Analysis of Arsenal’s fixtures in April by SE
The Gunners have enjoyed a 100% win record across all competitions during March. They have defeated the likes of Everton, Queens Park Rangers, West Ham United and Newcastle United in the Barclays Premier League. Arsenal also registered a 2-0 win over AS Monaco in the 2nd leg of their Champions League R-16 tie and progressed to the semifinals of this season’s FA Cup after beating Manchester United in the quarterfinals at Old Trafford. Looking ahead to April, what are the fixtures awaiting a rampant Arsenal side that is playing arguably the best brand of football in the country at the moment?
April 4th: at home vs Liverpool
This clash at the Emirates will see two in-form sides in the Barclays Premier League pitted against each other. Liverpool slumped to their first defeat of this calendar year against Manchester United last weekend, and would be under immense pressure to achieve a positive result against 3rd placed Arsenal.
However, to add insult to injury, the Merseysiders could be without seven of the main players of their squad — Adam Lallana (groin injury), Steven Gerrard (3-match suspension), Martin Skrtel (also suspended), Dejan Lovren (abdominal wall injury), Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Simon Mignolet (all unspecified) — for the visit to North London. Wenger’s wizards, considering their current form, don’t need any favours from their opponents, but facing an injury-hit Liverpool side might make the job a little easier for Arsenal.
April 11th: away to Burnley
The crucial home game versus the Reds is followed by a tricky trip to Turf Moor to face relegation-threatened Burnley. The Clarets haven’t done too badly of late, and Sean Dyche’s men, with their willingness to work hard, could make things a bit difficult for Wenger’s side. Arsenal cannot afford to underestimate Burnley, who not so long ago defeated a lethargic Manchester City side at home, and need to emphasize on scoring that all-important first goal early on in the game.
April 18th: at Wembley vs Reading in the FA Cup
Arsenal’s FA Cup semifinal opponents are languishing in 19th place in the Championship and you have to think that the currently 3rd placed Premier League side might prove too strong for their lowly opponents. Arsenal, barring an unlikely implosion, should progress to the finals of this season’s FA Cup and have the chance to retain the crown they won last season.
April 26th: at home to Chelsea
Arsenal face a home clash against their London rivals, Chelsea, to round off the month of April. As a manager, Wenger has yet to defeat Jose Mourinho, having failed in his previous 12 attempts that have seen the French manager lose 7 and draw 5 of those games against his long term Portuguese adversary. However, you can’t help but think that Arsenal, if they continue in this rich vein of form and register a win over Liverpool at the beginning of next month, will be quite confident of facing the West Londoners who have not been at their best over the last couple of months.
Final Thought
The home games against Liverpool and Chelsea will dominate the thought processes of Arsenal players once April begins. They, however, can’t afford to take Burnley lightly, as it would be an unnecessary howler to commit. The semifinal clash against Reading at the Wembley Stadium should be an easy fixture for the North Londoners, who have been irrepressible during the month of March.
Suhith
So, basically no easy games.
Has any game ever been easy?
Couple of them spring to mind now but no, for us there is no easy walk.
Games only appear to be easy when the team plays with the right attitude. So far, our approach towards the big games seems to be positively changing. The right team selection, the right tactic and the right mindset: VICTORY.
I really want us to SPANK Maureen so hard!!! Victory over Chelsea is as good as a trophy to me.
Arsenal should play every game with immense focus. No taking teams for granted even if its languishing on the19th spot of the championship. Sterling.sturridge n mignolet will b avail for the game against us we can bet on that. Best way to play these games is let defenders defend n attackers attack. If I were wenger I wudnt let our 2 centerbacks (gaby n boss) and coquelin cross the halfway line. Most of our goals conceded hv bn thru counter attacks when everyone is in the opposition half includong Merts…
One thing about arsenal fans is they get too cocky when it comes to the smaller teams. You just tagged a team that got to the Semi Final of the FA Cup “easy to beat”. I think this is the kind of mentality our players also take into these games hence why we’ve been having upsets these past few seasons (Birmingham, Bradford, Blackburn, even Monaco comes to mind). I hope we don’t get carried away though.
positive: good injury situation so far. also, about a week between most games to recuporate.
we are on the up! COYG
fingers crossed: #nointernationalinjuries
No complacency please. let’s make it another 100 percent victory in April also. except for the Chelsea game. wish we could pull off a shocker to the Maureens. Liverpool 2-0 Burnley 1-2 reading 3-1 Chelsea 1-0… we can finish the season stronger
@galen
And ManU…
I really want us to beat every other team we face also. But these 2 are the main ones…
for the two big games @home I think Wenger should copi LVG style and play 3 at the back with Per, Kos , Gebreal
Coq , Ramsey
Ozil , Cazorla , Sanchez
welback , Girud
Coq will the ryt back at defence and Arsenal controling the midfiled will be vital.
welback and Sanchez pressing from upfront , Ozil and Cazorla can creat Chances’s from central .
I’m sure you’ve tried that on FIFA.
You play three at the back if you have people to press up high. If you want to do exactly this then you will have to exclude Ozil from a three at the back formation.
Admini, you people over there have written well. However, I want the boss and the Gunners to be steadfast and remain steadfast to avoid being sold on any injury claims by Liverpool FC. Didn’t the Irons and the Magpies of West Ham FC and Newcastle FC tailored an injury crisis rumours purportedly to have happened to their teams? And went ahead to make a strong selections on the day that gave the Gunners a hard game for their money? The Gunners would have been taken by surprise had they been complacent as a result of the sold injury crisis rumours. Therefore, the boss MUST start a HULTING AMBITION GUNNERS STARTS to halt any ambition the Merseysiders may be nursing to pick a Champions League qualifying ticket. The Gunners cannot afford to enhance Liverpool chance of qualifying for the CL at the cost of their winning the Barclays Premier League that is the offing this season.
Beat Chelsea 3-0 and draw all other games (Thumbs up)
Lose to Chelsea 5-0 but win all other games (Thumbs down)
Haywill mentality.
9 points plus a place in the final.
April is going to be a good month.
Since we’ve been on the up, lets keep the momentum by not taking any team lightly. If we only play with the same mentality and intensity just as when we played against Monaco away after losing at home, which is not unlike previous years at the same stage of CL, against Bayern last year and Dortmund before that, I believe this team can start another “Invincible” streak from this month onwards till next season. I’m really hoping the players can locked their thoughts towards this mentality always. I also feels that Arsene nor any of us fans to make the mistake of putting across any other thoughts of thinking that any team will be ‘easy’ just like we did towards Monaco. Let that be a huge lesson to us.
City played Burnley twice and didn’t win either.
Burnley beat City and drew the other match.
Burnley drew with Chelsea
So do not underestimate any team.
Call me a cynic, but the scousers pulling three players from the England squad is more likely to ensure they are ready for us, than because they’ve got major problems. I’m sure Sterling, Sturridge and possibly Lallana, will all make miraculous recoveries pre the 4/4.
Makes me laugh when you consider injury prone players like Gibbs, Walcott, even the Ox lately, always turn out for England even at the risk of missing games for us. Friendly internationals, are a fcuking pain.