please log in to view this image English Premier League 31st Dec 2011 KO: 15:00 Emirates Stadium please log in to view this image Arsenal face Queens Park Rangers at the Emirates on New Year’s Eve. Both teams go into this game on the back of draws for both teams in the last round of fixtures. Arsenal failed to advantage of teams below and above them dropping points the day before by drawing with Wolves at home. They had plenty of chances but failed to take enough to win. Van Persie had a rare off day and others failed to step up. A failure to win meant Arsenal remained in fifth place which was no doubt a massive disappointment. QPR got a point away to Swansea thanks to an equaliser courtesy of Jamie Mackie. QPR have been in and around the bottom half of the table without ever being in serious trouble of going into the bottom three and getting cut adrift. They have fared better away from home in the league. They have managed to win three games away from Loftus Road compare to the one win at the said venue. So they will pose a threat to Arsenal as they are a team that are comfortable on the road. Arsenal only have two days to recover before a game to Fulham so some rotation might be needed in order to gain six points from these two games. QPR after coming into the Premier League found a new owner in Tony Fernandes. He has said he is willing to back his manager, Neil Warnock in the transfer window. And with that type of support behind them, you have to think they do have a decent chance of staying up. Out of the three newly promoted sides, QPR have been the least impressive in the eyes of many. They are the lowest in the table out of the three that came up. But with Wigan finding some much needed form, QPR will have to improve their form if they want to remain out of the bottom three. In the summer, Warnock went and got Joey Barton from Newcastle on a free and made him captain. While not playing to the level he did last year, Barton has been a positive influence for QPR. And Arsenal will know all about the influence of him. In the last two games against Newcastle when Barton was involved, Arsenal had one of their players sent off. Both because of incidents involving, Joey Barton. Queens Park Rangers, also have two ex-Arsenal players in their squad. Armand Traore will be back at the Emirates to face his old team mates and will be looking to show why it was mistake for Arsenal to let him go. He has been a mixture of good and terrible for his new side. After a good debut he got himself sent off against Aston Villa after an ill judged second yellow. He took plenty of stick from his own manager for it in public and no doubt in private. With his weakness with defending being well known, Arsenal will hope their players can expose it once more. Jay Bothroyd, also a former Gunner will be looking to impress. He has found the step up from the championship to the Premier league a difficult one and has not started many games. But with games coming fast in this festive period he might get his chance to impress. Also watch out for Heidar Helguson, a player who is very impressive in the air because of his great leap and timing. Arsenal will need to keep an eye on this player in set pieces and also stay close to him when crosses come into the box. With 2011 coming to an end, Arsenal can reflect on yet another year where they have been left disappointed by the final outcome. The year started well with a lot of hope in the air and players like Wilshere, Nasri, Walcott and Van Persie in good form and Arsenal finding themselves in contention in all four competitions. They managed to get into the final of the Carling Cup only to blow it in the final minutes of the game. A massive blow and a blow that many say was the turning point of the season. Belief was drained and everything crumbled within the space of a few weeks. Arsenal took on Barcelona in the champions league, and despite winning the first game they failed to get through to the last eight. The Fa Cup campaign was ended at Old Trafford after Arsenal failed to again take good chances and let in poor goals on the counter. A run of poor results in the league ended any hope of a title win. A last minute blunder from Eboue summed up the final months of that season. Cesc Fabregas left after eight years of service in 2011. The new season started awfully but Arsenal have managed to fight back and stay in the fight for a top 4 spot by the end of the year. And a win against QPR will be much needed against QPR this Saturday in order for them to get back to winning way in their pursuit of a top 4 place. Teams News: Arsene Wenger Form Guide: please log in to view this image Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs: Queens Park Rangers: Played: 47 Wins: 19 Draws: 14 Losses: 14 For: 60 Against: 44 GD: 16 Last 6 Meetings: Queens Park Rangers 0 - 6 Arsenal (FA Cup) Queens Park Rangers 1 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal 3 - 0 Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers 1 - 0 Arsenal Arsenal 1 - 3 Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers 1 - 1 Arsenal please log in to view this image Mangers Views: Wenger on QPR and Robin's record: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
This is it. Also we can't have this thread as a sticky because that does not link to the QPR board. Anyway its something new.
Cheers SuperJack, I'm sure we will try to be well behaved, unless provoked..... Just to reiterate, if you guys run at our CBs we will have trouble, you did well to get rid of Bothroyd early, but Traore will be a great left winger. Can't defend, but I blame Wenger for that. And if we turn up in the right mood we will be a better team than Wolves, so don't take it for granted....
It's always a bit of a mystery with Warnock. Ferdinand I think is injured. Wright Phillips may be too, or may have been rested at Swansea. Frankly we have a pretty thin squad (until the window opens....) so not much choice. For R's fans the question will be whether Taarabt starts - should do as he is at last hitting some form, and I fancy him to find some space against you. We are just praying RVP is rested or tweaks a hamstring in the warm up....
RVP needs 3 goals for the record of most goals in a year, and with the way his year has gone it will just be RVP to score 3 and beat the record on the last day of the year.
Seriously, I was shocked on Tuesday. Found out that the Welsh do have someone useful apart from Ramsey.
Did not mention him in the match thread, but I do like Alejandro FaurlÃn. Was impressed when QPR played City. Another player to watch out for.
This will be a goalfest as both sides like to play open attacking football but aren't the best defensively. Having said that only City and Swansea have let in fewer goals at home than Arsenal Arsenal are better at home but QPR have had their best results on the road so who knows. Either way I am hoping for a QPR win
My favourite, but not all R's fans. He's having a good season, attracting a bit of attention, irritates some by dwelling on the ball and not moving it forward enough. But for me a proper footballer, good in the tackle, usually safe in distribution.
