English Premier
2012-05-05 - Arsenal vs Norwich City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 5 May 2012 - Kick Off 12:45pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
After a strong run of form in the Premier League, it seemed Arsenal were more than on course to finish 3rd in the table and earn an automatic place in the Champions League for the 2012/13 season. They would also be able to watch the Final of the competition this year knowing a Chelsea win would not mean anything to them, but all of a sudden things have become a little tight.
Arsenal may still have the now much coveted 3rd place, but wins for Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United during the week means those two sides are just a point behind the Gunners making their appearance in the Champions League for next season anything but a formality. The Gunners cannot afford to slip up here where they are 12-3-3 this season, scoring 36 goals and conceding 14.
When Arsenal picked up 27 points from a possible 30 in the League it did seem, as I said above, that their place in the top 4 was secure. However, they have only gained 2 points from the last 9 available as they have picked a bad time to begin stumbling. Arsenal have failed to win their last 2 home games in the League, drawing with Chelsea last time out after losing here to Wigan Athletic.
Theo Walcott looks set to remain on the sideline, while the likes of Per Mertesacker, Jack Wilshire and Mikel Arteta have been ruled out until next season.
Norwich City
Norwich City secured their Premier League status for at least another season some time ago now and there is the feeling that the side have come off the boil just slightly after a long season. It is no real surprise that this has happened considering a lot of these players were celebrating promotion from League One just a couple of years ago, although Paul Lambert will try and coax two more big efforts out of them.
The Canaries dropped to 14th in the Premier League table after Stoke City earned a 1-1 draw with Everton during the week, but their 43 points is an excellent return from 36 League games played. They have a 5-4-9 away record having scored 21 goals and conceded 33 in those games.
I believe the team have come off the boil considering their last 3 Premier League games- all of those have ended in defeats for Norwich, while they have scored 1 goals and conceded 11 in those games. They have won just 1 of their last 6 League games, while they have also lost 4 of their last 5 away games.
Daniel Ayala and Marc Tierney have been ruled out until next season. Grant Holt could return to the starting line up for this one having been rested against Liverpool last weekend.
Head to Head
Arsenal recovered from a one goal deficit to beat Norwich City 1-2 at Carrow Road earlier this season.
This will actually be Norwich's first trip to the Emirates Stadium having last played Arsenal away from home in the 2004/05 season, the final year Highbury was still in use.
Arsenal have won their last 2 home games against Norwich by outscoring them 9-2.
Prediction
If Arsenal need any added motivation in not over-looking this game and thinking it will be an easy three points, it will come from the fact that Norwich City's last win in the League came in North London when they won at Tottenham Hotspur.
The pressure is on the home side to make sure they pick up the three points and keep clear of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. With Chelsea playing in the Champions League Final, there is the potential that the 4th placed team in the Premier League will only get a Europa League berth, making the race for 3rd that much more important.
Norwich have looked like a team that have not had a lot to play for recently and I think the home side will be too strong for them, but the prices are a bit of joke as they are factoring in the fact that Arsenal 'need' to win so they are short odds on to win, while the handicap looks a touch high and again looks very short.
The one element of the game that perhaps has been overlooked is the Arsenal defence have played a lot better at home recently, keeping clean sheets in 3 of their last 4 games here, while Norwich have failed to score in 3 of their last 5 away games.
With that in mind, I think the odds against quote that Arsenal win this game with a clean sheet to boot looks the best way to attack this game. It could be a lot closer than some may think, but the recent statistics show this could be the most profitable way to get on the game.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 2-0 Norwich City
