Arsenal Vs Aston Villa
23rd February 15:00 BST
Emirates Stadium
Referee: Martin Atkinson


The Final Chapter

Arsenal host 17th placed Aston villa on Saturday which will initiate the final chapter of the season for the gunners. We are nearly into march and with 12 games to go, it really is what you say the crucial period of the season. Although just like the last few seasons, there is not much to say regarding the cup competitions but a lot to say about the league competition, specially the CL qualification positions which we are aiming for at the moment. I am not forgetting the 2nd leg of the CL R16 against Bayern but i am sure you all would agree that 90% we are out of it and the clever thing at the moment would be to focus on the league games rather than the CL. It would be naive to think we can overcome a very bad 1st leg scoreline and a forever optimist like me won't argue this time against that statement either.

Therefore back to where we were. Our next 12 games just like last year are crucial and that goes without saying. Losing isn't an option anymore but with our inconsistent performances i don't think it is easy to say that despite what everyone says. Yes we did indeed overcome a 13 points deficit last year but that was with a player who won us games on his own and against teams who are now far better than they were last year. It really isn't going to be easy this time. The final chapter isn't written yet, it's blank. But the content in it will depend on us. We can end this miserable season with a slightly high note but it all depends on what we do.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa are struggling atm. It's there for everyone to see however one must not forget that they beat Liverpool at Anfield along with City at the Etihad. I must be saying this for the 100th time but if we show an ounce of complacency, we will lose this. Aston villa are looking for a point or more, they are desperate and when teams are deperate they give their all. Exactly what we should be doing as well even though we have different motives but tomorrows game will be difficult and will get more difficult minute by minute. The best thing to do will be to score early, that should solve a lot of potential problems however as we have seen in the past, Arsenal don't really start the game till the 2nd half which is annoying since we could have turned defeats and draws into wins if we had shown the same consistency in the 1st halves as the 2nd. In any case, a routine easy win would be appreciated as it will raise the morale of the fans and the players but like i said in the previous paragraph, it all depends on us.

Team News

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna is out with a knee problem suffered during Tuesday's defeat by Bayern Munich. Kieran Gibbs remains sidelined by a thigh injury but fellow left-back Nacho Monreal returns after being cup-tied in midweek.

Aston Villa pair Gabriel Agbonlahor and Karim El Ahmadi are available after missing the victory over West Ham through illness. Charles N'Zogbia has overcome a thigh problem suffered in that match.

Probable Arsenal Team

---------------------------------------Szczesny-------------------------------------------------------

Jenkinson----------------------Mertesacker--------------Vermaelen--------------------------Monreal

-----------------------------------Arteta---------------Diaby----------------------------------------

Walcott---------------------------------------Wilshere----------------------------------------Podolski

---------------------------------------------Giroud---------------------------------------------------

I have a feeling Diaby will start but not sure for who. Arsene can drop Arteta and play Cazorla or drop Cazorla.

Probable Aston Villa team

------------------------------------------------Guzan---------------------------------------------------

Lowton-------------------------Vlaar-------------------------Clark-------------------------Bennet------

--------------------------Delph------------Westwood---------------Ireland------------------------------

----------------Weimann--------------------------------------------------------Agbonlahor---------------

----------------------------------------------Benteke----------------------------------------------------


Match Facts ( BBC )

Head-to-head

• Arsenal have lost only two of their last 28 league meetings with Aston Villa (W17, D9, L2).
  
• Villa have twice won at Arsenal in their last four league trips. However, they are the Gunners' only home defeats in this fixture in the last 26 meetings.

Arsenal

• Arsenal have lost their last two matches at home in all competitions. They last lost three successive home matches in 2002.
  
• The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 13 league matches played in the month of February since a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in 2010.
  
• They would be top of the league if only the second half of matches counted. Seventeen of their last 21 league goals have been scored after the interval.
  
• Arsene Wenger's side have dropped just four points from winning positions - a record bettered only by Swansea.
  
• There have been a league-high 51 goals at the Emirates Stadium this season (an average of 3.9 per game).
  
• Theo Walcott has equalled his highest tally of assists in a single Premier League season (eight - the same as 2011-12). He has already scored a career-high seasonal tally in all competitions (18) and in the Premier League (11).

Aston Villa

• Aston Villa ended an eight-match winless streak with victory over West Ham last time out.
  
• They have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 league matches, conceding 27 goals during that period.
  
• Paul Lambert's side have only gained two points from losing positions - the worst record in the division.
  
• Seventy percent of the league goals they have conceded (35 of 50) have come in the second half of matches.
  
• Christian Benteke has scored in each of Villa's last four Premier League matches, equalling the club record previously set by Dion Dublin (2003) and Gabriel Agbonlahor (2008 & 2009).
  
• Villa's next three fixtures after this one are Manchester City (h), Reading (a) and QPR (h).

Final Words

As long as we score and not concede we will win lol

Dat formation format....

No left wing on either side

We have only come to see Benteke

I would start Koscielny over Mertesacker because of his form. We should win this easy but it is Arsenal and anything can happen.

Great preview as always RG

djoe26 wrote:I would start Koscielny over Mertesacker because of his form. We should win this easy but it is Arsenal and anything can happen.

Great preview as always Sam!

lets not

Arsenal will play every single remaining games like a cup final, not because we're fighters but we like to handicap ourselves against lesser sides.

I would love to see Rozza start alongside wilshere.

Jenkinson Koscielny Vermaelen Monreal
............Wilshere...........Arteta...............
Walcott..............Rosicky............Podolski
........................Giroud...........................

Subs: Mannone, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Diaby, Ramsey, Cazorla, AOC

Omg!

Nice work RG. Will make the live thread now too.

I only just saw this preview, was out last night

Rosicky starting according to @GeoffArsenal

Great Job RG.

Not much really to say but to WIN BIG. The whole World is watching us, the players have to show up, and no more stupid mistakes.

RealGunner wrote:As long as we score and not concede we will win lol

But seriously,hoping for an easy win this time around, there weren't many in the last few months.