Emirates Stadium, London
Sunday, May 24
10:00 a.m. EDT, 15:00 BST
- Match Officials
- Referee: Mark Clattenburg
- Assistants: Simon Beck and Andrew Garratt
- 4th Official: Stuart Attwell
- Reverse Fixture: West Brom 0 - 1 Arsenal
- This Match, Last Year: Arsenal 1 - 0 West Brom
- All-Time in All Competitions: 67 Arsenal wins, 36 West Brom wins, 31 draws
- Arsenal's Current Form: W-D-W-L-D-D
- West Brom's Current Form: L-W-D-W-D-W
So, how about third, then?
All of a sudden, Arsenal can't score goals, which is pretty bad a week before a cup final. That said, even just a draw locks up third place for Arsenal. For Manchester United to pip Arsenal for third, United would have to win Sunday at Hull, Arsenal would have to lose to West Brom, and the goal swing between the two matches would have to be at least seven. Sports Club Stats says the odds that happens is 3.16% which seems shockingly high to me. Of course, we're Arsenal, why make anything easy?
In honor of Arsenal's struggles in finishing lately, I'm going to imitate their proficiency in front of goal in each section of this week's preview, by kinda just trailing off into light-colored text. I'll bet this doesn't work properly in all browsers, ruining the joke for some......
Arsenal Squad News
Out: I have no idea yet.
Doubts: Welbeck (knee,) Debuchy (hamstring,) Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin,) Arteta (match fitness)
Arsenal still, as far as I know, have the same group of guys out injured. The question is, are any of them going to be available again for this match? Since I don't have the answer to that question yet, I've had to throw them all into the "doubts" category, which also means this might be one of the first times I've had an empty "out" category. I mean, I guess Abou Diaby is out. Now that I've said that, he'll start, or something.
The only other question is one of rotation, with the FA Cup Final coming up a week from tomorrow (or, six days following this match.) Arsene Wenger may not want to risk a number of guys and it's painfully clear our attackers could use some revitalization in advance of such an important game. So I say we start Damien Martinez at striker and see what happens!
Predicted XI: Oooooooooooooo-spina!, and 10 other guys!......
Arsenal still, as far as I know, have the same group of guys out injured. The question is, are any of them going to be available again for this match? Since I don't have the answer to that question yet, I've had to throw them all into the "doubts" category, which also means this might be one of the first times I've had an empty "out" category. I mean, I guess Abou Diaby is out. Now that I've said that, he'll start, or something.
The only other question is one of rotation, with the FA Cup Final coming up a week from tomorrow (or, six days following this match.) Arsene Wenger may not want to risk a number of guys and it's painfully clear our attackers could use some revitalization in advance of such an important game. So I say we start Damien Martinez at striker and see what happens!
Predicted XI: Oooooooooooooo-spina!, and 10 other guys!......
West Brom Squad News
Out: Foster (knee)
Lately, West Brom's only injured player has been goalkeeper Ben Foster, who suffered knee ligament damage against Stoke in March. The injury required surgery and Foster is expected to remain out until at least October. Boaz Myhill has been deputizing between the poles.
As such, I would not be surprised if Tony Pulis named an unchanged XI from the side that beat Chelsea 3-0 on Monday, which was hilarious until it sank in how well the Baggies have been playing lately......
Predicted XI: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott, Yacob, Morrison, Fletcher, Brunt, McManaman, Berahino.
Current Form
Since a 1-0 win at Burnley that, at the time, extended Arsenal's winning streak to eight, the Gunners have just one 90-minute win from their last six, plus an extra time win over Reading. They've drawn three and lost one in that time period and they haven't scored a goal at the Emirates since the 4-1 win over Liverpool on April 4. That was seven weeks ago. At least the FA Cup Final isn't at the Emirates.
It's not like West Brom have been conceding goals in bunches; the Baggies are unbeaten in five, conceding just once in their last 450 minutes of football. That goal was against Newcastle, which doesn't make much sense considering their tailspin, and they did benefit from facing a Chelsea side that clearly didn't care anymore, but they took advantage of that to the fullest and won 3-0. They handed United a 1-0 loss at Old Trafford a few weeks back as well, meaning Tony Pulis's side can finish no worse than 13th in the table, but if Palace lose, they can climb to 12th......
Since a 1-0 win at Burnley that, at the time, extended Arsenal's winning streak to eight, the Gunners have just one 90-minute win from their last six, plus an extra time win over Reading. They've drawn three and lost one in that time period and they haven't scored a goal at the Emirates since the 4-1 win over Liverpool on April 4. That was seven weeks ago. At least the FA Cup Final isn't at the Emirates.
It's not like West Brom have been conceding goals in bunches; the Baggies are unbeaten in five, conceding just once in their last 450 minutes of football. That goal was against Newcastle, which doesn't make much sense considering their tailspin, and they did benefit from facing a Chelsea side that clearly didn't care anymore, but they took advantage of that to the fullest and won 3-0. They handed United a 1-0 loss at Old Trafford a few weeks back as well, meaning Tony Pulis's side can finish no worse than 13th in the table, but if Palace lose, they can climb to 12th......
Match Facts
Arsenal have won six of their last seven league meetings against West Brom and the Gunners are unbeaten in their last eight league games against the Baggies. In the reverse fixture, Danny Welbeck scored a header on the hour mark as Arsenal won 1-0. Arsenal also won this match last year by a 1-0 scoreline; played in the season's penultimate weekend, Olivier Giroud scored the game's only goal in the 14th minute. The rest of the match was, ultimately, a boring little kickabout.
Arsenal and West Brom, of course, last met in the season's final game three years ago, as Arsenal came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 to lock up another season of Champions League football at Tottenham's expense, because 6th place Chelsea won the Champions League final......
Arsenal have won six of their last seven league meetings against West Brom and the Gunners are unbeaten in their last eight league games against the Baggies. In the reverse fixture, Danny Welbeck scored a header on the hour mark as Arsenal won 1-0. Arsenal also won this match last year by a 1-0 scoreline; played in the season's penultimate weekend, Olivier Giroud scored the game's only goal in the 14th minute. The rest of the match was, ultimately, a boring little kickabout.
Arsenal and West Brom, of course, last met in the season's final game three years ago, as Arsenal came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 to lock up another season of Champions League football at Tottenham's expense, because 6th place Chelsea won the Champions League final......
The Referee
The referee is County Durham-based Mark Clattenburg. Many believed Clatts was in line to take charge of the FA Cup Final this season, but some political drama within the FA along with the fact that Arsenal's opponent ended up being Aston Villa instead of Liverpool meant that the appointment went to Jonathan Moss. So, Clatts will have to wait another year, at least. You may recall that I was shocked Clattenburg didn't get last year's final, too.
Arsenal have, over the course of history, had a decent record with Clattenburg as referee, but they've only seen him twice this year: the 2-2 draw with Manchester City in September and the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in February. West Brom have seen Clattenburg three times: a 2-2 draw with Palace in October, a 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Boxing Day, and a 2-1 FA Cup win over Birmingham City, which is technically considered a derby.
Clattenburg has had a number of highs and lows this year; he worked the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Barcelona last week, but earlier in the season, he was suspended for a week for two breaches of protocol, where he left his crew to go to a concert, but more egregiously called manager Neil Warnock after the match......
The referee is County Durham-based Mark Clattenburg. Many believed Clatts was in line to take charge of the FA Cup Final this season, but some political drama within the FA along with the fact that Arsenal's opponent ended up being Aston Villa instead of Liverpool meant that the appointment went to Jonathan Moss. So, Clatts will have to wait another year, at least. You may recall that I was shocked Clattenburg didn't get last year's final, too.
Arsenal have, over the course of history, had a decent record with Clattenburg as referee, but they've only seen him twice this year: the 2-2 draw with Manchester City in September and the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in February. West Brom have seen Clattenburg three times: a 2-2 draw with Palace in October, a 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Boxing Day, and a 2-1 FA Cup win over Birmingham City, which is technically considered a derby.
Clattenburg has had a number of highs and lows this year; he worked the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Barcelona last week, but earlier in the season, he was suspended for a week for two breaches of protocol, where he left his crew to go to a concert, but more egregiously called manager Neil Warnock after the match......
Around the League
- Sunday: Aston Villa v. Burnley; Villa Park, Birmingham......
- Sunday: Chelsea v. Sunderland; Stamford Bridge, London......
- Sunday: Crystal Palace v. Swansea City; Selhurst Park, London......
- Sunday: Everton v. Tottenham Hotspur; Goodison Park, Liverpool......
- Sunday: Hull City v. Manchester United; KC Stadium, Kingston upon Hull......
- Sunday: Leicester City v. Queens Park Rangers; King Power Stadium, Leicester......
- Sunday: Manchester City v. Southampton; Etihad Stadium, Manchester......
- Sunday: Newcastle United v. West Ham United; St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne......
- Sunday: Stoke City v. Liverpool; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent......
John Painting is a contributing writer to the Modern Gooner and also a ghost!...... You can follow him on Twitter @zorrocat, which is something something I already made that ghost joke before......
