After getting a deserved, if a bit underwhelming, point against a United team with nothing to play for, it is now time to go from one extreme to another and face the team that limped their way into relegation on Sunday.

While some of their performances this season made it look like the team is held together by nothing more than mutual interest in money, it would not surprise me if they stepped it up a notch for their last few games in the Premier League. Because they want to end the campaign with a bit of dignity and try to regain some respect for the club that is making them all millionaires? No. More for the fact that a large chunk of the team will be looking to secure a move away from club in the summer and see the last few games as an audition to get the attention of some of the top clubs.

Form going into the game

Arsenal have dropped points in 3 of their last 10 games, with the loss to Spurs, and draws to Everton and most recently United. All things considered 23 of 30 points isn’t a bad place to be in at the end of the season.

QPR on the other hand, have lost 6 of their last 10 games, winning 2 and drawing 2; drawing against the other two teams in the relegation zone and beating Southampton and Martin O'Neill's Sunderland. Relegation form if I have ever seen it.

They have only won twice at home all season, against Fulham and Sunderland. Arsenal still have the best away defence in the league, conceding just 14 goals from 17 outings, and scoring 23. QPR have played 17 times at home, scoring just 12 times and conceding 25 times. An Arsenal clean sheet is not off the table.

Goal Timings

My money is on an Arsenal goal in the last 15 minutes. Arsenal have been the team to score the last goal in the match 24 times, which is 69% of all games this season. Meanwhile QPR have only done so 10 times, a rate of 29% of their games. Also, Arsenal have scored 18 of their 66 goals in the period 75-90 minutes. That means 27% of Arsenal’s goals come from 17% of the time.
Compared to QPR, you can see that they have scored just 5 times in this period, of their 29 goals all season. That is 17% of their goals in 17% of the time.

Previous Meetings

The reverse fixture this season saw Arsenal come out on top after a late Mikel Arteta goal at a time when Arsenal were struggling for points.
Last season’s outing to Loftus Road ended in disappointment for Arsenal, with goals from Taarabt and Diakite getting his first ever for the club. At an incredibly similar situation for Arsenal last season, QPR managed to stop a good run of form for Arsenal when Champion’s League positions were looking tight.

Quiz

Nothing to do with the game specifically but a stat I came across earlier and thought I would whack it in for the hell of it, Arsenal have scored from 1.2% of corners all season, with 3 goals from 243 attempts. Comment if you can name the scorers/goals…

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