Apr 26
Arsenal take on newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester United on Sunday at the Emirates, and Arsene Wenger will know that his side will need to pick up all three points to stave of top four rivals Chelsea and Tottenham.
Apr 19
Fulham v Arsenal
English Premier League
Craven Cottage, West London, England
Saturday, 20th April 2013
15:00 GMT
Referee: Andre Marriner
Arsenal’s terrific run of form was halted slightly after Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Everton, but they are still a side full of confidence.
Fulham, meanwhile, were on the wrong end of 3-0 scoreline in the West London derby against Chelsea on Wednesday night. Their season is in danger of petering out.
Fulham sit in mid-table after an impressive campaign, but they haven’t won in three games and won’t want to finish the season on a low note.
They still look too reliant on Dimitar Berbatov for inspiration, and the 31-year-old Bulgarian has scored 13 goals in 25 games in the Premier League this season. Some thought his best days were behind him after a disappointing time at Manchester United, but he has proved his doubters wrong.
Fulham have lost six of their 17 home games this season, winning seven and drawing the other three.
Steve Sidwell looks set to return to the starting lineup after serving his
three-match suspension, while Damien Duff will miss the game because of an abductor strain.
Just one defeat in nine games represents an excellent run of form from Arsene Wenger’s side, with seven of those games resulting in victories. Chelsea’s win at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, coupled with their draw with Everton, has put the pressure back on Arsenal, who are also neck and neck with Tottenham in the battle for top four.
Victory for the visitors would be a huge three points, cranking up the pressure on Tottenham and Chelsea, who play on Sunday. Arsenal have lost just four away games in the league this season, with the last defeat on their travels the North London derby loss to Tottenham. They have won three of their last four away games.
Barring Lukasz Fabianksi, who has a cracked rib, Wenger has virtually a fully fit squad to choose from.
Jack Wilshere has struggled since coming back from injury, but looks set to start the game. Meanwhile, Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal will battle for a starting berth at left-back.
Out of 47 meetings between the two clubs, Arsenal have won 30 and Fulham just 7.
Arsenal have, however, won just one of the last five Premier League meetings between the two sides, back in December 2010. The reverse fixture at the Emirates earlier in the season resulted in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
There is no doubt that this is a more important game for Arsenal, who know that more dropped points could be fatal in their quest for Champions League football next season.
Fulham will want to finish in the top half of the table, and can play with a certain amount of freedom. They will, however, be under pressure to perform after Wednesday’s disappointing defeat to Chelsea. For the betting people, Arsenal are tipped favourites to win the game fair and square. You can lay an Arsenal win at 1.78 – head over to http://betting.betfair.com/football/ to put a bet on it.
However, It will be a close affair but Arsenal will just have the edge over MartinJol’s side.
Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Arsenal
Oct 19
Marseille and Arsenal have both started slowly domestically this season, but the Champions League has provided a welcome distraction, with the duo looking to be the teams to beat in Group B.
Oct 12
The Gunners have a terrific record against Sunderland and with Robin van Persie on fire are not surprisingly long-odds on at a best priced 1.5 to bag a vital three points (see the latest Arsenal betting odds).
They have won seven and drawn three of their 10 home Premier League matches against Steve Bruce’s men and the Black Cats have failed to score in their last three visit to the Emirates.
However don’t expect a a feats of goals as the stats reveal that there have only been 8 goals in the last seven Premiership games between the two sides.
Apr 29
I looked at the date for this fixture in the diary at the beginning of the football year when the dates were released. I looked at our run in, and, convinced we would be in a strong position at this point of the year, saw this home game against United as the platform upon which our players would strike a blow against Manchester’s very best.
Ultimately Arsenal aren’t that close to United and as such have lost the flowing momentum that had building up behind us earlier in the season.
Against Bolton, despite possession; there was not a cruel, cold blooded goal scorer to put away the chances we created. We did not have an Ian Wright or Javier Hernandez to change to the score-line. Once again despite possession, Arsenal were undone by set pieces. A familiar pattern we have faced for some years now. No other side have conceded a higher percentage of their goals, 56%, from set pieces in 2010-11.
Wenger said in his Thursday lunchtime press conference “There is more at stake on Sunday than just the mathematics.” This game, at this stage of the season will set the momentum for United’s final run in. Do well in this game against Arsenal and they could well carry this form through to Wembley and overwhelm Barcelona. Find themselves against an aggressive, competitive team that refuse to lose and put them on the rack – who knows? Arsenal could dent their confidence and undermine their focus.
Furthermore the match, should it be won, can serve as the motivational tool Wenger can use to persuade big players to join and our best players to stay. It would set a great precedent for the next season and give the team (which is unlikely to change greatly, despite paper news) a driving platform to begin the season 2011/2012 from.
Arsene Wenger also said “It is important for us to show some fighting spirit, some fighting attitude and some pride.”
That’s very true, it is vital for the players and their careers too. If Wenger cannot back them to perform on a nice warm day at home when their is no pressure to deliver (comparatively as no title at stake now) then when exactly can these men, who have so much ‘potential’ as we are told, deliver to their supporters?
Johan Djourou has had a great season, and I am loathe to criticise him but if he is the commanding centre back we have been looking for, he did not look it against Bolton. A great game from him in this match could prevent Wenger from signing a Cahill or Hangeland.
United will force the ball out wide by packing bodies down the centre. Balls crossed into the box for Van Persie on his own will be bread and butter for Vidic and Ferdinand, the best centre-back combination of the last 20 years in the Premier League. Van Persie is on an excellent run of scoring goals and has natural link up play, however, despite being good in the air when he makes contact with a cross, he is far from an aerial threat. Van Persie does not even put himself into the right positions to meet the crosses to score from. Still in his heart more Dennis than Thierry, his genetic DNA withdraws him form the attrition zone to the playmaker areas. Note that forced to play the target man in the world cup, with less flexibility, he did not score. At least Hernandez makes the right runs that allow him to compete for such crosses. As it is the little Mexican punches above his weight. Arsenal could play a traditional target man in Chamakh who has been wildly out of form. Against Liverpool, we finished with a cross completion rate of 0%, from 27 attempted crosses.
This is how this match will likely play out; Arsenal have lots of possession, United sit back and use Nani and Rooney to counter. Park and Anderson close our midfield down running likely 400m runners. Vidic might hit the post from a corner. Van Persie or Nasri will get a chance and THIS is where the game is to be won or lost. Against Clichy and two talented (but not dominating defenders), I am sure United will score. We must take our chances to win as at some point Rooney will probably find space on a counter attack to test Szczesny.
Everything is at stake; Individual careers, our sanity and the team’s momentum for next year.
My prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United
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For all Arsenal chat, transfer news and discussion about Arsenal join me on twitter and follow me @Detective82.
Apr 09
Arsenal are on their annual poor run of results which seems to show it’s ugly head at this time of year with upsetting regularity. The full inquest, however, will be done at the end of the season rather than now. I hinted in my last article at just a few of the problems I felt were in our way. For the remaining games, let’s just win and not make it easy for Manchester United. We have already given them a cushion which will be exceptionally hard to recover.
Against defenders who like to try to play football but lack the ability to do it very well under intense pressure a prudent tactic is a high line to close their space and to be pressuring their rearguard in possession. Since they want Charlie Adam on the ball, they pass on the ground from the back. An additional striker could assist Van Persie with closing them down at the top of the park. I would advocate playing Chamakh alongside him. Bendtner, I’m told is being sold this summer, so I’d focus on developing the Morrocan more for this league.
I fully expect Arsenal to score against Blackpool because our team have had a good break from their last game so I anticipate fresh legs to test the home team. If I operate my prediction from the standpoint that Arsenal will score, the game will be won if Arsenal can shut down their star player – Charlie Adam and keep Campbell’s chances to a minimum.
Adam is a sparky, skilful Scotsman with a wand for a left foot and one hell of an engine. He seems to relish being the best at Blackpool, who will surely sell him to a Premier League heavyweight this summer. He deserves it. His free kicks are the best in the league, perhaps.
Blackpool’s recent poor form is down to the fact that teams have grown wise to the fact that if you shut down Adam, you have a better chance.
Regards DJ Campbell, he’s a handy and nippy forward but nothing special. If Arsenal are league contenders a guy like him should reside in Koscielny’s pocket. Returning to my earlier tactic about a high line to pressure their defence, that leaves us open to long balls over the top to Campbell. Squillaci will not catch him but Koscielny should.
My prediction: Blackpool 1-3 Arsenal.
By the way for all Arsenal chat, transfer news and the odd bit about my career as a Police Officer follow me on Twitter @Detective82. All tweets, feedback, views welcome.
Mar 30
That might have been a very successful interlull period for Arsenal. A miserable run of results and downbeat players given some breathing space for Wenger to tell them they can start afresh in April, forgetting the past 5 weeks or so. Furthermore; Walcott, Song and Fabregas all got time the needed to return to fitness. Each of the 3 are essential to the power and tempo Arsenal endeavour to operate at.
Fingers (permanently) crossed for Robin van Persie. Early news was he was taken off due to bruising and should be fit for Blackburn. He will want to play, he has an astonishing scoring record against them.
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