please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal take on Queens Park Rangers at the Emirates this Saturday and the game is shaping up to be a crucial one in Arsenal’s season. After losing their previous two games, the Gunners need a win to try and build some much needed confidence. Their latest defat came against Schalke 04 at the Emirates and it was the first time the Gunners have lost to a foreign opposition at the Emirates. Arsenal never looked like scoring and all of their confidence and verve has disappeared while in defence, it’s same old, same old. Since returning from the international break, the Arsenal players have looked nothing like the team that won so easily at Anfield and took a point away to the Champions. A defeat against QPR will really leave them rocking and with the trip to Old Trafford looming, the Gunners have to get a win this Saturday. QPR have yet to win a league game this season, but before Arsenal faced Norwich, they had also not won a league game. QPR’s away form in the Premier League has been abysmal. Last season, they only managed to win three away games all season and this season they have lost three of their four away games. Everything points to an Arsenal win, but with the way the Gunners have playing, QPR could not meet them at a better time. QPR managed to get a point in their last league game and in doing so they halted a run of three straight defeats. Mark Hughes is under some serious pressure to get QPR out of the relegation places because he unlike many other managers in the Premier League, has had the financial backing from his chairman. Last season, Robin Van Persie scored the winner in this fixture and without him Arsenal are struggling upfront. They keep swapping from Gervinho to Giroud and both are clearly nowhere near the class of Van Persie. This is Arsenal’s third London derby of the season and it’s could prove to be a very crucial one. QPR were one of the busiest teams in the summer transfer window and they invested in ten new players. So it was safe to say, that they had a revamp of sorts. One of the more eye catching transfers was the purchase of Esteban Granero from Real Madrid. Granero was a very good squad player for Madrid and his technical ability in midfield was not in question, but how he will settle in the Premier League was? He was linked to some of the bigger clubs In England but in the end joined QPR. And so far he has shown his quality. He was their best player against Everton last week and has the sort of passing and midfield intelligence that will give the Gunners problems. He can dictate the midfield if he is given the time and space. Not many would have expected to see Julio Cesar playing for QPR a few years back but in the summer he did indeed join them and against Chelsea this season, he showed that he can still produce top class performances. But against Everton last week, he displayed why he is no longer a world class keeper. On his day he can halt Arsenal on his own, but hopefully Saturday will not be that day for the Gunners. Arsenal fans have come to hate the sight of Park Ji-Sung in recent times, the South Korean seems to love playing against the Gunners and he has scored some vital goals against them when he played for Manchester United. His work rate is immense but his quality has been on the decline and it was not a huge surprise that Alex Ferguson let him leave United in the summer. Bobby Zamora should lead the line for QPR and he is also a player that has given Arsenal plenty of problems in the past. Only last season, he created havoc against them when playing for two different teams. His physical approach has unsettled the Arsenal defence and Mark Hughes will want more of the same from his big centre-forward. As well as Zamora, QPR have plenty of forwards at their club. With the likes of Djibril Cisse, Jamie Mackie and Andy Johnson, QPR should not be short of goals but they have been. So far this season, they have scored seven goals in eight games and that is simply not good enough. But they will be playing against an Arsenal defence that has failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous nine games in all competitions. Adel Taarabt scored against Arsenal when these two teams last met and he is a player who has provided some of QPR’s best moments this season. Taarabt has the talent to hurt Arsenal and the former Tottenham man will love to do that. One QPR player that really did catch the eye when Arsenal last played QPR, was Samba Diakité. He scored the winner against the Gunners at Loftus Road and put in a match winning performance in the heart of the midfield. A powerful player who has the energy and skill give Arsenal’s midfield a tough time. Arsenal’s midfield has slowly but surely started to lose control and in their previous two games they failed to create a single decent chance for the forward line. Abou Diaby’s absence is being keenly felt as Arsenal have simply not looked the same team they were at the start of season without the big Frenchmen. Therefore, Jack Wilshere’s return will be warmly welcomed by the Arsenal faithful and he is very close to a return to first team action. Wilshere last played for the Arsenal first team in July 2011. His return will be a major boost but this is still a player that needs time to find his form, under the current climate, he may not get that. Santi Cazorla has been Arsenal’s best player this season and his influence in this current team is a massive one. If Cazorla plays well, then it seems so do Arsenal. The pressure on him to be the creator is immense and the opposition have started to put much more focus on him and how to stop him. Both Norwich and Schalke limited Cazorla’s influence and as a result, Arsenal simply could not create. QPR will surely look to do the same and it’s up to the other Arsenal players to take up some responsibility and deliver for the team if Cazorla can’t. Bacary Sagna makes his return to the Arsenal squad and his experience and quality will be needed but right back has hardly been a problem for the Gunners this season. In the last two games, left back has, so the absence of Kieran Gibbs will be a blow to the Arsenal team. Wenger has to decide on whether he wants to stick with Andre Santos or move Thomas Vermaelen to left back and bring back Laurent Koscielny back into the heart of the defence. Arsenal’s forward line has been a huge worry for the Arsenal fans and the recent performances of Gervinho and Giroud have made it worse. Gervinho looked lost in the CF role against Schalke and Giroud has still not earned a regular spot in the first team. With Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain injured, the Gunners have lack pace in their team and therefore have not been able to get in behind the opposition, their returns will also be greatly welcomed. Arsenal go into this game against QPR in a terrible state so Wenger will have to work his magic to turn this around. The fans have become restless and getting a win here will just calm things down, let’s hope the players finally deliver a performance that the Arsenal fans have been waiting for. Team 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: 49 Wins: 20 Draws: 14 Losses: 15 For: 62 Against: 46 GD: 16 Last 6 Meetings: Queens Park Rangers 2 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal 1 - 0 Queens Park Rangers 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 please log in to view this image Managers Views: Arsene Wenger on the defeat to Schalke and on bouncing back against QPR: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
I wouldnt worry to much as you will be back on the road with 3pts on saturday. In fact you must be lipping your lips at playing us as we have 3pts (all draws) out of the last possible 51 pts on the road in the last year. We are simply pathetic away from Loftus Road results wise. The key to us staying up again this year is turning you over later in the season at Loftus Road as we did with yourselves last season along with Spuds and Liverpool. We are starting to look good at home and im sure it wont be long before we start putting 3pts on the board on a regular basis.
I'm thinking of an adventurous team for this game, after 2 horrible displays people need to be dropped. Mannone Jenkinson Mertesacker Koscielny Coquelin Arteta(c) Wilshere Arshavin Gnabry Podolski Cazorla Verm needs to be dropped, Ramsey needs to be dropped, Santos needs to be dropped, Giroud needs to be dropped, Gerv needs to be dropped from a tall building.
No, we need to do what Fergie does, if the captain has a bad game he gets dropped. Verm has been poor for a couple of weeks, so benching him would be a good move.
Jenks would play LB & Coq RB. Can't see Wenger changing much though. Santos should be dropped. I'd play: Mannone Sagna Merts Kos Jenks Arteta Coquelin Arshavin Gnabry Pod Cazorla
move Jenks to RB, Put Coq as LB (he's versatile enough to play there), Frimpong as DM (allow Arteta more midfield freedom)
SJW the team you've picked is absolutely perfect, but if Wenger picks that team I'd be amazed. Arshavin linking up with Cazorla could be the creative pairing we need to get some goals finally!
Team News: Only Sagna returns to the squad. So still no AOC,Walcott or Gibbs. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20014281?
This is the perfect game for us to get back on track. I think the team will be really focused tomorrow, they know what's at stake and the expectation that's on them. I think this would be a good game to include Wilshere, Frimpong and Sagna in at some stage.
Looking at the training pics, it looks like Walcott is back in training but there is no mention about him being ready for this game. We have missed his pace and his impact from off the bench.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/oct/26/arsenal-santi-cazorla-spain Brilliant article on Cazorla.
This has become a massive game for us now - and there's no better way to get our season back on track. A win today could see us climb into the top four and would be a massive boost of confidence and feel good factor COME ON YOU GUNNERS
