Match Preview: Arsenal v Birmingham or Let’s Play Some Proper Football Shall We?

Let's get back to some football shall we?

Thank goodness it’s over. The forsaken two week interlull that has had many an Arsenal fan hoping our stars don’t come back with major knocks and dings is finally gone.  Now all is right with the world and we can get back to some proper football and not be watching this World Cup nonsense.

With it over, this Saturday sees the return of Arsenal to the Emirates to taken on perennial yo-yo team Birmingham City. This is the first meeting of the teams since that fateful meeting in February 2008 when Eduardo had his ankle broken and Arsenal lost any chance of the EPL title.  The match against Arsenal would end up scaring the team emotionally and soon would lose out on the league by dropping two matches and drawing two others. They were overtaken in the league by Man U and Chelsea and the rest is history.

Since 1957 no Birmingham side has won at Arsenal. And in 24 their last 24 home meetings Arsenal are 16W and 8D. Coming in,  Arsene Wenger’s squad currently lead the league with 24 goals in 7 matches. Their largest tally in 7 games since 1958. The interlull saw 20 of Arsenal’s players  go away on international duty while Brum saw the takeover of Carson Yeung get finalized.

Arsenal are looking to win their 5th straight league match after their 2 successive defeats. The squad has made significant headway in the league and currently sits 5th with 15 points, one point point behind Manchester City. Many of the players who went on international duty enjoyed success with their teams and many of them found the back of the net carrying on the form they had in the league. Cesc Fabregas while missing Spain’s last qualifying match for personal reasons scored a goal and was his usual maestro self in the match last Saturday. The likes of Vela,  Bendtner  and Senderos found the goal while others played parts in their national teams successes.

Arsene Wenger has made winning at home this season a key priority, especially against lesser teams. If Arsenal are to do that and keep their 5 game winning streak alive, they need to come out with more verve than they did coming off the last break against Man City and Standard Liege. Arsenal need come out attacking again and press immediately. If it takes them a half to get started it obviously increases the chance of a draw. Against Birmingham who are struggling to find goals, that would be totally unacceptable.

AS the team comes back it looks like a a true controversy in goal is breweing. Manuel Almunia is either back or close to being back. Fabianski is  back and should feature in the squad this weekend and Mannone is there saying his recent form  justifies his first team inclusion. Not many could argue with the 21 year old Italian. He has played amazingly well for someone without the experience and who almost went out on loan.

The controversy arises in that Almunia while in goal has only saved 53% of the shots he has faced. Additionally two major gaffes cost the team or set in motion events that would cost the team. Fabianski comes back and hasn’t really been seen since the FA Cup Semi’s when his terrible misjudgment let Drogba dink in the winner at Wembley.  Mannone while looking shaky in his first start has been solid and absolutely brilliant at times. If it is me – Mannone starts until he shows me otherwise he shouldn’t. Defence’s play with confidence if they know they have a solid keeper behind them it remains to be seen if Almunia and Fabianski are capable to merit that confidence.

As usual there are injuries in the squad with Eduardo still nursing the thigh injury he got against Blackburn. Clichy is out with an injury he sustained on duty for France as is Bendtner who suffered a groin injury during his international duty. The usual cast still remain out as well though Nasri could feature in the Carling Cup match against Liverpool next week.  With Clichy out, Kieran Gibbs who featured well for the England U21s should get the start.

Birmingham are not without their issues as Alex McLeish is faced with a long line at the trainers table. Additionally, the side have only managed 1 league win in their last 5. Losing to Burnley, Sunderland, Tottenham, Bolton, and Aston Villa. If there are any moral victories to be had, Birmingham have managed to stay in most of their games especially against Tottenham where the controlled a good portion of the game.  This a team that is going to be hard pressed to play an open game and will likely want to sit back on Arsenal and try and frustrate the Gunners. And as much as I like Alex McLeish I don’t think he has the personnel to beat or draw a top four side – even if his side were all healthy.

How it should play out:

It is important for Arsenal to maintain their momentum and I expect them to try and capitalize early on a lesser opponent. With a lot of first teamers on the bench, Birmingham are going to have to employ a game of sitting back and only advancing if the opportunity presents itself. Arsenal has shown the patience to unlock that and has won every match where that has been the case. They should do the same to Birmingham.

Players to watch:

Arsenal: Theo Walcott should be deputized for the injured Bendtner. He’ll add his pace to a front three with Arshavin and van Persie. The lad wants to shine and this is the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

Birmingham: Not knowing Brum that well, I will look to Goal.com to settle this as they go with Sebastian Larsson the former Arsenal man who joined Birmingham in 2006 on loan and now is a regular fixture. He has shown a propensity for being quite good at free kicks from the right and if the Arsenal defence don’t tighten u, this could be an area of concern.

Injuries:

Arsenal: Almunia (questionable), Nasri (questionable), Bendtner, Clichy, Denilson, Djourou, and Eduardo

Birmingham: Tainio (questionable), Benitez (missed flight), Bent, Queudrue, Vignal, Fahey, Parnaby, Murphy, and  Martin Taylor

Possible Starting XI:

Arsenal: Mannone, Gallas, Vermaelen, Sagna, Gibbs, Rosicky, Song, Fabregas, Arshavin, Walcott, van Persie

Birmingham: Hart, Dann, Carr, Johnson, Larsson, Carsley, Bowyer, Ferguson, Tainio/Phillips, Jerome, McFadden

Prediction:

Arsenal: 2
Birmingham: 0