Arsenal vs West Brom - Sunday 4 May 2014 | Emirates Stadium | K/o 1:30 - Sky Sports 1

OneEightSeven

Referee: Mike Jones.
Assistants: G Beswick, M Mullarkey.
Fourth Official: P Dowd.



MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Arsenal have lost just two of their last 15 Premier League meetings with West Brom, and they're unbeaten in the last six.
• The Gunners have found the net in all of their 15 Premier League clashes with the Baggies.

Arsenal

• Arsenal haven't lost at home in the league since the opening day of the season, with 12 wins and five draws from their last 17 matches.
• The Gunners have won three successive league games. This follows a run which saw them win just two of their previous nine.
• This weekend could see Arsenal guarantee a top-four finish for an 18th consecutive season. They last finished outside the top four in 1995-96.
• They have the second best record in the league against teams in the bottom half of the table. Out of their 18 matches they have won 15, drawn two and lost just once.
• Arsene Wenger's side have kept 15 clean sheets in the league. Only Chelsea, with 17, have kept more.

West Bromwich Albion

• West Brom haven't won back-to-back league matches since September, when they beat Sunderland 3-0 at home and then won 2-1 against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
• Eight of West Brom's last nine league goals have come before half-time.
• The Baggies are one of three Premier League clubs who are yet to receive a red card during this campaign. Aston Villa and Southampton are the other two.
• West Brom are unbeaten in all five league matches when Saido Berahino has scored this season, winning four of them. He scored his first goal since 1 January in the win over West Ham last weekend.

EuropeanSon

I backed Arsenal -2 here, but if we rest a few we mightn't manage that. A very comfortable win on the cards in any case, I think.

greendom

Game has become a bit of a dead rubber with W Brom virtually safe and 4th place secured for Arsenal.

Last home game of the season so I hope the boys put on a good show

bad2dabone

i hope he gives yaya a decent run and that yaya connects with the ball when he tries a shot. and it goes in.

Alfred Borden

Diaby and Kim in the double pivot :cool:

AdamD

I think Yaya deserves a start in a game like this, needs a goal too.

Mickeroo

Like I said yesterday i hope we field a strong squad and try and get 6 points from these last 2 games and I want to see Ramsey and Ozil add to their assist/goals tallies for the season. I think Yaya deserves a start though and Gnabry too.

I'm going to go for a 3 - 0 please Rachel.

Ardennes1944

Isn't the fact that this is an early game mean were destined to lose though?

WoollyRedHat

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Isn't the fact that this is an early game mean were destined to lose though?

No, Wenger has gotten all the clocks changed at the Emirates and surrounding areas and so will convince the players it's 3:30 instead of 1:30.

Brillant tactics from Wenger.

Ardennes1944

Best pro-active tactics Ive seen from him all year

klose

Oh wow diaby is actually fit for arsenal and on the bench.

brianregan09

Wheres Rambo Flamini is playing not him

Jaafa

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Isn't the fact that this is an early game mean were destined to lose though?

I never understood this. Why would the players play worse at early games? I mean isn't 12:30 or 1:30 plenty of time to be awake and alert? I've never heard this excuse for any other team. I just don't get it.

Team btw: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Arteta, Cazorla, Ozil, Podolski, Giroud

Bench: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Kallstrom, Rosicky, Diaby, Sanogo

Mickeroo

Jaafa wrote: »

I never understood this. Why would the players play worse at early games? I mean isn't 12:30 or 1:30 plenty of time to be awake and alert? I've never heard this excuse for any other team. I just don't get it.

It's just a joke, I think we all know the real reason those games were disasters was because of poor tactics and a severe lack of bottle. The Everton match was mid week and in the evening and the result was the same.

brianregan09

I'm pretty sure both times we played everton was on Super Sunday, Not mid week

cson

Bit insane that team; needless to be risking some of those starting.

Hope Diaby gets a run out at some stage and Sanogo can come on and score.

Just saw Scott Sinclair on WBA's bench there - City really is a wasteland for talent. You'd want to think very carefully about going there in terms of your career. I'm sure he's happy enough in terms of his wallet.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Goal from a set piece!

Mickeroo

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Goal from a set piece!

2 matches in a row!!

WoollyRedHat

Mickeroo wrote: »

2 matches in a row!!

Surely one of the signs of the apocalypse?

greendom

Great strength from Giroud for the goal - Dawson was all over him trying to hold him back

bad2dabone

That was a brilliant header, defender was hanging out of him. Powered on. Well done OG.

Mickeroo

We want you to stay!
we want you staaaay!
Bacary Sagna!
We want you to stay!

AdamD

cson

Must be doing alright... thread is only 2 pages long. :pac:

jonneymendoza

Come on arsenal

ronjo

cson wrote: »

Must be doing alright... thread is only 2 pages long. :pac:

Everyone too nervous to write

Wonda-Boy

DONT MENTION THE WAR!

greendom

Team looks half asleep out there. WAKE UP !!

wandatowell

Completely forgot about the early-ish kick off time.

A typical end-of-season nothing to play for affair I'm guessing.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

wandatowell wrote: »

Completely forgot about the early-ish kick off time.

A typical end-of-season nothing to play for affair I'm guessing.

Yep. But DIABY is on the bench

greendom

Good work from OG!

bad2dabone

Bring on the yaya

bad2dabone

Super Kim

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Kallstrom on now.

Would like Yaya and Diaby on too.

mike65

Arsenal asleep, watch West Brom nick a late equaliser.

upstairs for coffee

Loic Remy in the executive box watching the game according to the commentator.

Agueroooo

Is there anything more frustrating than watching a professional footballer fail to beat the first man when taking a corner.

kryogen

Agueroooo wrote: »

Is there anything more frustrating than watching a professional footballer fail to beat the first man when taking a corner.

Watching him do it again and again every week and still being the guy to take corners

greendom

Team really lacks zip without Ramsey

upstairs for coffee

Agueroooo wrote: »

Is there anything more frustrating than watching a professional footballer fail to beat the first man when taking a corner.

Short corners and then still failing to beat the first man. Fulham are criminal for this and the players have blamed the short run up they have at Craven Cottage

Agueroooo

kryogen wrote: »

Watching him do it again and again every week and still being the guy to take corners

Ohh yes I know all about that one

thankfully we look to have improved in that front.

mike65

Arsenal letting Brom back in this.

greendom

Really need a second to put this to bed.

bad2dabone

Good work again from olivier. Motm so far

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Really thought that was in

Agueroooo

My Oh My Mesut Ozil where have you gone.

Who is that imposter out there?

AdamD

Agueroooo wrote: »

My Oh My Mesut Ozil where have you gone.

Who is that imposter out there?

I can't. I really really can't.

bad2dabone

Really want a clean sheet here for woj to get the golden glove

mike65

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, you'd think they'd want to play a nice last game at home wouldn't you?

Agueroooo

AdamD wrote: »

I can't. I really really can't.

You lost me.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

bad2dabone wrote: »

Really want a clean sheet here for woj to get the golden glove

Cech not playing again today too.