While Arsenal are currently struggling to cope with a number of injury problems, although it looks like we will soon be back to something like full strength, our next opponents in the Premier League will have just their keeper Ben Foster unavailable to Tony Pulis.
Having said that, the difference in the two clubs on current form as well as general quality makes Arsenal big favourites to come away from the Hawthorns with all three points. Arsene Wenger has spoken about what to expect on Saturday and he focused on us matching the work rate, organisation and desire that a Tony Pulis team almost always produces.
But I feel there is another more tactical issue for the Gunners to focus on, or at least for the back five and Francis Coquelin to have in mind, and that is their strike force. The two main men to watch for West Brom are Salomon Rondon and Saido Berahino and while they are both good players in their own right, it is the different things they bring to the table that could cause the Gunners defence a problem.
Rondon is a big powerful centre forward with hold up skills and aerial ability while Berahino is fast and has some fancy footwork. Whether it is Koscielny or Gabriel alongside Mertesacker, it will be important for them to work together and make sure that the German does not get isolated against the pace of Berahino and that he does pick up Rondon from set pieces or crosses.
I am not saying they will be too much for our defenders, just that we really need to be switched on because you know what will happen if West Brom take the lead don´t you? A big old stripey bus will be rolled out.
Rondon and berahino are tricky pacey players, so in my opinion it would be wise to start gabriel along koscielny instead of big mert because of his lack of pace, could be found wanting against the pacey duo!
It will be Gabriel and the BFG.
Wenger wants to give Koscielny a rest to get over the Paris attacks,