Match Preview: Arsenal v Hull City; Another Banana Peel to Get Around
This one has one big slip up written all over it doesn’t it? We can’t possibly navigate this season without slipping up against one of these upstart teams – can we? Forgive us if we have our moments of weakness. But this seems to be a new feeling for us. (It’s not for those of us who remember those yesterdays of yore when we vanquished everyone)
We seem to get these matches presented to us too after the said opponent has just vanquished a big fish. Last week it was Cardiff right after they impressively drew Manchester United and here we are in the midweek facing off against Hull City after their 3-1 surprising drubbing of Liverpool.
So now we’re being told not to underestimate Hull City as what they did to Liverpool they can do to us. First, let me say that is absolutely true and that’s the beauty of the Premier League –on any given day any team can win. But there it’s not underestimating Hull we are doing. It’s looking at these fixtures realistically.
Against Cardiff when you looked at the matches they were doing well in, with the exception of Manchester City, they hadn’t played a team who is as controlling of the ball as Arsenal were. Hull City went up against a Liverpool who were abjectly poor and had no midfield control of the game and were unable to dictate play. Additionally, when you look at the matches Cardiff and Hull City had, its hard to see them doing it twice in a row. While Arsenal are beating teams like Hull and Cardiff without fully getting out of 2nd gear.
As much a challenge as Hull presents Arsenal, Arsenal present their own challenges to Hull. One of the challenges I see is whether or not Steve Bruce persists with a back 3 in light of Arsenal’s attack. Surely it means a congested midfield but if Arsenal can pull it apart it doesn’t provide any cover for the back 3 and will give Arsenal chances galore.
What is unknown is how much rotation Wenger will use. We’ve projected a fair amount of changes especially with Everton on Sunday, Napoli in the midweek and Manchester City by next Saturday. But he could also do less but still rest key individuals. One change is certain, Bacary Sagna will miss this match as he had what I think is being described as a mild hamstring strain. That means youngster Carl Jenkinson will play. Frankly, it’s a good match for him to get some time in.
Other changes I definitely expect are resting Mikel Arteta and Mesut Özil. Obviously we don’t expect Olivier Giroud to get a rest but Theo will probably get a nod on the right which means either Jack or Rambo will sit on the bench.
A word about Olivier Giroud and no rotation – a lot of people are worried about what happens if he gets injured or exhausted. It’s a valid concern but one thing people don’t know is that Giroud does a very good job of taking care of himself and hasn’t missed many matches in his career. Arsenal for their part have restructured his training so as to not needlessly exhaust him.
The rotation obviously creates some headaches but you have to rotate when matches like this come up. Not completely but smartly. Rest those you can. Arsenal are starting to get healthy. Theo is back and the midfield is chock full of options. Lukas Podolski has resumed full training and Wenger says he will be available for the squad within a week. Rotation is why you have a squad. It helps you get over these humps and keep you in for the long haul.
Sure rotation causes some people consternation as they think that it will break the momentum. In year’s past I could see an easy way to make that case. But the players we have available to us on the bench are quality players and they supplement the starting XI nicely.
All in all, the talent we bring in should be enough to see off the challenge by Hull. As tricky a fixture as it looks, I’m still fairly confident we’re looking at an Arsenal win.
Probable Lineups:
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Diaby (knee), Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) Podolski (hamstring), Sanogo (back) Sagna (hamstring)
Hull City: Aluko (Achilles), McShane (hamstring), Quinn (hamstring), Davies (suspended – 1).
Leading Scorer:
Arsenal: Ramsey 8
Hull City: Brady 3
Assists:
Arsenal: Özil 6
Hull City: Aluko 2
Last Meeting (EPL):
Nothing prior to 2006/2007
Last 5:
Arsenal: WWLWW
Hull City: LWLLW
Goals For:
Arsenal (home): 2.2
Hull City (away): .8
Goals Against:
Arsenal (home): .8
Hull City (away) : 2.2
Goal Differential:
Arsenal: 17
Hull City: -4
Match Official:
Referee: Andre Mariner (Matches: 10. R4 Y41 PK 2)
Assistants: Beswick, Scholes
Fourth Official: Probert
Broadcast Information:
US: NBC Sports Live Extra 2:45 PM EST
UK: Arsenal Player (audio only) 19.45
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YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2
Hull City: 0
Match Facts (courtesy FourFourTwo
- Arsenal have won eight of the last nine matches against the Tigers in all competitions (W8 D0 L1).
- Hull City have won just one of their last 30 Barclays Premier League away games (W1 D7 L22).
- Hull City were the first away team to concede the opening goal but come back to win a Barclays Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium (2-1 in Sept 2008).
- Nicklas Bendtner has scored in two of his three Premier League appearances against Hull City.
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last 15 Premier League games at the Emirates Stadium (W11 D3 L1).
- The Gunners have scored five headed goals from just seven headers on target in the Premier League this season.
- Mesut Özil has provided the most assists in the Premier League this season (6).
- Arsenal have conceded just 15 goals in their last 23 Premier League games, only one team has scored more than one in a match against them in that run (Aston Villa in August – 1-3).
- The Gunners have kept five clean sheets in their last six games in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the other match (0-1 at Man Utd).
- Wojciech Szczesny has the best saves to shots ratio (81%) in the Premier League this season (min 16 shots on target faced).
