What Arsenal Need: Everyone concerned with Arsenal are desparate for a win today, from the groundsman, through the coaching staff to the millions of fans spread across the world. It's been a really tough time to be an Arsenal fan over the last few months with little to shout about apart from the awesome win against AC Milan. More than anyone though, Wenger will be desparate to put what he described as the worst week of his Arsenal career behind him. The players will be up for chasing Chelsea down for second place, so all concerned should be 100% focussed.
Things To Watch Out For: I want to see effort today. I want them to play like their life depends on it, not like they're going through the motions, trying not to get hurt before this summers European Championships.
Hopes For The Match: I hope they get the result they deserve today and by that I mean if they have two thirds of the possession and ten shots on goal... they win. Too often in the last few months Arsenal haven't got what they deserved.
So I hope we see the wingers (or should I say players playing out of position on the wing) getting crosses in from the byline. I hope we see the full backs overlapping and doing the same. I hope we defend with a high intensity a al Flamini rather than having the defensive midfielder sitting passively in front of the back four. And finally I hope they take a decent percentage of their chance in front of goal. If we convert one chance in four we could score three or four today.
Team Selection: I think Wenger needs to juggle the team a little bit. With Gilberto sure to leave in the summer some would say that Wenger should play him as a courtesy and a thank you. Whilst others would say that football never stands still and that Song or Diaby deserve a chance to start in the centre of midfield in Flamini's absence.
I believe that Eboue is a right back and not a winger and the stats support my argument. He hardly ever crosses the ball when he plays as a winger and the majority of his passes are backwards to the right back. I would put Kolo back where he is comfortable in the centre of defence and play Eboue as a right back.
By moving Eboue back into defence it leaves a deserved starting berth for Walcott on the right wing. This is the kind of game he should start. If he doesn't start today and Diaby starts in front of him, he should feel rightly aggrieved. Wenger needs to use these last four matches to give the youngsters that deserve playing time, the minutes they deserve.
| My team selection for this game: van Persie, Adebayor Hleb, Gilberto, Fabregas, Walcott Clichy, Gallas, Toure, Eboue Lehmann Subs: Fabianski, Senderos, Diaby, Song, Bendtner |
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Unavailable: Almunia, Rosicky, Eduardo, Hoyte, Flamini, Sagna
Other issues: I feel that Arsenal's total lack of proper wingers has let them down this year. Walcott is a striker, even Wenger has said so. Diaby is only a slightly better left winger than Heskey was, but looks equally uncomfortable on the left flank. Hleb and Rosicky are both central attacking midfielders. There is no real width in the first team squad. Arsenal need to buy two wingers this summer and yes I know Vela can play on the wing but he is actually a striker.
Prediction: Arsenal 3 Reading 0
