Arsenal v QPR; Match Preview

There is good news and there is bad news as we head into the weekend. The good news is that we play QPR. The bad news is, that we’re playing LIKE QPR. And what that means is you worry that QPR could come into the Emirates and take something away from the home.

Let’s just get this out of the way shall we – it’s been a bad week. A horrid week. Arsenal are in their annual crisis mode. It’s when all sorts of questioning is done about the team, the board, the owner, the manager and even the fans.  Losses to Norwich and Schalke have only been made worse by the friction that came out of Thursday’s AGM.

And as such we head into the weekend with more question mark’s then Frank Gorshin’s Riddler costume (Frank Gorshin being the actor who played the Riddler in the original Batman TV series). The biggest being what has happened?

This team started brightly. Defense was sound the attack while not blazing hot like with Van Persie was in form and on target. The team gave as good as they got against City and likely better of the two teams that day. The Chelsea match while a loss wasn’t completely without positives – even though Koscielny was a big negative.

Then the international break came and poof it was all gone. We are devoid of answers. We have no purpose or direction on the field and usually reliable players are showing themselves to be anything but. One of the biggest culprits in that department is our own Captain Thomas Vermaelen who hasn’t done much lately to shower himself in the glory of captaincy. (It may be the perfect panacea against being sold next summer).

As a whole not one member of this team can hold their head high and say over the last two games there is anything they’ve done to be proud of. It’s been a collective effort – albeit a dismal one that has Arsenal in the lurch yet again.

But that can change.

As Per Mertesacker has said – it only takes one game to get back in it. And that’s the beauty of it all. One game, one play can change the entire outcome and outlook on a team. Last season the 5-2 drubbing of Spurs entirely turned last season on its head. A win against QPR and the malaise likely is arrested. A loss or even a draw heading into the United match – not something I want to contemplate right now.

Arsenal need to use every of their game to its ability and it is why If eel they absolutely must put Giroud up top and work the width. With QPR likely to start both Jose Bosingwa and Armond Traore, there is joy to be had along the sides. That doesn’t mean that we should abandon the middle but clubs are getting smart to the fact that everything is going through Santi Cazorla and they are putting 2 sometimes 3 players on him. We are not using our width with any regularity and it closes down the game for us.

That being said when we do use our width our crosses have to get better. We are not playing into the strength of a player like Giroud who loves off of a good crossing game. Why we can’t adapt our play to him is beyond me. If we weren’t planning on doing so then why did we ever bring him in.

There certainly is talent on this team.  The performances pre-international break attest to that.  It’s a team you look at and in the same day can say “yeah they can beat United” and then five minutes later say “yeah they can lose to QPR too.” Some call that the beauty of the Premier League. I just call it plain inconsistent.

Team selection for this week is questionable. Surely, Wenger has to question the performances of Santos and Gervinho but he may not have much choice but to play them as their replacements are out for at least another week.  Does he dare to move Vermaelen off to the left and bring in Koscielny alongside Mertesacker? I am against this because in January of last season our biggest problem was not having any true fullbacks in the squad. It hurt us even more.

Word is that Bacary Sagna will be in the squad. Some are calling for him to start on the left. I just don’t see Wenger starting Sagna – not in his first game back. We need a solution at left back. I’m not sure who it is.

Overall I still think Wenger sticks with the lineup I’ve presented below. I’d like to be wrong but I am not sure he has much choice. If this were a United we were playing against, I’d have greater concern than I do now. As it is, we’re fortunate that Mark Hughes’ managerial skills doesn’t seem to be able to get anything out of any of QPRs players.

How the match should play out:
It would be catastrophic should Arsenal come out flat for the third game in a row, especially at home. A third dull performance would bring the vultures out even more which is why I am expecting the energy to be at high level and Arsenal. How it will play out right now I don’t know simply based off of the past performances.

Players to watch:
Arsenal.  Jack Wilshere. He is set to be back inthe squad for this match. I don’t expect him to start but wouldn’t rule it out compeltely. Likely he’ll come on as a super sub to whomever slots in with Arteta and Cazorla.

QPR. Bobby Zamora.  Has been an Arsenal killer before, given our current state, could be again.

Projected Starting XI:

Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Diaby (thigh)  Gibbs (thigh) Fabianski(ankle)  Szczesny (ankle) Walcott (chest) Rosicky (hamstring), Chamberlain (test)

QPR: Dyer (calf)  Fabio (hamstring) Johnson (knee)

Leading Scorers:
Arsenal:  Gervinho 3

QPR: Zamora 3

Assists Leaders:
Arsenal: Podolski 2

QPR; Multiple players at 1

Last Meeting (EPL):

Arsenal: 1

QPR: 2

Goals For:
Arsenal (home): 2.3

QPR (away): 1.2

Goals Against:
Arsenal (home): 1

QPR: (away): 2.2

Last Five:
Arsenal: WDLWL

QPR: DLLLD

Goal Difference:
Arsenal: 22

QPR: -22

Match Official:
Referee: Anthony Taylor. Matches 6, R1 Y10.

Broadcast Information:
US: Fox Soccer Channel  1000 AM EST

UK: ????? 1500 GMT

GAMEDAY CHAT: It’s Open!!!!!!

www.youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2

QPR: 1

The Final Word

A lot of words have already been written since yesterday’s dreadful AGM. People are interpretting what was said by whom and what it all really means. One of the best write ups I’ve seen and in line with my own feelings on who is or who isn’t out of touch was written by Phil Wall – http://angryofislington.com/. In it he rightly argues that both Stan Kroenke and Peter hill Wood don’t “get it.” They each don’t get it for their own reasons but he’s right they don’t get it.

They are out of touch with the realities of football today. Stan frankly has never been in touch with the realities of football because he doesn’t really know football. He knows a good investment when he sees one and that is why KSE has bought into Arsenal.

Peter Hill Wood doesn’t get it because he still thinks its Arsenal of yesteryear. Where old men swilled scotch, smoked cigars and lorded over their teams. That may have worked to a point but as sports has moved into an era of big business it has little room for the little antiquated minds of PHW and the rest of the board.

The simple fact that neither truly understands the role and importance of the fan in English football is the most ergregious of their errors. Their continued approaches and PHW’s open disdain for even having to make himself available for such trivialities as the AGM show that they just don’t care.

I don’t buy for a minute that Stan has the desire to win. His hands off approach and lack of interest is constantly shown by not showing an interest. Fine, you want to be hands off and let football people run football people – but that doesn’t dismiss you from taking and active part in the discussions. Football is not like your American sport’s teams Stan. The owners or in your case the majority share holdes of football clubs participate, they are seen and they are in control of things even when football people are running the show.

I’ve maintained and still maintain that the biggest problem with Arsenal is it’s board and their entrenched way of doing things. Financial self-sustainability is applaudable. It should be championed by every club. But there is a way to be self-sustainable and be competitive (read WINNING) and there is a way to be self-sustainable just for the sake of look smart. I’ll leave it to you to decide where our board leans.

Two other things to briefly mention. A lot of press went on a rant about Wenger’s calling Champion’s League Qualificationa trophy. By the telling of it you’d be hard pressed to understand the true meaning of what he was trying to articulate. What he meant clerly is that in the priorities of things he wants the club to achieve the first is winning the league, the second winning the champion’s league, the third qualifying for champion’s league, the fourth and fifth are the domestic cups.

For a man who is considered so articulate, his choice of words couldn’t have gone down worse. However, there are those with agendas who want to harp on it and ignore what he was saying. And I’ve spent some time polling Liverpool fans and overwhelmingly they would trade their Carling Cup for a Champion’s League berth and everything that comes with it. And that’s what it really boils down to – priortizing for this manager and squad. He didn’t say we’re going to piss off the other two cups but for a club of this size these are the priorities in order.  Next time Arsene pick your words on this carefully.

Finally, another Stan moment. I’ve been worried since day 1 about how Stan has financed his purchase of the shares of Arsenal stock. As KSE is incorporate in the state of Delaware they don’t have to show this information. And there have been numerous attempts including yesterday to get Kroenke to say that he guarantees he won’t pull cash out of the club in the form of dividends. The fear here being he has used debt to make his purchase and will start pulling out cash from the club to pay it off.

Stan hasn’t offered a hint either way as to which he intends to do. But with all the secrecy and the general sense of mistrust he portrays, it is something we have to keep an eye on and be wary of.

Until next time. . .

Stay Goonerish!

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