Arsenal Vs Norwich

Arsenal Vs Norwich
Emirates Stadium
Saturday 13th April 15:00 BST Kick off
Referee: Mike Jones


Slow and Steady

I won't lie, i gave up our chances of Top 4 after the tottenham defeat. I am still skeptic because there is no way Arsenal will ever achieve something without trolling the Arsenal fans. However in the past few weeks, the glimmer of hope has extended and evolved into a bright shining light. Not ignoring that we are still 5th, but the positive news is that we are only 2 points away from 3rd and with 7 games to go, i think as long as we keep on performing the way we have, we can achieve 4th if not 3rd itself. Hate being pessimistic but i still think 3rd might be a bit too much, considering we have a tendency to crumble in matches we should be winning. Like Norwich at home last year if you all remember that 3-3 match. Funnily enough, it was around the same time we faced them last year and with the infamous 1-0 defeat earlier this year, i think it's safe to say we have to 1) avoid last year's complacency 2) avoid this year's complacency. We are heading towards the right direction, and without having to go into Chelsea's tough fixture and Tottenham's poor results, i would say that we won't have a better chance than now to grab as many points as we can and keep on moving, slow and steady.

Norwich.

There is something about this team that i don't like. They have that Middlesborough aura about them, or hull city. A team we should be beating but can't. However with them having a relatively poor season compared to last and being down at 14th, i really hope we can beat them comfortably since we have a very difficult match against Everton on Wednesday. This game should be made as easy as it can be and if we can go through the 90 minutes without breaking a sweat(while winning), nothing would be better than that. Norwich's key players this season have been Snodgrass and Bennet, both excellent with crosses and decent passers. With no Mertesacker, we might face few problems on set pieces and corners but if we defend as well as we have been. It should be ok.

Team News

Arsenal pair Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott are set to return from the respective ankle and pelvic injuries they suffered last month. Defender Per Mertesacker is suspended, while Tomas Rosicky is a doubt with a hamstring problem.

Norwich goalkeeper Mark Bunn (groin) could miss out, with Lee Camp ready to deputise in the continued absence of first-choice John Ruddy. Anthony Pilkington should be available again after a hamstring injury.

Probable Arsenal Team

---------------------------------------------------------Fabianski-------------------------------------------------------------

Sagna-------------------------------Koscielny------------------------------Vermaelen-----------------------------Monreal

--------------------------------------------Arteta--------------------Ramsey-----------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------Cazorla-------------------------------------------------------------

Gervinho-----------------------------------------------------Giroud-------------------------------------------------Podolski


Probable Norwich Team

-------------------------------------------------------------Bunn----------------------------------------------------------

Martin--------------------------------------Turner----------------------Bassong----------------------------------Garrido---

Bennet--------------------------------Howson---------------------------Johnson-----------------------------Snodgrass

-------------------------------------------------Hoolahan----------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------Holt-------------------------------------------------

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Norwich beat Arsenal for the first time in 10 attempts last October when Grant Holt's goal gave the home side their first league victory of the season. They have never won this fixture home and away in the same season.
  
• Arsenal are unbeaten at home in this fixture since a 4-2 defeat at Highbury on the first day of the Premier League in August 1992.

Arsenal

• The Gunners have won six of their last seven league matches, a record matched only by Manchester United.
  
• Arsenal are yet to lose a Premier League game in which they have taken the lead this season (W16, D2). They have only dropped four points from winning positions.
  
• Arsene Wenger's side have the best second-half record in the Premier League, outscoring their opponents on 17 occasions and only being outscored twice.
  
• There have been more Premier League goals scored at Emirates Stadium than any other ground this season (59: 39 for Arsenal, 20 for the visitors).
  
• Gervinho has scored two goals and assisted three in his last three league appearances.

Norwich

• Norwich are winless in their last five league matches, and have only managed one victory in their last 15 (W1, D7, L7).
  
• The Canaries have won one of their last 18 away matches in the league. They have earned just two points from their last seven away games, scoring three goals and conceding 15 during that run.
  
• Only Stoke and QPR have scored fewer goals this season than Norwich (30).
  
• Grant Holt has only scored once in his last 14 league and cup appearances, and twice in his last 23 games since netting the winner against Arsenal in October's reverse fixture.
  
• Norwich's remaining fixtures are: Reading (h), Stoke (a), Aston Villa (h), West Brom (h), Manchester City (a).

Final Words

Please don't mess this up Arsenal

Nice preview..
true that fixtures wont go easy as in paper.. Norwich will probably come here and defend to frustrate us.. they have less chance of scoring unless we make individual defensive mistakes.. and players like Holt are always a threat from set pieces.. as our record shows, an early goal for Arsenal should make things easy.. but i have a feeling that they will frustrate us and in the end we will score to get all 3 points..
i will go with the same lineup and will not take risk on Jack.. we need him fresh and fully fit next match.. Walcott can play as sub.. or if Podolski is not fit play Gervais on left and Walcott on right.. no worries over midfield as Arteta and Ramsey are doing an excllent job..

The trio of Holt, Hoolahan and Snodgrass scare me

Great preview RG.

You said it the best.

Please don't mess this up Arsenal

Nice work RG. Will have the live thread up around Noon as normal.

I know what you mean about Norwich, they do have that 'Hull' or 'Boro' feel about them at times. Our display against them at Carrow Road this season was, in my opinion, our worst of the season. There have been a few contenders, but that was shocking. I seem to recall us having our first shot on target in injury time. Our squad was badly stretched at the time though I seem to remember, Gnabry came on I think.

They will look to play on the counter I'd suspect, and they have a giant up top in Kamara, and a very physical midfield in Johnson and Howson. We'll need to be up for this. Having said that, they've won 1 in 17 or something crazy like that.

A win takes us to 3rd, that's all the motivation we should need.

RealGunner wrote:Probable Arsenal Team

---------------------------------------------------------Fabianski-------------------------------------------------------------

Sagna-------------------------------Koscielny------------------------------Mertesacker-----------------------------Monreal

--------------------------------------------Arteta--------------------Ramsey-----------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------Cazorla-------------------------------------------------------------

Gervinho-----------------------------------------------------Giroud-------------------------------------------------Podolski

Merteswagger is suspended, and I think at least one of Wilshere and Walcott will probably start, but this team should win.

RealGunner wrote:Please don't mess this up Arsenal

oh crap i was supposed to write Vermaelen

I have to work tomorrow, hate waiting at work for the game to start, tried to book it off but no one will switch with me.
I like to just wake up few min before kickoff and start watching the game.

My lineup.

---------------------Fabianski

Sagna------------Kosh-----Vermaelen---------Monreal

-----------Ramsey-------Arteta

Gervinho------------Santi---------------------Podolski

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

Great work RG

given what bad times they have given us i hope we trash them just like we did to Bburn last season

hopefully we will press them and see majority of possession so dont even allow them chances on the break maybe going with to wide players to stretch the play as norwich will will defend narrowly in 2 banks of 4
attacking quality of our full backs will be tested which can pin back their wide players so they become less of threat as they start in deeper positions

COYG

Wilshere starting apparently

What's up with rumors regarding Podolski? hate this bullshit papers, always causing problem for us.