please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal take on Reading at the Emirates this Saturday afternoon as they seek to build on the two positive results they achieved before the International break. In their last league game, the Gunners earned a hard fought win against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, and in doing so, they cut the gap on Tottenham Hotspurs, after they surprisingly lost to Fulham on the same weekend. So the current gap between Arsenal and Spurs stands at four points, and the Gunners also have a game in hand. Spurs are the team that are currently sitting in fourth place, and like last season, the battle for those Champions League places could go down to the wire. Reading have changed manager’s since their last league game, which was an away defeat to Manchester United. Reading owner, Anton Zingarevich sacked Brian McDermott, who had lost his last five league games. Nigel Adkins was the man that Zingarevich turned to and Adkins is certainly an impressive enough manager. His work with Southampton was excellent and he was doing a fine with the Saints before he got unfairly sacked earlier in the year. Although, last time Nigel Adkins visited the Emirates, he saw his team on the wrong end of a 6-1 hammering. Arsenal have played Reading eleven times in all competitions, and have won all eleven. So Reading have the weight of history against them on Saturday. The two teams have already met twice this season, and the game in the League Cup was a game, that will live long in the memory. Reading raced to a four goal lead in the fourth round of the League Cup, and they looked set to claim their first ever win over the Gunners. But Arsenal staged one of the most remarkable comebacks you are going to see you will ever see, and in the end they beat Reading by seven goals to five. The league game between the two sides was also full of goals. Arsenal were in complete control for most of the game and took the lead through Lukas Podolski after he got on the end of a Kieran Gibbs cross. After that, it was the Santi Cazorla show, as the Spaniard tore Reading to pieces with his brilliance. He created one and scored three, to claim his first hat-trick for his new club. So the Gunners have already scored twelve goals against Reading this season, and that should give them great confidence going into the game against the Royals this Saturday afternoon. Reading have only won one away game all season, and that is one of the reasons why they are cut adrift in the battle to stay up. Adam Le Fondre is the man that has got the goals for Reading this season, and he has ten league goals to his name this season. But he seems to be more of threat when coming off the bench. Arsenal are still without star midfielder, Jack Wilshere as Arsene Wenger gives the Englishmen another two weeks off. Abou Diaby has been ruled out for the season, after he picked up a knee injury in training and while that is not a massive blow, it’s still a concern that Arsenal are running out of options in midfield. Aaron Ramsey is expected to take Diaby’s place in the team. Theo Walcott picked up a groin injury while on international duty and Walcott having already scored four goals against Reading this season, would have be hugely disappointed to have missed out on chance to have another go at that Reading defence. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain started against Swansea and he is the man that is expected to start on that right hand side. In their wins over Bayern Munich and Swansea, Arsenal showed a new defensive organisation and that would have pleased every Arsenal fan. It showed that Arsenal had learned from their abject display against Tottenham and worked on their defence. Thomas Vermaelen and Wojciech Szczęsny were dropped for the games against Bayern and Swansea as Arsene Wenger turned to Laurent Koscielny and Lukasz Fabianski and they did not let him down. Koscielny in particular was excellent and he has earned his place in the team. With nine league games to go, Arsenal can’t afford to make more mistakes and they have to look to push on and overtake the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea if they want to claim a place in the Champions League. It would be easy for the Arsenal to take the game against Reading for granted but as they have shown against Bradford and Blackburn, this Arsenal team can beaten by any team if they are not fully focused. The two previous games Reading have been full goals, and the Arsenal defence looked terrible in those games, but if the Gunners can defend like they did against Swansea and Bayern, then it’s only going to be a matter of time before Arsenal breach a Reading that has yet to keep clean sheet away from home this season. Team News: (To 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: Reading: Played: 11 Wins: 11 Draws: 0 Losses: 0 For: 33 Against: 11 GD: 22 Last 6 Meetings: Reading 2 - 5 Arsenal Reading 5 - 7 Arsenal (AET) (League Cup) Arsenal 2 - 0 Reading Reading 1 - 3 Arsenal Arsenal 2 - 1 Reading Reading 0 - 4 Arsenal please log in to view this image Manager's Views: (To Be Updated) My Team: please log in to view this image
Was very tempted to pick Rosicky instead of Ramsey, but feared that it might leave our defence exposed with too many attack minded players in the midfield.
For those going to the game,Red Action are organising a tribute to David Rocastle beginning at 15-07 and carrying on for 7minutes.This will involve chanting his name etc. http://www.redaction.org.uk/
I remember the anniversary of his death back at Highbury against Spurs, his name was being sung pretty much right through the game
Rocastle always played well against us...he used to annoy the **** out me!!!! It's cool that he is still remembered so affectionately by everyone (including spurs fans)
I reckon we may get caught out by the new manager syndrome. I know every available stat is in our favour (believe me, i checked, that's what having the flu on a friday night does to you) but i think Reading could be up for this.
Despite his recent poor form, I think Walcott will be a big miss for this game. He has scored four goals against Reading this season, and his pace scares the **** out of their defence. Need AOC or possibly Gervinho to try and offer that sort of threat going in behind their defence, that Walcott offered in the two previous games against Reading this season.
[video=youtube;rY_0qc8N67g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY_0qc8N67g[/video] [video=youtube;puy-06zX0RQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puy-06zX0RQ[/video] Our two previous games against Reading this season, only the nineteen goals between both sides in those games.
C O ME O N A R S E N A L! I'm bed-ridden with a particularly potent batch of man-flu so a confident performance and win would go down a treat.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Rosicky, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Gervinho, Giroud No idea why Ox isn't starting, and no Jenkinson either. So we're back to Wenger playing favourites.
Dropping Jenkinson is beyond stupid. He was excellent in those two previous games and Sagna just walks back into the team despite being **** for most of the season .
Jenkinson (if we had a sensible manager) would now be our 1st choice RB, he's easily earnt it, and as you say, Sagna's been a bit crap this season.
Gervinho looked pretty good in our last Prem game and even scored. He also came on against Bayern and nearly scored. Pod has flattered to deceive many times this season. You all moan when Wenger plays the same team week in, week out. Let's see how Gervinho does, it could be an inspired choice.
It's Reading, anyone would be an inspired choice. Wenger's lucky that today's opponents are so ****, he can actually **** up the team selection.
