Reading v Arsenal preview: Win, move on?

Details: Written by Barnaby Merrill; Published: Sunday, 16 December 2012 17:23

After so many poor results and awful performances, Arsenal are currently in that zombie-like state of trudging towards January, keeping in touch with the rest of the pack and hoping for reinforcements come then.

Tomorrow's game against Reading is one such game that Arsenal need to produce enough of a performance to win and then leave, and move onto the next game. It should be straightforward, but we know with Arsenal that's never the case.

Team news

Arsenal welcome back Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny to the squad, otherwise they are unchanged from the squad that visited Bradford. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to replace Gervinho in the lineup, while Giroud may replace Aaron Ramsey.

Reading can again call on Jason Roberts and Pavel Pogrebnyak in attack, while it is unknown if Danny Guthrie will play after his refusal to travel to Sunderland midweek.

Return to the Madesjki

Arsenal have already travelled to Reading this season, for the incredible 7-5 victory in the League Cup. However, the team will likely be totally different to the one that played out that game, and lost to Bradford last time out.

The Gunners can at least point to their record of winning every game against Reading they have ever played, including a 4-0 win at the Madesjki in 2006.

Key players

There aren't so much key players for Arsenal as a need for them to play as well as they can play. They are a lot better than they've given the impression of lately, and need to assert their dominance over Reading.

Jason Roberts is a wily old fox, and Pavel Pogbrebnyak can punish weakness in the air. Other than that their team is rather average, with an especially leaky defence being responsible for their position propping up the Premier League table.

Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla need to make the difference in midfield, and Thomas Vermaelen needs to lead from the back.

Olivier Giroud hasn't scored since the Spurs game, or even had a sniff. That needs to change, so his surrounding wingers need to give him service.

Other than that, Arsenal simply have to play a bit like Arsenal can play.

Tomas Rosicky has looked magical since returning, and perhaps he will play a part.

Reading have lost their last five games and will be up for it. Arsenal need to be up for it too.

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Comments

-1 #2 khaesar 2012-12-17 18:49

however good or bad the game is the hands of a team coach. Wenger could not compete with the modern football and it affects a few bad games this year, which resulted in empty title. however arsenal is not a small team which is sad as the other team is always striving to avoid relegation, the arsenal is a great team that has a name in the world, with huge assets, many fans around the world, and the arsenal also did little to pay transfer in recent years. much more competitive squad arsenal Wenger unfortunately only poor in giving tactics, also less able to increase mentality of players, and also did not want to risk buying a sloppy player, but players like that are typical of the mentality of steel players. Wenger obtaining and maintaining the ability of good players but often injured, it's very harmful. despite it all arsenal boards are also guilty of not understanding the football, and how could not love arsenal,and let arsenal with such deplorable conditions. thanks for his memory was invincible and all of Wenger, but I have to say .. Wenger's time away from the arsenal. do or do nothing .. in order to achieve success we have to go through the misery. so enough misery and we have to recruit a new coach next season, and hopefully not pep, because it will make the game very boring. somehow also a football team without a title is not a football team ..

+1 #1 Peltonboy 2012-12-16 23:11

So no Theo then! Looks like he has played his last game for Arsenal. Most surprised our Board don't think he is worth £80k a week, yet Sir Alex (who knows nothing about football) is more than happy to pay him £100k+

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