Arsenal v Wigan Preview

Arsenal v Wigan, Tuesday 14th May, 7.45pm, Emirates Stadium, Premier League


Premier League

1. Man Utd 88pts
2. Man City 75pts
3. Chelsea 72pts
4. Spurs 69pts
5. Arsenal 67pts
6. Everton 63pts
-----------------
16. Villa 40pts
17. Sunderland 39pts
18. Wigan 35pts

Arsenal looking for Champions League, Wigan seek survival

By around 9.30pm on Tuesday evening, the ongoing sagas at the top and the bottom of the Premier League will appear a lot clearer. Wigan head to the Emirates Stadium knowing that anything other than a victory will, in all likeliness, see them relegated to the Championship after an eight-year stay in the top-flight. Should Roberto Martínez's side earn a point against Arsenal, there would still, mathematically, be a chance of the Latics avoiding the drop, though this would require a huge swing in goal difference with Sunderland on the final day. Similarly, Arsène Wenger knows that failure to win this game will result in ultimate disappointment - and Europa League football - with Spurs heavily backed to beat Sunderland on Sunday.

Wigan, who won their first every trophy - the FA Cup - against Manchester City on the weekend, visit Wenger's men in high spirits, despite a likely relegation.


Match Facts

* Wigan have conceded the first goal 23 times this season and won twice by beating Reading at Home and WBA away.

* Wigan away have not scored between the 16th and 30th minute away from home in the league this season, but have not conceded between the 31st minute-45th minute either.

* Arsenal have won 10 of their last 14 league games, keeping 6 clean sheets and losing just 1.

* Arsenal have lost just 1 of their last 11 home league games (against Man City), but have only kept 3 clean sheets.


Team News

Arsenal

Gibbs & Fabiański are back in the squad after injury. Giroud (suspension) & Diaby (knee) are still unavailable.

Wigan

Stam (ankle), Beausejour (hamstring), Figueroa (groin), Pollitt (thigh), Ramis (knee) & Crusat (knee) are all out.

Hope to see this team tomorrow (or Podolski for Rosicky)


Bench: Fabianski; Vermaelen, Monreal; Wilshere, Coquelin; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski

Anyone but Podolski/Walcott upfront

Arsenal need the 3 points. Wigan need the 3 points. This is just a game which will be decided on the classic case of, who-wants-it-more...

Or maybe just by Mike Dean,

urbaNRoots wrote:Hope to see this team tomorrow (or Podolski for Rosicky)

Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs
Arteta Ramsey
Walcott Rosicky Cazorla
Gervais

Bench: Fabianski; Vermaelen, Monreal; Wilshere, Coquelin; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski

Anyone but Podolski/Walcott upfront

nice preview.. i will also drop Podolski seeing his game in the last 2 matches..
we need to attack more and create matches.. 2 must win matches.. and dont think what we are doing now by scoring one somehow and defending to win will work out always.. a red card or defensive lapse can be the end of it.. so i need to see the free chance creating open Arsenal game right from the first half.. not the toothless first half followed by a fight in the late second half...
i would even like to drop Santi for starting Wilshere.. Cazorla has been poor in the last few months bar a few occasions against lower league teams with poor defences..
Walcot / Gervais whoever Wenger decides for CF.. if Walcott is CF, it opens a place for the OX at RW... Rosicky?Ramsey may play as false winger with Jack as CAM..
i am really nervous...

Great Job Sam as always.

I like the line up Sam, we need all 3 points. All the teams above us have been unbelievably lucky and I hope we get some luck also.

We control our own density, win both games and qualify for Cl and if we cant we should not be there.

Come on Arsenal make us all proud and send Spuds to where they belong.

Nice preview!


Nervous about the game but it's the one we should be winning. With like 10 days to rest, we should be firing at all cylinders. Specially after Wigan's final on saturday and they should be pretty tired. We need to take advantage.

Also, please no tiki taka after going 1-0 up. We need to score as many as we can because if somehow, by a miracle Chelsea lose to Everton. We can go 3rd with a better GD.

I would play Gervinho upfront but Podolski will probably start. Rest of the team should be the Same team as against QPR

We must put the pressure back on Spuds, big win would be nice.

Having our destiny in our own hands is something we have fought all season for. Let's not feck it up!

yeah.. after 10 days rest.. i expect us to come and show the energy and desire.. attack and press hard in 1st half and go for the second goal...

After 10 days rest, I expect us to put up another uninspiring and insipid display. Last home game, ffs.

Probably last home game for Sagna

urbaNRoots wrote:Probably last home game for Sagna

Not sure.

Raptorgunner wrote:Great Job Sam as always.

I like the line up Sam, we need all 3 points. All the teams above us have been unbelievably lucky and I hope we get some luck also.

We control our own density, win both games and qualify for Cl and if we cant we should not be there.

Come on Arsenal make us all proud and send Spuds to where they belong.

Fulham game,

urbaNRoots wrote:Probably last home game for Sagna

Maybe even Wenger? Monaco?

Can't decide if i want Wigan to win or not

On one hand if they win there is a chance they could go past Sunderland on the final day and the scum go down.

On the other hand they go down and i get to laugh at that c*nt Whelan

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:
On the other hand they go down and i get to laugh at that c*nt Whelan

Choice is obvious right there.

#COYG

Wilson37 wrote:

only one game won while the others have eight at the very least

halamadrid2 wrote: only one game won while the others have eight at the very least

look at the goal difference.

lool

Dean is in the process of preserving his record. My god some of the fouls he ignored on arsenal were laughable compared to the ones he gave Wigan