Tag Archives: Match Preview

Quick Preview: West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

  By jtom | 13/05/2012 - 8:05 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Robin van Persie said it best in his motivational article in today’s Sun: “So this is it. This is the day, this is the match that will define our season — the 90 minutes that will determine our future.”

Pat Rice says good-bye

Sunday’s match at the Hawthorns will be Pat Rice’s last game. Arsenal’s assistant manager will retire after serving Arsenal Football Club for 44 years in various roles. A legendary Gunner who began his professional career at Highbury in 1966, Rice was a fantastic right-back for many years. He was the skipper when Arsenal beat Manchester United in the 1979 FA Cup final. After Rice hung up his boots, he quickly returned to North London to coach Arsenal’s youth team before becoming the caretaker manager for a brief period in 1996. Upon Arsene Wenger’s arrival, Rice was made the assistant manger.

Arsene Wenger commented on Pat Rice’s contribution to Arsenal: “It’s difficult to measure. He’s just been tremendous. It’s a sad, sad, sad day. His life was linked with Arsenal and Arsenal have been privileged to have him as a player, a captain, a coach, and personally I’m very grateful for his contribution to my period here.” (Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Steve Bould will replace Rice as assistant manager.

Analyzing the possibilities 

Come Sunday evening, Arsenal will sit in either third, fourth, or fifth in the table. Each outcome has dramatically different results. If the Gunners are victorious over West Brom or Newcastle and Spurs squander their chances yet again, Arsene Wenger’s side will secure automatic qualification into next season’s Champions League. Finishing third is ideal is so many ways, ranging from keeping Robin van Persie to not having to worry about an extra couple of early season matches.

A loss or a draw on Sunday and the Gunners could face several difficult circumstances. A fourth finish would not even guarantee an appearance in next season’s Champions League, as Chelsea could win the European Cup and take England’s last spot in the competition. If we do land in fourth, we will have to become huge Bayern Munich supporters.

If the worst case scenario occurs, Arsenal will be defeated by the Baggies and end the campaign in the dreadful fifth place in the table. No Champions League could mean no more Robin van Persie and no big signings in the summer. It would be devastating.

Final day to determine fate

Thankfully, Arsenal’s final destination will be decided by their performance against West Bromwich Albion. Only in the case of a lose or a draw will Arsenal supporters need to check the results of other clubs. Of course, it sounds simple; all the Gunners need to do beat a team with nothing to play for. However, when Arsenal’s recent form is considered, the task begins to look a tad more difficult.

Arsene Wenger’s side are without a win in their last four contests, and Roy Hodgson’s team are without a loss in their last four matches. Gulp. Third would have already been sown up had Arsenal been able defeat Wigan Athletic, Stoke City, or Norwich City in recent weeks. The journey by the Gunners back to the upper portion of the table has been amazing, but perhaps the hardest part is finishing the job.

Robin van Persie knows a bit about finishing. The Dutchman has scored 30 goals in the league this season, just one shy of the Premier League record. Of course, van Persie has already collected his PFA Players’ Player of the Year award and his Fooball Writers’ Player of the Year award. Yet he would sacrifice all of his personal achievements for a victory on Sunday:

“All the goals I have scored this season, all the awards I have won — I would trade them all in an instant for us to win today.” (Source: The Sun)

Van Persie ended his rallying cry in The Sun by writing: “This is it — 90 minutes to seal our fate. We must deliver.”

Go on and do it!

Match: West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

Competition: Premier League

Location: The Hawthorns

Kickoff: 15:00 BST; 3:00 PM EDT

Television: None (UK); FSN (USA)

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Quick Preview: Arsenal v Norwich City

  By jtom | 05/05/2012 - 7:30 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Arsenal’s final home match of the season will take place on Saturday against Norwich City. The Gunners have slipped up in recent games, and the Canaries have fallen in each of their last three contests.

Team News

Fortunately, there is not much to report. Diaby will be replaced by Park in the squad, and that is expected to be the only change.

Recent Form

Both clubs have been disappointing as of late. Arsene Wenger’s side could have crushed the hopes of Spurs and Newcastle, but instead they have struggled. Arsenal’s last victory came against Wolves on the 11th of April. Since then, they have lost to Wigan and only managed a point against Chelsea and Stoke City. Meanwhile, Tottenham and Newcastle have been steadily gaining ground on the Gunners for that vital third spot in the table. Arsenal only hold a one point advantage over their rivals from North London and the North East.

Norwich City’s summer break has basically already started, and why not? The Canaries’ first season in the Premier League has been successful, and they sit safely in the middle of the table. Perhaps their poor form is because of this lack of motivation. Last week, Paul Lambert’s team were hammered by Liverpool as Luis Suarez scored a delightful hat-trick. Prior to that match, Norwich were soundly beaten by Blackburn and crushed by Manchester City.

900 for Wenger

Arsene Wenger will complete his 900th match in charge of Arsenal on Saturday afternoon at the Emirates Stadium. While the milestone is great, Wenger is as focused as ever: “Yes [I am surprised] because I don’t know where the other 899 have gone! You always have so much focus on the next one that you forget the games that are behind you.

“It is impressive, 900 games, but basically what is only important for me is to win the next one.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

A fantastic statistic has been circulating on Twitter: Even if Arsene Wenger were to lose his next 100 games as Arsenal manager, he would still have the best win percentage of any manager in Arsenal history.

He has come a long way from “Arsene Who?”

Match: Arsenal v Norwich City

Competition: Premier League

Location: Emirates Stadium

Kickoff: 12:45 BST; 7:45 AM EDT

Television: None (UK); ESPN2 (USA)

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Match Preview: Stoke City v Arsenal

  By jtom | 28/04/2012 - 7:15 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Get ready for long throw-ins, touch-line ball drying, and dirty tackles from Ryan Shawcross. Arsenal will visit the Britannia on Saturday to play the Potters in a crucial match. The Gunners have had trouble away at Stoke City, but, with Newcastle, Chelsea, and Spurs bearing down on Arsene Wenger’s side, they will need a victory.

If Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, they will automatically qualify for next season’s tournament as the defending champions. England are only able to put four clubs in the Champions League each season, so Chelsea could bump off the fourth-place finishers (unless Chelsea themselves finish fourth). This is why it is imperative that the Gunners hold on to the third position and secure their place in Europe’s most prestigious football competition.

Three matches remain for the Gunners, and Saturday’s clash with Stoke City appears to be the most difficult. In the past, Arsenal have struggled to deal with Tony Pulis’ style of football (or lack thereof). While Stoke’s tactics bore most football supporters to tears, the long ball method has served the Potters well. Needless to say, Peter Crouch has fit right in at the Britannia.

The dullest game I’ve ever had the displeasure of witnessing was the scoreless draw between Aston Villa and Stoke on Boxing Day earlier this season. There was not much to do that day, so I watched (on Television thank goodness) the match. The scars still remain.

Three weeks ago, Stoke City and Aston Villa played out to a 1-1 draw three weeks ago. Surely, that match had to be more lively. Since then, the Potters have only had one match, which they lost 3-0 to Newcastle. Currently 14th, Tony Pulis’ side are stuck in limbo, unable to move up anywhere significant the table and in no threat of relegation. Arsenal, on the other hand, have much to play for.

Vermaelen’s ready to put up a fight against the physical side from Stoke-on-Trent: “It is always a hard game when we go there, you know it is going to be a battle. If there is a battle, sometimes you have to fight back. But the main thing is to play our own game, with quick passing. That is the way to score.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

Arsene Wenger will need to shift his starting eleven once against after losing Theo Walcott for the season last week against Chelsea. Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, and obviously Jack Wilshere are not available to play. Wenger stated at his press conference that a late fitness test will determine Abou Diaby’s fate for Saturday’s encounter. Yossi Benayoun and Tomas Rosicky are expected to come back into the team after both missed the Chelsea game.

Robin van Persie, who is certain to start on Saturday, has collected two individual trophies and  one goal in the past month. His performance against Chelsea was not up to par, but he will have a chance to redeem himself at the Britannia. The Dutchman definitely has the ability to quickly put a scowl on the face of Tony Pulis.

Perhaps Arsenal’s toughest task will be thwarting the Potters when they have a free kick, corner or long throw-in. Our back four in previous meetings has usually melted under the intense aerial pressure. When asked if his team is better equipped to deal with Stoke now, Arsene Wenger responded:

“That’s what we want to show. I believe that Stoke is always a difficult opponent for us and everybody. Every big team who goes to Stoke knows they get a game.

“From our side we are in a position where we want to win our remaining games. That is the only chance to master our future. We have our future in our own hands but only if we win the three games.

“That starts with Stoke so we are completely focused on cancelling their strong points but as well we want to score goals because that is what you need to win the games.”

Match: Stoke City v Arsenal

Competition: Premier League

Location: Britannia Stadium

Kickoff: 15:00 BST, 10:00 AM EDT

Television: None (UK), ESPN 2 (USA)

 

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Arsenal v Chelsea: London battle will shape top four race

  By jtom | 21/04/2012 - 7:30 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Chelsea, fresh off their victory over Barcelona, will be without Didier Drogba for their clash with Arsenal on Saturday.  The Gunners are entering this important match with a depleted midfield and after a immensely disappointing home defeat to Wigan.

Didier Drogba’s absence will surely dent Chelsea’s chances at the Emirates Stadium. The Ivorian striker has consistently hurt Arsene Wenger’s side over the years. Also, we will not have to watch Drogba flop on the pitch like a flounder all afternoon. Apparently, he actually injured his knee on Wednesday night against Barcelona. Was the wolf real this time, Didier?

Arsene Wenger cannot pay too much attention to Chelsea’s injury woes, as he has enough of his own. Mikel Arteta is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. Wenger revealed at his pre-match press conference that the Spanish midfielder will not require surgery. Yossi Benayoun, who is on loan from Chelsea, is ineligibile to play. The loss of Arteta and Benayoun has created a shortage in the Gunners’ midfield. Fortunately, Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin have recovered from their respective ailments, and both are back in the squad.

How will the midfield hole be filled? Aaron Ramsey is the likely candidate. I’ve been very critical of Ramsey lately. His poor form has pushed him down the squad ladder, behind Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun. But, as many have stated before, the Welshman just looks exhausted. He was asked to take on a massive role at the start of the season, and he has worn down like an often-used pencil. If Ramsey performs like he did in the reverse fixture, then perhaps he is set for a late season rebirth.

Ah, I never get tired of speaking about the 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge. With everything that took place before that match, Arsenal were expected to be flattened. Instead, Robin van Persie scored a hat-trick and John Terry fell. Theo Walcott completed an amazing run through the Chelsea defence and put the ball past Cech. Most stunning was Andre Santos’ bursting run and finish, which evened the score at 2-2. Oh, and did I mention Terry’s tumble?

Times have changed dramatically since 5-3. Chelsea are chasing the Gunners. The Blues also sacked Andre Villas-Boas and appointed Roberto Di Matteo as the interim boss. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, virtually unknown in October, is currently a crowd favourite at Ashburton Grove. Tomas Rosicky was nowhere to be seen back when Arsenal demolished the Blues. At the moment, he is front and center as The Little Maestro, operating Arsene Wenger’s attack.

In fact, Chelsea have had a roller-coaster ride of experiences since the two clubs last met in October. Under Andre Villas-Boas, there was talk of player power and other nonsense. As a result, their form dipped and Villas-Boas was tossed to the rubbish heap. Di Matteo’s promotion to manager has inspired a revitalisation of sorts. The Blues have booked a place in the FA Cup final and, after beating Barcelona 1-0 in the first leg of a Champions League semi-final, are on the cusp of a European Cup final.

The real question is whether the Barcelona game will help or hinder Chelsea on Saturday. Of course, a huge victory over the best club in the world will surely provide a confidence boost. On the other hand, maybe Di Matteo’s side used all of their energy and effort on Wednesday night and will be drained come Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off. Either way, Arsene Wenger doesn’t care:

“You don’t want to count on that. We want to focus on our performance, let’s not expect any lack of focus from Chelsea. It would be a massive mistake. They are on a high so it is always natural to be up for the next game.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

After the loss to Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal responded the next week by beating Manchester City. The storyline could be very similar if the Gunners are victorious over Chelsea just a week after a shocking defeat to Wigan Athletic. However, the clash on Saturday is bigger than the Manchester City match was. Chelsea are fighting to break into the top four, and Arsene Wenger’s side need to stave them off while at the same time strengthening their lead for third over Spurs and Newcastle. Wenger understands the importance of the match:

“We are in a position where we do not have to calculate too much. We want to win our next game and that is the only way we can secure our qualification. We have done remarkably well in the last two months and we want to take advantage of the run we have created and show that against Chelsea.

“Like always after a big disappointment you focus on the next one. It is part of getting over defeats without losing your confidence.

“You have to make sure that your energy is transformed into frustration in the next game. And our target is to win our home games now. We know what is at stake in this game.” (Source: Arsenal.com

Match: Arsenal v Chelsea

Competition: Premier League

Location: Emirates Stadium

Kickoff: 12:45 BST, 7:45 AM EST

Television: Sky Sports 2 (UK), ESPN 2 (USA)

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Arsenal v Wigan: Martinez calls Gunners “untouchable”

  By jtom | 16/04/2012 - 7:30 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Wigan manager Roberto Martinez fears his team’s test at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night will be more difficult than their match against Manchester United last week. Considering the fact that the Gunners have won nine of their last ten games, Martinez may very well be correct.

After their impressive 1-0 victory over Manchester United last Wednesday night, Wigan will certainly be riding high on confidence. Of course, the task will be not be easy as the Latics have never emerged from Ashburton Grove with a single point. In fact, Roberto Martinez fears the trip to North London more than facing Sir Alex Ferguson’s side:

“Probably this (match against Arsenal) is an even tougher task. We are going away from home and playing against a side who have been as successful as ever at home. If you look at the last few performances they have been untouchable in the way they are playing their football, controlling games and scoring goals.” (Source: Daily Mail)

Indeed, Arsene Wenger’s men have been on quite a remarkable run. It all started when the Gunners defeated Tottenham by a score of 5-3. Since then, Arsenal have jumped up to third in the table and built a decent lead over Tottenham, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Liverpool. Champions League football for next season is not yet definite, especially when taking into account Chelsea’s opportunity to qualify automatically by winning this year’s European Cup, but the outlook is a lot brighter than it was a few months ago.

Arsenal’s hot form means that they are the heavy favourites on Monday night against relegation candidates Wigan Athletic, but the Gunners must realise that momentum can be crushed over the span of any given ninety minutes. It does not matter what Arsene Wenger’s squad have accomplished over the past month or so if they do not finish the season strongly. Tomas Rosicky is aware of the danger Wigan present:

“We have a great chance to stay in [third] position, but now we have to make sure of it. That starts against Wigan – and make no mistake, it’s a very big game for us. People might not usually regard a match against Wigan as such a big one but they are still battling relegation, so there is a lot at stake for both of us. We saw what can happen against a team fighting for its life when we played away at QPR and we expect the same kind of performance from Wigan on Monday. We have to give 100 per cent to get the result.

“We saw Wigan beat Manchester United last Wednesday, so that’s an indication that it will be a tough test for us. We’ll have to be on top of our game to win, no doubt about it. Wigan have some very good players and a good young manager, so this will be a very tough match for us.” (Source: The Guardian)

In the final two months of the season, Wigan usually find some way to escape relegation. The Latics tend to hover in the drop zone all season before making a final daring attempt to claw out. Currently, they are positioned in 17th- two points off the relegation area. Three points on Monday night at the Emirates could lift Roberto Martinez’s team further away from the dreaded bottom three.

For Arsenal, sustaining their fantastic form is absolutely vital. An important clash with Chelsea lies ahead at the weekend, and surely the Gunners will want to enter that match on the back of an impressive home win. With a relatively healthy squad, Arsene Wenger and his players can have no excuses if they fail to beat Wigan.

Match: Arsenal v Wigan Athletic

Competition: Premier League

Location: Emirates Stadium

Kickoff: 20:00 BST, 3:00 PM EST

Television: Sky Sports (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)

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Quick Preview: Wolves v Arsenal

  By jtom | 11/04/2012 - 7:30 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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After their victory over Manchester City, the Gunners will travel to Molineux Stadium to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The question is whether Arsenal will be able to replicate their fantastic Manchester City performance against a much less prestigious opponent.

Injury News

Arsene Wenger will be forced to drastically change his back four at Molineux. The Arsenal manager explained at his press conference that left-back Kieran Gibbs will be unavailable against Wolves due to a “fatigue of his groin.” In addition, Laurent Koscielny was handed a two-match ban after he received his tenth yellow card of the season against Manchester City.

During an interview with Arsenal Player, Arsene Wenger said that Johan Djourou and Andre Santos will come into the starting eleven to replace Koscielny and Gibbs. Wenger did not mention anything about Bacary Sagna, but according to The Guardian, the French right-back may be out for Wednesday night’s clash because of bruises given to him by Mario Balotelli.

Recent Form

Under Terry Connor, Wolves have slipped to the very bottom of the table. At the moment, they are six points away from safety and have lost six consecutive matches. Needless to say, it’s desperation time at Molineux.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have experienced their best form of the season in recent weeks. Queens Park Rangers halted the Gunners’ seven game winning streak, though Arsene Wenger’s men responded to that disappointing result by ending Manchester City’s title hopes. Currently, we are two points above Spurs and Newcastle and four points ahead of Chelsea. It is important to note that all three of the aforementioned clubs have played one more match than Arsenal.

Avoid QPR Repeat

Arsene Wenger’s side rose to the occasion on Sunday to beat Manchester City in a highly-anticipated showdown at the Emirates Stadium. In stark contrast, Wednesday night’s match will not be on television and Arsenal’s opponent is the worst team in the Premier League. Complacency seemed to play a key role when the Gunners lost a Loftus Road two weeks ago in a similar situation.

In a way, the clash with Wolves may provide more information about the character of this Arsenal side than the game against Manchester City. It’s easy to be motivated for a dry Sunday afternoon affair against one of the Premier League’s top clubs. Forcasts indicate that Wednesday night will be cloudy and wet in Wolverhampton.

Arsene Wenger is not willing to forecast the fate of his team: “For some people these predictions are their job. Believe me, they don’t know much better than you or me and the result of every game is just a consequence of your performance on the day.

“Nobody can really predict that because your performance on the day depends on you, but also depends on the other team as well. To predict both is nearly impossible. You can have an idea but football has surprised us so many times, especially recently in the last two or three months.

“We have all been surprised by many results and predictions. What would be interesting is to make a championship of the predictors and see who comes out on top at the end.

“Let’s not anticipate, that is something else that is important. When it gets to the last sprint, the focus on the next game becomes the most important part because you are always tempted to anticipate. We have the experience to know just to deal with the next one and that is the only important thing.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

Match: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal

Competition: Premier League

Location: Molineux Stadium

Kickoff: 19:45 BST, 2:45 PM EST

Television: UK (none), USA (none)

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Arsenal v Manchester City: Gunners can end title hopes

  By jtom | 08/04/2012 - 8:22 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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It would be ironic if Arsenal end Manchester City’s title hopes on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium. Manchester City are riddled with ex-Gunners, ranging from Samir Nasri to Patrick Vieira to David Platt, which will make it all the more sweeter if Arsene Wenger’s squad bury City’s championship aspirations in North London.

A total of nine former Gunners are now employed by Manchester City (Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Samir Na$ri, Patrick Vieira, Brian Marwood, Brian Kidd, David Platt, and Stuart Taylor). Arsene Wenger desperately hopes that Robin van Persie does not join that group: ”They have enough [Arsenal] players there now.”

Wenger went on to say: ”Van Persie and Manchester City? The question cannot be asked because you cannot at all contact anybody who’s under contract. Van Persie is not at the end of his contract, like what people might think.” (Source: The Guardian).  He said it as if Roberto Mancini and the Abu Dhabi group care about simple rules, respect, and human decency.

Roberto Mancini will not have the opportunity to pursue van Persie or any transfer target in the summer if he is sacked at the end of the season. He fears that the Abu Dhabi group will fire him if City do not win the Premier League this season. Manchester United are five points ahead of the Citizens and play against QPR in Sunday’s early match. Mancini may need his team to win at the Emirates Stadium to save his job.

However, a victory is vital for both clubs as Arsenal would love to jump over Tottenham in the table after Spurs dropped points against Sunderland on Saturday. Arsene Wenger classified Sunday’s huge encounter as a want-win: “I say on our side it is a ‘want-win’ game more than a must-win game. We love victory and we want to win. On the table side of course you want these three points.

“Man City are in a situation where they will have to win. They are in a position as well where one point is not good enough and that is why it will be a very exciting game. It is a game where everybody will give absolutely everything.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

To add to the excitement, it appears that both squads are relatively healthy. Of course, Arsenal still carry several long-term injured players such as Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby, but no new ailments have bothered the Gunners since their loss to Queens Park Rangers. On the other side, Sergio Aquero will be back fit for City after missing time with an allergic reaction to a spray he used to treat an ankle problem.

As ridiculously stupid as Aguero’s incident sounds, there are even more dramatic events surrounding Manchester City at the moment. An apparent feud between Mancini and Mario Balotelli has led to the manager telling the press that he would punch the Italian striker:

“I can understand it. I told him, ‘If you played with me, ten years ago, I give to you every day one punch in your head!” (Source: ESPN)

Lost in all the nonsense and rumours is that Manchester City are choking and handing the Premiership title to their hated crosstown rivals in the process. In their last four league matches, Mancini’s men have only gained five points, which is certainly not the type of form league-winners have in the final stretch of a campaign. Arsene Wenger believes Manchester United’s “money-time” success is the key factor that differentiates Sir Alex Ferguson’s side from City:

“I believe that if United win the title this year it is really down to experience. What I mean by that is that even the other night at Blackburn, when Ryan Giggs came on in the last 15 minutes, you thought, ‘They can only win it now’, because they know how to deal with the money-time. That means the last 15 minutes in football when it is 0-0. You can’t make a mistake. They have that security at the back. They have won so many titles because they are not nervous.” (Source: The Independent). It seems like Manchester City’s money-time is not on the pitch but in the transfer window.

For the Gunners, it will be about overcoming the defeat at Loftus Road last week. Before that surprising loss, Arsenal had won seven consecutive Premier League matches. Arsene Wenger’s side need to prove that the disappointing result against QPR was an anomaly, and not the start of a trend. In my opinion, the defeat was due to complacency. Perhaps the players thought that Rangers would not pose much of a threat. Given the opposition for Sunday’s match and the implications the result will have, complacency should not be an issue against Manchester City.

The race for third is important and so is the possibility of destroying Manchester City’s title hopes. So many have abandoned our club to play for the mega-wealthy team destined to rise above us. Remember all of the talk about power shifts earlier in the season- a shift from Arsenal to Manchester City (as future title-contenders) and Tottenham (as the best team in North London). Despite it all, Arsene Wenger’s side refused to die. On Sunday, Arsenal have a chance to pull ahead of Spurs and spoil the dreams of Manchester City’s mercenaries.

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Quick Preview: QPR v Arsenal

  By jtom | 31/03/2012 - 8:31 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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The Gunners will travel to Loftus Road on Saturday to face Queens Park Rangers. Mark Hughes’ side are firmly in the battle to avoid relegation, while Arsene Wenger is entertaining suggestions that Arsenal could break apart the Manchester duopoly at the top of the table.

Team News

Arsene Wenger said that Laurent Koscielny, who missed the match against Aston Villa, has a “90 per cent” chance of being available to play at Loftus Road. The French centre-back was selected to start against Villa, but he had to be withdrawn after suffering an injury in the pre-match warm-ups.

Rangers will be without striker Djibril Cisse, who will be serving the first of his four-match suspension for a red card. Former Gunner Armand Traore will be out due to injury, as will strikers DJ Campbell and Heidar Helguson.

UEFA Hand Wenger Another Ban

The feud between Arsene Wenger and UEFA continued on Friday. UEFA handed Wenger a 3-match touchline ban and a €40,000 fine for his conduct towards referee Damir Skomina after Arsenal’s 3-0 loss at the San Siro. Before the official announcement was made regarding his penalities, Wenger said about a possible punishment:

“If I am [suspended] then it is not justified and I will appeal straight away. I believe that they have transformed UEFA competition referees to be untouchable icons, where you cannot even have a word.

“The only thing they understand after the game is the report. I believe that when you have 25 years consecutively in Europe you can still ask the referee that you can have some discussion with him. It is very difficult to understand.” (Source: ESPN)

The sour relationship Wenger shares with UEFA seems far from any kind of resolution.

Recent Form

These two team could not be on more different trajectories at the moment. Arsenal have been victorious in seven consecutive Premier League matches, while QPR have only managed to win six league games all season. Mark Hughes’ men are currently sitting in the drop zone, though QPR could lift themselves out if they gain the three points on Saturday.

Can the Gunners catch Manchester City? That’s the question Arsene Wenger was asked at his pre-match press conference:  ”We will try to give our best. What we can hope for is to be third. We can be fourth, we can be fifth, we can be sixth – we want to be as high as possible and that depends on our consistency now.

“We are in a position that nobody expected us to be in and we want to strengthen that position from now on. That depends on our performances. I see us fighting like mad on Saturday to win the game. That’s all I see, I don’t see further.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

It’s far too early to think about overtaking City. At the present time, we are twelve points behind Roberto Mancini’s side. In fact, I was shocked that the reporter even suggested it.

However, after following this Arsenal side this season, anything’s possible.
Match: Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal

Location: Loftus Road

Competition: Premier League

Kickoff: 15:00 BST, 10:00 AM EST

Television: None (UK), Fox Soccer Plus (USA)

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Quick Preview: Arsenal v Aston Villa

  By jtom | 24/03/2012 - 7:30 AM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Arsenal will be on the hunt for their seventh consecutive Premier League victory when they meet Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.  The Gunners have already beaten Alex McLeish’s side twice this season, and a third would only make the sour Scottish manager even more annoyed. And wouldn’t we all love to see that?

 Injury News

No new injuries have developed for Arsenal since the Everton match. Arsene Wenger did provide a positive update on Jack Wilshere:  ”Today we can say if all goes well now in three weeks he will be back with the squad. Then another two weeks to get fit. I don’t have to hold him back yet because at the moment he suffers a lot for fitness. But after three weeks we’ll have to.

“I think he will play this season if he has no setbacks now. His last scan was positive, so he should be capable to play.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

Wenger went on to say that Wilshere has a realistic possibility of playing for England in Euro 2012, but only if he does gets on the pitch in an Arsenal shirt before the end of the season.

On the other side, Aston Villa will be without the services of several key players. Darren Bent, Richard Dunne, Fabian Delph, and Ciaran Clark are all out with injuries. Charles N’Zogbia may also miss out on the match against the Gunners.

Recent Form

Arsenal are in scintillating form, with six Premier League wins on the trot entering Saturday’s clash at the Grove. Meanwhile, Villa have been slipping closer and closer towards the relegation zone. They have only taken six points out of their last six Premier League games since the start of February. That might not seem so bad until you consider that Alex McLeish’s side were not able to beat Wigan, Blackburn, or QPR in that period.

Still, Villa are ten points off the drop. However, if they continue to struggle to get results, Villa may realise that ten points can be gained or lost in a hurry, just ask Spurs.

The Match Before the Match

Before kickoff at the Emirates, Tottenham and Chelsea will clash at Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s early game. While the eyes of many Arsenal supporters will be focused on that match, Arsene Wenger is only worried about his team’s performance:

“What I want us to continue is our run and not be in a position where you have to look at the other results. That is why I believe that the main focus is on us, not to be obsessed by other results and to just keep going.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

Wenger, in some respect, is very right. At this point in the season, we can finish no higher in the table than third, which is our current position. In an essence, we control our own destiny. Before, when we were chasing fourth and then third, other results helped determined whether we would gain or lose a spot in the table. Now, Chelsea and Tottenham are chasing us.

Battle of Style: Arsene Wenger v Alex McLeish

If all goes as expected, we will witness a clash of football philosophies at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Arsene Wenger will set out his team in the same way he always does: attacking and possession-oriented. On the other hand, Alex McLeish will almost certainly set his Villa side out in an attempt to get a 0-0 result. It’s a battle of entertaining against dull; excitement against boredom; and beautiful against ugly.

Perhaps McLeish was surprised at how well his side performed against Arsenal in North London during the first half of that FA Cup match in late January. They attacked brilliantly and were up 2-0 at the break. Of course, the Gunners roared back with three goals in the second period to cap off a typical come-from-behind victory. Certainly, McLeish will never allow his team to be so ambitious at the Grove again!

Match: Arsenal v Aston Villa

Location: Emirates Stadium

Competition: Premier League

Kickoff: 15:00 GMT, 11:00 AM EST

Television: None (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)

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Quick Preview: Everton v Arsenal

  By jtom | 21/03/2012 - 5:03 PM | Match Preview, Premier League
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Arsenal travel to Goodison Park on Wednesday night with the intention of retaining the momentum that they have gained over the last several matches.

Injury News

Arsene Wenger provided a rather positive injury update during his pre-match interview. Abou Diaby is back to full fitness after playing and scoring for the Reserves against Liverpool on Tuesday. Andre Santos has recovered from his injury and is available to play. Sebastien Squillaci is “back to full training,” but let’s just hope he is not involved in the clash with Everton.

According to The Independent, Jack Wilshere is set to make his return in two or three weeks and contribute to our remaining Premier League matches. Obviously, the 20-year old English midfielder would like to earn a place in Stuart Pierce’s (or Harry Redknapp’s) squad for Euro 2012.

Everton will likely be without Jack Rodwell, Darren Gibson, and Seamus Coleman. David Moyes will have to work with a depleted midfield against the Gunners.

Recent Form

Since the 5-2 victory over Spurs, Arsenal have been in splendid form. Last week’s triumph over Newcastle set a Premier League record for most consecutive come-from-behind wins with four. If the Gunners grab the three points at Goodison, it is possible that they could move ahead of Spurs and into third. Tottenham face Stoke City on Wednesday night.

The Toffees have played two matches since we defeated Newcastle last Monday. The first of which was the Merseyside derby. Liverpool, lead by Steven Gerrard’s hat-trick, crushed Everton 3-0 last Wednesday. David Moyes made the controversial decision to rest several key players, and Everton paid dearly for it. When Moyes lined up three substitutions early in the second half, it became clear that he was acknowledging the error he had made by not starting those players in the first place.

With Moyes’ seemingly conceding the Merseyside derby, all of the focus was now on Everton’s vital FA Cup quarterfinal against Sunderland. The result was 1-1, which certainly did not justify Moyes’ questionable decision to rest players against Liverpool. In truth, the Toffees dominated the Black Cats, but Martin O’Neill’s side were able to hold on and force a replay.

Everton’s Main Attacking Threats

1. Royston Drenthe: He can terrorise defenders with his pace, skill, and passing ability. Moyes does not always start Drenthe, but the man on loan from Real Madrid is always the first option off the bench. Drenthe has the ability to control periods of the game, especially when used as an impact substitution.

2. Nikica Jelavi or Denis Stracqualursi: Everton will likely begin the match with one of these two forwards as their lone striker. Both players are good at winning the ball in the air, which could cause our aerially-challenged defenders problems. In addition, both of them have proven that they can put the ball in the net.

3. Leighton Baines: Everton’s left-back usually creates havoc for the opposition. His overlapping runs and combination play with the wide midfielder are the source of many Evertonian attacks. Baines may be the player who covers the most ground on Wednesday night because he races up and down the pitch for the entire ninety minutes. Also, Baines can really apply a vicious curl to his free kicks.

Maintain the Momentum

Arsene Wenger pointed to momentum as the reason why this season’s run-in will be different than the final portion of last season: “This season it’s completely different, we were completely out of the top four, we have come into it on a good run and now of course it is taking advantage of that momentum.

“We are on a positive momentum and last year we were on a negative momentum. That changes it completely. On top of that we have experience. There again, it is how much are you ready to give? How much commitment can you give in every game? How focused can we be?” (Source: Arsenal.com)

Perhaps Wenger’s questions will be answered at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.

Match: Everton v Arsenal

Competition: Premier League

Location: Goodison Park

Kickoff: 20:00 GMT, 4:00 PM EST

Television: None (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)

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