Match Preview: Arsenal v Sunderland; A win can set all things right

On one hand this match is an important statement to make but on the other it takes a little of an afterthought feel to it, especially with the events prior to the match. If you didn’t know let us show you:

Arsenal if they do anything better than anyone else, is recognize the importance of their history and making sure it is honored correctly. Today before the match against Sunderland the man who next to the names Wenger and Henry is considered the face of the recent rise of the club is Dennis Bergkamp. Dennis is everything this club stands for. He is class, grit and determination and together with Arsene Wenger, they were responsible for some of the best memories in the history of the club.

But all that aside there is still a Premier League match to be played and Arsenal have to win this match in order to reestablish the order of things. Sunderland under Gus Poyet is a different animal than it was under Paolo Di Canio and they’ve managed to go undefeated in their last 6 away matches. Arsenal are looking to get back into firm footing after the Liverpool loss and uneventful Manchester United tie. 

When Arsenal lost to City in the league they were able to pull themselves up and get back to the top of the table and maintain a consistent run that has been a trademark of their season so far. They need to do just that after the Liverpool defeat and while the United match was a boring draw it allowed them to maintain their home form and get past the frayed mentality of the loss to the Scousers.

That’s all behind the team now and they have to turn it on again. They’re still at home and in the league, home is where the heart is and where the Gunners show their best. Defensively they don’t allow the opposition many goals. Even in the Champion’s league they haven’t allowed more than 2 and that was against the likes of Bayern and Dortmund – two of the recognized powerhouses of football. In the  league its even better with Villa the only team to register more than 1 goal at the Emirates. In fact the Gunners maintain an average of .5 goals allowed per league match at home.

I wouldn’t expect the Gunners to come out flying. They will look to get a quick goal but if that doesn’t happen they will methodically look to assess how Sunderland plans to play them and then go about the workman like effort to probe their defense and find gaps to get their chances. Many have called it boring and frustrating and yet for the most part it results in Arsenal usually winning the match. I don’t know if Sunderland plan on coming in to sit back and attack on the counter. It seems logical given they know Arsenal will want the ball. However, they may try to press the ball more given the success that Liverpool had with it. However, Sunderland are not Liverpool and with the Capital One Cup final a week a way they may not want to risk something so “up tempo.”

Of course a lot depends on Arsene’s team selection. Hints are that Mesut Özil will get a rest and likely be on the bench. Our projected lineup reflects that but don’t be surprised if he puts him back in. Why? Sometimes its better to just get back at it rather than bench someone and let the negativity fester. With Champion’s League in the midweek, we don’t have a match until next week and frankly the prospect of a full week between matches may mean that Wenger lets him get back out there.

The other decision to be made is whether or not Flamini or Arteta starts. It possible he will go with one or the other here to give Wilshere and Ox some playing time. Then either one replaces the other or both come on to lock down the game when Sunderland may chase it.

Whatever the team selection, the mental side of this match can’t be overlooked. The loss to Bayern was heartbreaking because before the red card, Arsenal caused Bayern all sorts of problems and showed that the “best team in Europe” could be had. It would be interesting to see what the match would’ve been like had Özil converted his penalty and it had been 11 v 11 for the entire match. Arsenal were up for the match. They tried valiantly to hold on but at 10 men down, it was only a matter of time.

It just means that Arsenal need to put that aside and not let it affect them. Chelsea have a hard march at the bridge versus Everton. A Chelsea draw and an Arsenal win puts them back on top of the table even though City still have a match in hand over the both of them. Arsenal can ill afford to look back at Wednesday and let it affect their match today. If they do then their title chances are as good as done. Then they have to worry about the possibility of being reeled in by the chasers for the final Champion’s League spot.

Rather than have that happen, Arsenal need to do as they’ve done all season and pull themselves up and get down to business as they have done all season.

Probable Lineups:

Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Gibbs (hamstring) Walcott (ACL), Ramsey (thigh), Kallstrom (back), Vermaelen (calf),Diaby (you name it)

Sunderland:  Brown (suspended – 1) Westwood (shoulder), Fletcher (achilles), Cuellar (hip)

Match Officials:
Referee: Andre Marriner (Matches: 19. R5 Y61 PK 4)
Assistants: Perry, Banks
Fourth Official: Dowd

Head to Head:

Broadcast Information:
US: NBC Sports Network (USA Network – alternative) – 10:00 AM EST

UK: BBC 1 MOTD (highlights only)

Match Prediction:
Arsenal 1 – 0 Sunderland

Match Facts (courtesy FourFourTwo)

• Arsenal have lost just one of their last 20 Barclays Premier League games against Sunderland (W12 D7 L1).
• Sunderland have not won away at Arsenal in the league since November 1983, losing 10 of the 14 visits since.
• Arsenal have scored first in their last 10 home matches against bottom-six teams
• Despite Sunderland not scoring in four of the last five visits to the Emirates Stadium, the Black Cats have taken points three times in those encounters with 0-0 draws.
• Mesut Ӧzil made his debut in the reverse fixture earlier this season and set up Olivier Giroud’s opening goal.
• Arsenal have won their last 10 home matches against bottom-six teams
• Sunderland have gone six on the road without defeat in the Premier League (W3 D3 L0) – this after winning just one point in their eight PL away games (D1 L7) prior to this run.
• Adam Johnson has scored or assisted eight goals in six PL apps so far in 2014, one more than he was involved in over 2013 as a whole (seven in 35 apps).
• Sunderland have had win/win results in their last six away wins
• The Gunners have lost just one of their last 17 Premier League games in the month of February (W13 D3 L1).
• Arsenal have not conceded a Premier League goal at the Emirates Stadium for seven hours and 36 minutes.
• Arsenal have had more goals in the second half in their last nine home matches against bottom-six teams
• All five of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s Premier League goals and all five of his Premier League assists have come at the Emirates Stadium.
• Sunderland have conceded the highest number of goals following crosses in the Premier League this season (12).