A crafty move at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea shifts advertising boards ahead of Arsenal clash to prevent long throw-ins
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
London's Chelsea has resorted to a rather unconventional and cunning tactic ahead of their crucial derby against Arsenal.
Details: At Stamford Bridge, it was noticed that the club had moved the electronic advertising boards situated around the pitch as close to the field of play as possible. This move is far from accidental—it's a calculated attempt to prevent Arsenal from executing long throw-ins.
The main goal of this "trick" is to reduce the space available for a run-up when taking a long throw-in. Players about to launch the ball from the sideline will now find only a minimal gap between the touchline and the advertising boards.
This isn't the first time such a tactic has been used in English football. Sunderland previously pulled the same move in a match against the Gunners. Back then, Sunderland became the only team not to lose to Arsenal in their last ten meetings, earning a 1-1 draw with a dramatic equalizer in the 90+4th minute.
It's worth noting that the Chelsea vs Arsenal match is scheduled for Sunday, November 30, with kickoff at 17:30 Central European Time.
Reminder: Arsenal and Chelsea have joined the race for Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.
