Match Preview: Arsenal v West Brom; Building Some Momentum Would Be Nice
Do you remember the last time Arsenal lost 3 league matches in succession? 2007 to be precise 1-0 to Everton, 4-1 to Liverpool, and 1-0 to West Ham. Arsenal need to come into this match with a desire to build upon the midweek performance and jump start their season.
Players and manager have all talked about the importance of establishing some sort of momentum. Per Mertesacker talked about in the wake of the 2-0 victory of Dortmund. The manger talked about it in his weekly pre-match presser:
“We have to keep the quality of our performances and keep the urgency of the defending we showed against Dortmund. Most of all, the priority is to keep the dynamic we have in the team.”
It’s not a popular opinion that there were more positives than negatives in the frustrating defeat to United but there was good to take away. Due to contrary belief of some, Arsenal were the dominant side and had Jack Wilshere shot earlier or tried to lift it over an already committed to De Gea, it’s likely we have a different outcome to that match. Overall, though we dominated the midfield and didn’t give United much of anything.
Against Dortmund the likes of Cazorla and Ramsey were influential. Cazorla was miserly in possession and Ramsey was doing all the simple things he needed to be effective. Additionally, the two seemed to have a sense of the others whereabouts so that when one was caught deep the other drifted back. Two matches and two positive trends.
But there were others. Emi Martinez who is getting a run for the injured Szczesny was solid in his performance against Dortmund making key saves when called upon. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain continues to develop into as @YankeeGunner boats – mini Sanchez. And as for the Chilean, well the man just can’t be stopped from scoring sublime after sublime goal.
Now, all that is required is for Arsenal to take it to West Brom in the same way they did versus Dortmund and United and they can begin to right the wrongs of this wobbly season. Arsenal’s 4 wins have come at the expense of teams below 14th position in the table. Last season, Arsenal beat all the teams they were supposed to beat and secured their minimum requirement – Champion’s League qualification.
They need to get on a run and do it again. Beating the teams they are meant to beat gives the Gunners a solid base from which to go into the turn of the year and hopefully carry some forward momentum into the final half of the season.
The two and fro, up and down nature of their performances needs to be arrested. While there are still big questions to be asked, those will have to wait. We won’t be able to address them in the season. For now all hands have to be focused on establishing some sort of stability in the season. There are still things to play for and while the title looks to be a lost endeavor, the FA Cup and Champion’s League (hey a guy can dream) still remain.
A look at the match:
Jack Wilshere we know is out, as is Mikel Arteta. Arteta’s loss will be felt more, especially if Cazorla and Ramsey continue to show signs that they are returning to their quality selves. With Cazorla, Ramsey and Arteta in the squad the side seems less “hectic” or more balanced as some would like to say. Arsenal will surely need to be as such again. This time however, it will be up to Mathieu Flamini to be the deep lying play maker to Ramsey and Cazorla’s machinations.
Laurent Koscielny is back in training and figures to be a last minute decision as to whether he sits on the bench or starts. In fairness to his understudy, Nacho Monreal has put in steady performance after steady performance. He suffers from the fact that his name is Koscielny and he doesn’t happen to actually be a central defender. But the fact remains outside of the Swansea match he has hardly put a foot out of place in an unfamiliar slot.
Should Koscielny start the stable platform from which Arsenal went and shut down their opponents for 16 clean sheets last season. That stability has been missing and I think the unfamiliarity with Monreal has what has unsettled Mertesacker.
Olivier Giroud could figure in this match to give Welbeck a rest. Welbeck is late fitness test even though images show him training with the squad. Similarly Theo Walcott was seen training but Wenger said he was out of this tie with a groin injury he picked up training for England. This means that it is likely to be Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanchez running out wide.
The Ox has put on performances over the last few weeks that are giving teams problems. The fact that Arsenal also have the dynamic Chilean on the side doing it slightly better should force teams to be wary of committing too much in attack, lest Ox and Sanchez tear them apart.
The key issue for this match and any match is defending. On Wednesday night there was a concerted effort by the team for everyone to get back and cut off the chance of counter attacks. When it looked like Dortmund might get numbers forward, you saw Arsenal players hustle back into the defensive end and cut off chances. That kind of defensive commitment is necessary as teams will looks to sit back and absorb Arsenal’s pressure. For West Brom it means them trying to get the ball out to Brunt to serve it up to wonder kid Saido Berahino.
I don’t know how many times we can say there are still plenty of games left to turn things around. And as we’ve seen in the past, whatever mojo Wenger may have lost over the years, he knows how to close out a season on a successful run. Still, the turn of the season is coming up fast. It would be better to not need such a dramatic run in, it would be better for Arsenal to take the lessons from this past Saturday and Wednesday and take it to the opposition, starting with West Brom.
Players to Watch:
Arsenal. Alexis Sanchez. As @Invinciblog said on twitter “Always be yourself. Unless you can be Alexis. Then be Alexis.” There is nothing this man can’t do right now. He is such a joy to watch play.
West Brom. Saido Berahino. The kid has gotten off to a blistering start and is forcing teams to take notice. With 7 goals already, Arsenal need to pay particular attention to him,
Probable Lineups:
Arsenal (4-2-3-1) West Brom (4-2-3-1)
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Arteta (calf), Walcott (groin), Debuchy (ankle), Ospina (thigh), Özil (knee), Wilshere (ankle)
West Brom: Olsson (calf), Varela (groin) Yacob (suspended – 3)
Head to Head:
Arsenal v West Brom, Statistical Comparisons for the Season
Match Officials:
Referee: Chris Foy (8M 26Y 3RC
Assistant Referees: McDonough, Hatzidakis
Fourth Official: Swarbick
Broadcast Information:
UK: BT Sports; 12.45 BST
US: NBC Sports Network 7:45 AM EST
YAMA Predictions:
Arsenal 2 – 0 West Brom
Match Facts (courtesy FourFourTwo)
- West Brom have won none of the last seven Barclays Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W0 D2 L5).
- Arsenal have won three and lost none of their last five Premier League visits to the Hawthorns and lost none of the last seven in all competitions (W4 D3 L0).
- Mikel Arteta has scored three goals in five Premier League games for Arsenal against West Brom.
- 17 points is Arsenal’s lowest haul after 12 games since the 1982-83 season (15 points).
- WBA have not lost three Premier League games in a row since the final three games of 2013-14.
- Both of Olivier Giroud’s Premier League goals this season have come in the 90th minute.
- Aaron Ramsey has not completed 90 minutes in a Premier League game since September 13; Arsenal have played eight PL games since then.
- Danny Welbeck has failed to score in each of his last four Premier League appearances, this despite attempting 11 shots (excl. blocked) in these games.
- Saido Berahino has scored the most goals from the penalty spot in the Premier League this season (3).
- All of Arsenal’s Premier League wins this season have come against teams currently 14th or lower in the table. West Brom are 13th as it stands.
What are your thoughts on this match? Can Arsenal begin to move on and make something of this season? Who should start? What do you think the score will be? Let us know.
