English Premier
2010-04-03 - Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wander
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : England : Premier League
Saturday, 3rd April 2010 - Kickoff 3pm
Arsenal
Arsenal showed some real grit and determination in forcing a 2-2 with Barcelona on Wednesday night, especially considering they were 0-2 down. For much of that game, Arsenal were outplayed and the bigger concern for Arsene Wenger will be the number of injuries suffered by his side as we get to the crucial end of season.
The Gunners have done really well to hang on to the coattails of both Manchester United and Chelsea this season, although they dropped points last weekend to fall 4 points off the leaders. I am sure many of their fans are now praying for a 0-0 draw in the early kick off between United and Chelsea but they need to win their remaining 6 games to have a chance of winning this trophy now I feel. Arsenal are 13-1-2 at the Emirates Stadium this season, scoring 43 goals and conceding 15.
The draw against Barcelona extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to 8 games in all competitions but they now have 2 consecutive draws after winning their previous 6 games. The Gunners had won 5 in a row at the Emirates before the draw in midweek since they lost to Manchester United at home.
The big news coming out of the Emirates is the fact that Cesc Fabregas is going to miss the rest of the season as well as William Gallas after Wednesday night. Andrey Arshavin is also out for the next 2-3 weeks and so Theo Walcott may be getting an extended run in the side.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers have really turned the screw on the teams below them with some excellent performances of late that has the locals believing that they can survive in the top flight. Mick McCarthy knows his side still have work to do with 6 games left this season but I think they will be good enough to survive.
Wolves saw themselves move up another League spot after results last weekend and they are now 14th in the Premier League. They have performed admirably on their travels so far this season, compiling a 4-4-8 record, scoring 18 goals and conceding 30 in those games. Many Wolves fans should be proud that their side have as many away points this season as Liverpool and more wins than any other side in the bottom half of the table.
It is these wins that have helped Wolves move up the rankings in recent weeks, with vital wins at both Burnley and West Ham United being registered. They are now unbeaten in their last 4 Premier League games and have picked up a handy 8 points from those games. Wolves have not lost in their last 3 away from home and have managed to score in 5 of their last 6 away Premier League games.
There are no new injury concerns for Mick McCarthy to worry about.
Head to Head
This will be Wolves' first visit to the Emirates Stadium and they have not played in North London against Arsenal since the 2003/04 season. On that occasion, Arsenal won 3-0.
The 2 sides met earlier this season at Molineax and Arsenal ran out easy 1-4 winners.
Prediction
Arsenal could find themselves right back in the title mix come 5pm on Saturday afternoon if results go their way, but the season looks to be ending with a series of unfortunate injuries to key players.
The loss of Fabregas for the remaining 6 games of the season seriously dents their chances of winning the title in my opinion although they have showed the heart for a battle after Wednesday night.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been performing like a solid Premier League side in recent weeks and will feel confident that they can survive this season. There is still only 5 points between them and the relegation zone so they wont be taking their eye off the prize just yet.
There is a danger that the Arsenal players will be looking ahead to their trip to Barcelona on Tuesday night and that might put a bit of complacency into their game, especially if the result from the earlier game is not a good one for them. Arsenal always seem to score against these sides in the bottom half of the table but the odds on them winning is too short for me.
I am going to recommend playing both sides to score here. Wolves could punish any lapses in concentration and I would be surprised if Arsenal failed to find the net. At odds against, it has to be worth a shot.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
