Arsenal will be looking to extend their six point advantage (with a game in hand) over their north London rivals to all but secure a Champions League spot.
While aspirations may be higher this season, this should be seen as a bare minimum. After Spurs’ recent losses to Norwich, Benfica and trouncing by Chelsea, now could be the perfect time to play the scum from down the road.
I know what they say, “form doesn’t matter when it comes to derbies” blah blah blah, but realistically Arsenal should be looking to secure three points for the first time at this ground since 2007.
At the back
Despite sensational performances against Bayern Munich and Everton, Lukasz Fabianski is set to be dropped back to the bench, in favour of the club’s number one choice Wojciech Szczesny.
It is a shame that after the most impressive string of performances during his Arsenal career, the elder pole is leaving at the end of the season when his contract runs out. It is hard to blame him for wanting to get some playing time at this stage in his career though.
The only other expected defensive change will be at left back. Talking of left backs in his press conference, the manager said “Monreal is definitely available, Gibbs we are not sure”. Either one would be looking to send the club captain back to the bench despite his adequate performances when he was forced to fill in at full back.
Mesut Ozil -so important the £42m man deserves his own subtitle
After an impressive (but not impressive enough) draw to Munich, Mesut Ozil’s second minute hamstring injury means that he will be out for this game. When the manager was asked about the injury to the German international, he said that it would be a “minimum of three weeks” and a “maximum of six”. Wenger clearly did not want to give a precise return date to the club’s record signing, but when he was badgered into giving one, he responded “let’s say four weeks”.
It is a shame after his brilliant performance against Everton he looked as though he had recaptured some of the brilliant form from earlier in the season, that he had appeared to be lacking for a few games.
Ozil is now unlikely to play in the FA cup semi-final, along with matches against Manchester City and Chelsea that are all pivotal to the season.
Rest of the midfield
While this was supposed to be the game in which Aaron Ramsey returned to action, the Welshman will not be available. The manager said of the matter: “our worry at the moment is that Ramsey takes longer than expected, he had a first set back and now is slower than first planned”, and when asked about an expected return “when will he be back, I believe two more weeks”.
One return this week is that of Swedish midfielder Kim Kardashian Kallstrom, who is set to be available for the first time since signing in January. Let’s just hope the loanee’s performance can make up for the absence of: Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil & Theo Walcott… no pressure.
Up top
With Niklas Bendtner making more headlines off the field than on, his Arsenal career appears to be over, with Wenger saying “look he is at the end of a contract at the end of the season” when asked if it was the final straw for the Dane.
Wenger also confirmed that Bendtner had absolutely no permission from anybody inside the club about being in Copenhagen, and will subsequently face a fine. See ya later Nicky
The club’s only other eligible back up striker is now Yaya Sanogo. This is what Wenger had to say of the under-20 World Cup winner; “Sanogo could be alright, he had a test {on Thursday} that was positive, he should be alright”. Sanogo’s only starts for the club have been against Liverpool, an FA cup Quarter Final and against Bayern Munich. Despite the important nature of all of these starts, Olivier Giroud is still expected to start on Sunday.
Expected line-up
Szczesny,Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal; Arteta, Chamberlain Cazorla, Rosicky, Podolski; Giroud
After the recent loss to Stoke, Arsenal will be looking to dive back into the Premier League in winning ways.
Let’s just hope that life-long Arsenal fan Tim Sherwood can do us a favour.
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Comments
The fm has a poor record against Mu and Chelsea.These two teams always flood the md and hit on the break and have repeatedly embarrassed the gunners yet Wenger still went kami kaze on the attack leaving ahdl.
I won't be surprised if he loses to Spurs if he doesn't bother about the defence.
Awesome to see Poldi getting a start! Must be tough being an attacking midfielder in Arsenal, so much competition...
Wenger constantly gets bagged. He is an absolute managerial genius. So we haven't won a trophy in 9yrs, atleast we are still consistently in the top four and competing in all competitions. It's pretty hard to compete with oil money, bottomless pits of resources and players. Better to be in our position than Liverpool's over the last decade. Like Rodgers recently said, once you lose out to 4th place it's incredibly difficult to get it back.
People call themselves fans, yet bag the team and the staff whenever something goes wrong. No loyalty.
Imho,if Arsenal were to end up with the FA cup and no cl soccer,the worst scenario,Wenger shd go.Btw,don think Wigan will be easy meat. Having beaten MC,I think they will know how to beat the gunners.
He has been given given time and again to improve things and has failed to do. In Jan if he had followed up with the purchase of a striker,Arsenal will not be in fourt,.
I don't know .He is too focussed on the future with every wonder kid that he chose to ignore the present when Arsenal had such agood chance of winning the epl.Of course the gunners may still win the epl but it will be a long short.
If he wants to go to Barcelona. Let him go. There he won't have the luxury of time.