s a strong player.
Playing both sides
Siobhan Chamberlain spent a few seasons at Chelsea before moving to Bristol Academy for three seasons then signing for Arsenal in 2014
Casey Stoney played for and also managed Chelsea in the old Women’s Premier League when their manager was dismissed mid-season. She was also managing at the Chelsea Academy doing an excellent job there educating the young players with the right principles and values.
Lianne Sanderson played a couple of seasons for Chelsea after leaving Arsenal due to personal disagreements with people around the club. She then moved to play in the USA and multiple countries around the world before coming home in November.
Anne Meiwald, the German youngster, was very successful with Arsenal youth teams before leaving for Chelsea and more first team football opportunities
Gilly Flaherty played her first Arsenal Ladies senior game aged 15 and was a cornerstone of the team for many seasons before leaving in 2014 when Shelley Kerr made many changes to the squad.
Katie Chapman was also an integral part of the most successful Arsenal Ladies era coming from Charlton in 2006/07 and left at the same time as Flaherty when Kerr implemented many changes to the squad. She has been in form this season scoring two goals from set pieces
Niamh Fahey was also a member of the successful Arsenal Ladies era, and she made the move to Chelsea to be able to play football as a full time professional putting her job on stand-by for a few years.
Laura Coombs played under Emma Hayes at the Arsenal Academy and also had a dozen first team games for the first team before moving on to Chelsea in order to get more first team opportunities
Gemma Davison, a fan’s favourite at Borehamwood for many years, left to play a couple of seasons in the US Leagues before coming back to the Arsenal. Shelley Kerr’s rebuilding scheme saw her, like many others, leave during the winter 2013. She signed for Liverpool and won the FA WSL title last year and has just returned to London and play for the Blues. Already in fine form scoring and creating many goals so far this season. She has come back into contention for a World Cup place in Canada in June.
Last 5
12/04/15 Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2 FA Women’s Cup
04/09/14 Arsenal 2 Chelsea 3 FA WSL
16/07/14 Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1 FA WSL
06/07/14 Arsenal 3 Chelsea 0 FA WSL Continental Cup
11/05/14 Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5 aet FA Women’s Cup
Arsenal are on a negative streak with three defeats in a row against Blues.