Aug 15
Match Preview: Arsenal v West Brom (Premier League)
Arsenal entertain West Bromwich Albion in the 2008-2009 Premiership curtain raiser at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be looking to put the disappointment of last season behind him. In a season that promised so much the Gunners ended the campaign without a trophy. Something the Frenchman is keen to put right this season.
Baggies boss Tony Mowbray might have wished for an easier opening fixture after winning the Championship last season, with Mowbray reportedly a fan of Wenger and the Arsenal style of play. However, Mowbray is not sending his team to London for a day trip and his West Brom side were by far the best footballing team in the Championship last season and could surprise a few people this season.
Arsenal have seen a few key players leave the Emirates in the summer, with Mathieu Flamini, Gilberto Silva, Alexander Hleb and Jens Lehmann all moving on. Wenger once again has kept to his policy of bringing young talent to the North London club following the arrival of Samir Nasri, Amaury Bischoff, Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin. The Gunners boss has also handed professional deals to six of the youth team.
Out of all the promoted clubs the Baggies have been most active in the transfer market, with Luke Moore, Kim Do-Heon, Gianni Zuiverloon, Graham Dorrans, Roman Bednar, Marek Cech, Scott Carson and Abdoulaye Meite all committing to the Hawthorns. Zoltan Gera, Curtis Davies and Kevin Phillips are the most notable players to leave the Midlands club this summer.
Arsenal Team News
Samri Nasri looks set to make his full Arsenal debut having missed the midweek Champions League qualifier against FC Twente because of a niggling thigh and knee complaint.
Defender Kolo Toure (hip) will also be back in the squad, but Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh), Philippe Senderos (hamstring), Amaury Bischoff (groin), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and striker Eduardo (leg) remain in recovery, while Alex Song is at the Olympics.
An interesting match fact for you, Arsenal last lost on the opening day in 2000 when they were beaten 1-0 away at Sunderland.
Predicted Starting XI
Almunia
Sagna - Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Eboue – Denilson – Nasri - Walcott
Adebayor – van Persie
West Brom Team News
West Brom are without striker Luke Moore, midfielder Robert Koren, central defender Neil Clement and right-back Gianni Zuiverloon.
Moore has a thigh problem, Koren is still not fit following a knee ligament injury, Clement also has a knee problem while Zuiverloon is on duty with Holland at the Olympics.
Central defender Abdoulaye Meite, who joined Albion from Bolton Wanderers in a £3.5million deal last weekend, is set to make his debut in place of Clement.
Predicted Starting XI
Carson
Hoefkens – Barnett – Meite – Cech
Morrison – Greening – Kim - Brunt
Bednar – Miller
Match Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom
Leave your views and predictions of tomorrow’s game in the comments section below.
Tags: arsenal, carson, cesc, nasri, toure, west brom
I predict we will win 2-1. another game like against Fulham last year.
FIRST!
Prediction
5-1
Adebayor 2 Van Persie 1 Theo walcott 1 Nasri 1
Here's how I think Arsenal will line up:
Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Walcott – Denilson – Djourou – Nasri
Adebayor – van Persie
Also from my understanding West Brom has play 4-5-1 for most of pre-season and I would expect them to keep that formation especially against Arsenal
Im going for 2-1 and a tight game with the winner coming late. We have to watch out for Greening, Kim and Millers long range shooting as they all have great shots. Morrison will provide a tough test for Clichy and has already scored at the Emirates for Middlesbrough 2 years ago. Cech is an attacking ledt back who has a very good cross, the same with Hoefkens who loves to get forward. Bednar will prove a physical test for Gallas and Toure and Miller will keep them on their toes with his pace. Meite will be a treat from set pieces along with Leon Barnett. Carson will want to grab his chance in the prem so he'll be wanting to put in a good performance. This Kim is some player though ive seen him play and he will try to run the game while Greening will sit a bit deeper and tidy up.
It will be a tough game my fellow Gooners trust me.
Gooner Talk is da best
arsenal will win the match by 3
Tough Game ????
More Like Walk In The Park
The Game Is Not Gonna End 2-1 With Adebayor And Van persie On The Pitch
Tough Game ????
More Like Walk In The Park
The Game Is Not Gonna End 2-1 With Adebayor And Van persie On The Pitch
Will be a good game, West Brom are no mugs and I'm sure Mowbray will organise his team well.
i think nasiri will do well with fab at the midfield .
prediction 3-0
Don't underestimate us boys, this result is not cut and dried by any means.
Our manager has an unhealthy obsession with Mr Wenger and he'll be a lot more clued up than you might think for this one.
With your quality up front I think you'll sneak it, but your fringe players may have their work cut out a little more than they're expecting against our midfield.
Greening, Kim and Cech (who'll be in midfield) should not be underestimated and Miller, up top, has been sharp all preseason.
2-1 Gunners.
Good luck this season
Im well looking forward to the game as i will be there in the upper tier wearing my Vela 12 Shirt
. Im expecting us to win hopefully comfortably maybe a 2-0 or 3-0 result. Looking foward to seeing Nasri and i hope that Vela gets a chance off the bench as he looks like he'll b a great impact player for us.
i want to see Carlos vela,does any one think Eboue could play that Steven Gerrard role.
if we believe that wba at home is a tough game then we are in for a shit season,should be a comfortable win with wba chasing shadows,cmon you gunners
no chance le boss loves eboue!
if we believe that wba at home is a tough game then we are in for a shit season,should be a comfortable win with wba chasing shadows,cmon you gunners
I dont think that either Toure or Nasri will start because AW said that they were going be in the squad not ready to start. there is a big difference
Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Walcott – Denilson – Nasri – vela
Adebayor – van Persie
Wba will score, we are not going to to completely destroy them. But we will win, im going for a 2-1 maybe 3-1. I think that RVP and Ade will be the difference