Goonersphere's match preview page covering all first team matches. Previews include up to date injury lists, match facts, interesting stats, opposition analysis, head to head records as well as line-up and score predictions.
Jon writes weekend match previews for Goonersphere but you can catch his excellent regular blogging on http://woolwich1886.blogspot.com
Midweek matches are written by Goonersphere collaborators. Please get in touch if you would be interested in writing midweek match previews.
We return from what seems like the 625th international break so far this season looking bigger and stronger than we would usually from an international break, with an even shorter injury list and the prospect of seeing Cazorla and Ozil in the same team together. We left for the break after a hard fought draw at The Hawthorns against a resilient West Brom side; hopefully Saturday’s visit of The Canaries will make for easier viewing.
On the back of an impressive 8 victories in a row, Arsenal now faces arguably the toughest test they have faced so far this season. Aside from the loss to Aston Villa Arsenal have won every game including S**** at home and Fenerbahce away, now it’s time to take on the in-form men from Wales, at a ground where they’ve had their problems in recent seasons. Facing Swansea at the Liberty Stadium is one of the toughest fixtures of the season and it makes it even harder when you are missing attacking options such as Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski and Chamberlain. So far Arsenal have dealt with the injuries quite well, but will we be about to see some tired legs kick in, in what would be Arsenal’s 10th match in 6 weeks?
A great first half display on Saturday, followed by a survival test in the second half, which we came through unscathed with all 3 points in the North East against Sunderland. We now travel to the south of France to take on former European Champions Olympique Marseille, looking to kick off our Champions League campaign with a vital 3 points.
After seeing off Fenerbahce in the qualifying stages to get to the group stages of the Champions League we face Marseille who didn’t have the hassle as they finished 2nd in Ligue 1 last season and therefore qualified automatically. After finishing some 12 points behind PSG in the league last season and the arrival of AS Monac-oil, Marseille have had to do some smart business this summer if they are to keep up their title challenge for this season.
