English Premier
2013-05-04 - Queens Park Rangers vs Arsenal
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 4 May 2013 - Kick Off 5:30pm
This game is live on TV
Queens Park Rangers
There are ways of being unsuccessful- there are those that will try and fight until the bitter end, and those that will give up and disappear with a whimper.
Unfortunately for fans of Queens Park Rangers, it is the latter that their side have displayed more often than not and Harry Redknapp's arrival sparked almost no change in the atmosphere at the club. Now the management team are preparing for life in the Championship and there seems to be a lot of sourness around Loftus Road at the moment.
The only concern for Queens Park Rangers to end this season is to make sure they don't finish at the bottom of the Premier League. At the moment, they are 19th in the table courtesy of a better goal difference compared with Reading. Rangers have really struggled at home all season and they have a 2-8-7 record here while scoring just 12 goals and conceding 25.
Since beating Sunderland 3-1 at Loftus Road and looking like they have a fighting chance to avoid the drop, Queens Park Rangers have failed to win any of their last 6 Premier League games and have fallen to defeat in 4 of those fixtures. QPR were beaten 0-2 by Stoke City in their last home game, although they have only lost 2 of their last 7 here in the League.
Chris Samba and Andros Townsend both missed the draw at Reading last week which confirmed relegation, but both could be available this weekend.
Arsenal
With three games left to play, Arsenal certainly can't afford to drop points against a team that has already been relegated if they are to finish in the top four and a place in the Champions League for next season. With both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur having a game in hand, Arsenal need to pick up results in each of their final three games if they are to achieve their goals this season.
It is entirely possible that Arsenal could be 5th in the Premier League by the time they kick off on Saturday afternoon, but they are currently 4th in the Premier League with a 2 point advantage over Spurs. They have an 8-5-4 away record in the League this season, scoring 23 goals and conceding 14 in those games.
A 2-1 defeat to Spurs at White Hart Lane looked to be very damaging for Arsenal a couple of months ago, but they have recovered to go on an 8 game unbeaten run coming into this one. They have won 4 straight away games in all competitions, while winning 4 of their last 5 games away from home in the Premier League.
Olivier Giroud is still suspended, but there are no new injury worries after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last weekend.
Head to Head
Arsenal scored a late goal to beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 earlier this season.
Last season, QPR beat Arsenal 2-1 here as they fought to stave off relegation and they have now lost just 1 of their last 7 at Loftus Road against the Gunners.
Prediction
It was a little hard to watch the Queens Park Rangers laughing and smiling as their relegation was confirmed last weekend and that lack of hurt is why they are in this position. It is hard to see how they will get themselves up for playing this weekend, although the prospect of a London derby will at least get the fans to gee up the team.
Unfortunately, I don't think they have the desired level to really knock Arsenal off course, particularly if the latter play like they did in the first half against Manchester United last Sunday.
Arsenal have been winning plenty of away games recently and I like them to win this one fairly comfortably.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Queens Park Rangers 0-3 Arsenal
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
I'll back Arsenal -1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.35
