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: (Will Be Updated) 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: (Will Be Updated) My Team: please log in to view this image
SuperJack, why not put this on the QPR board too for a bit of banter? For the record, if you get at our centre of defence, could be a cricket score. You did well to rid of Bothroyd early, but Traore will be a great left winger, can't defend but than how many top class defenders has Wenger brought through? ..... And who knows we may just turn up in the right mood, so don't take it for granted. Looking forward to my first trip to the Emirates and a few beers with my Gooner mates. You R'ssss! Enjoy
Our Match Threads are just normally on our board but I think it would nice to try something new. QPR board seems to have to have a lot of members compared to the likes of Wolves,Villa and so on.
We have had some really good threads, with minimal WUMIng, with the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland, Man City and Swansea. If it gets silly, just close it down.
Me neither! I have posted on our board that there is a match thread here - hope that doesn't upset anyone.......
