EPL Match Day 8: Arsenal v Birmingham, Match Preview
Which Team Will Show Up This Week?
Is this thing on? Is everyone there? Are you all interested again? It is the return of meaningful football afterall. With two weeks of meaningless Euro qualifications under our belt, we all scattered to the wind. Well, the EPL is back and we will enjoy a nice run of solid football from now until February when the meaningless comes back again.
What’s more important is our team is back. But precisely what team is back is the question. Is it the team that has dropped 8 points out of the last 9? Or is it the team that was on a tear until that run? Is it the team that even though they lost, had more spirit against Chelsea than the team that came on the pitch against West Brom and stank up the place? I know we’re all hoping for a combination of the contending team and the aggressive Chelsea competitors.
Anything is possible though right? Frankly, from afar things are starting to look better. It looks like the injur nightmare is starting to recede with all the pieces are starting to come back. Many of the long-term injured are either coming back this week or are training with the club to make their return. While they will not be starters, regular first teamers Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner will be part of the squad at the Emirates this weekend. Additionally, on the bench should be Kieran Gibbs who is back after a thigh injury.
But with every bit of good news comes some bad and sometimes puzzling news. Arsenal fans via the player’s twitter feed were led to believe that Captain Cesc Fabregas was fit to return for this match. Two days after the Chelsea match Cesc told his twitter followers that “if the match were today I could play.” Puzzling though that Wenger says he is short. There are 3 schools of thought here on his not being included in the squad and they are:
- He really isn’t fully healed
- He is being saved from playing against team that is one of the perceived negative footballing squads and this will preserve him for next week’s match against City
- He is being punished for saying to the press the squad needed a winning mentality
Personally I am of the opinion it is the second one. If injury projections are correct most of our squad should be healthy by next week – including Robin Van Persie. City is going to be a big match. For lots of reasons. None more than that they are likely fighting for a spot at the top. (still don’t think they are title challengers) Why not go into that match with your best player completely healthy and not with knocks from being clobbered by the likes of Brum.
Also not making this match and just as puzzling is Laurent Koscielny. He didn’t play in any international matches and yet managed to pick up a back injury. I am going witht he butterfly wing sonic punch theory on this one. Who knows what happened here but either way it will see Johann Djourou start and and along with Eboue, who is in for the injured Bacary Sagna, our French back four is no more.
More pressing than injuries though is a need for a win and all three points. I don’t remember the last time Arsenal lost 3 in a row. Do you? Maybe we should take an omen from last season that when we had our heartbreaks against Sunderland and Chelsea we went on a 13 game unbeaten streak. We stayed in the hunt until injuries really took over. By all indications we’re coming through our injury hurdle (yes, there will be more – this is Arsenal after all) so a run similar to last year is not unlikely.
Lukasz Fabianski earns the nod again in goal. His performance at Chelsea at the very least offred him that chance. I think he is on a very short leash. I really do believe if he lets in a howler in any match he will get pulled for Szczesny. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I do think Arsene is aware of his predicament in goal and at this point will not hesitate to deputize someone ahead of our dynamic duo of Almunia and Fabianski.
There is enough quality(even with the injuries) in the squad to take on and crush Birmingham. The Blues haven’t been special this season and mirred in medicority. They haven’t won on Arsenal’s ground since 1957 and they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet against the Gunners in 11 of their last 12 meetings. You can see that Alex McLeish is worried about the image of his club as he is already playing the refs hoping his squad get a fair chance against a “better club.” This is less about Wenger’s remarks to the press about “kicking clubs” and more about the dubious call that went against Brum earlier when Villa were awarded a late PK.
The good thing about this match is we will get to see an old friend – Alex Hleb who didn’t play for his national side due to injury should be fit for the squad. Overall, I think he’ll get a warm reception – at least from the fans. I read with interest Wenger’s comments about Hleb when asked if he regretted letting him go – and now I paraphrase – – he wanted to go. So I let him go. No, I don’t regret it. Ouch. Not really the warm and fuzzies eh?
How the Match Should Play Out:
This is really about which Arsenal team shows up and which Arsenal team we really are. If the attacking side of the early season and that sort of showed up against Chelsea (albeit without anything to show for it) Birmingham do not stand a chance. If we show up like we did against West Brom and Sunderland – oh hell, you know what could happen. Anyway, Arsenal are in need of a feel good moment. I personally think we will be slow coming back from the international break and come in at the half either up 1-0 after a mid half score or even 0-0. I think the arrival of Theo Walcott on the pitch as a super sub will change the dynamic of the game, Marouane Chamakh will have someone he can dish the ball to and we shred the 2nd half.
Players to Watch:
Arsenal: Well, Jack Wilshere is the easy pick here eh. He gets slotted into the Cesc role again. I think he needs to put some more shots together on his uncanny passing ability – if he does that with his desire to move things forward – he will be deadly.
Birmingham: Well, he is back in the EPL and he was good while he was here and frankly he seems like the only Birmingham player to watch so we go for Alex Hleb.
Probable Starting XI
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Sagna (calf) Koscielny (back) Almunia (elbow) Fabregas (thigh) Vermaelen (achilles) Van Persie (ankle) Ramsey (ankle) Frimpong (knee)
Birmingham: Gardner (suspended – 2) Jerome (ankle) Beausejour (knee) & McFadden (knee)
Last Meeting (EPL):
Arsenal: 3
Birmingham: 1
Last 5:
Arsenal: WWDLL
Birmingham: DDLDL
Leading Scorers:
Arsenal: Arshavin 5 (2 League)
Birmingham: Gardner 4 (3 League)
Match Officials:
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant Referees: Patrick Keane & David Richardson
Fourth Official: Fred Graham
Broadcast Information:
US: FSC 10:00AM EST
UK: ????? 1500 BST
Feeds:
www.atdhe.net
GAMEDAY CHAT: It’s Open!!!!!!
www.youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat
YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 3
Birmingham: 1
[donate]
