Football News: Premier League Match Preview Sunday 11th March 2018
Image from: dndmarta.blogspot
Sunday 11th March 2018
Arsenal v Watford 1:30pm kick off
Bellerin (knee injury) out
Monreal (back injury) doubt
Lacazette (knee injury expected return 1st April) out
Cazorla (plantaris injury) out
Chambers (knock) slight doubt
Kolasinac (ankle injury) doubt
Three league defeats in a row has left the Gunners in a kind of league limbo, little chance of being overtaken but even less chance of moving up any places. There is little left for the Arsenal team to aim at other than the Europa League. Will Arsene Wenger look to save players for the European games? Or will he go all out to look for revenge after Watford's comments about Arsenal's soft underbelly when they turned the Gooners over at their own ground?
Most important player: Aaron Ramsey. Another player with a contract running down, keeping him focused on the game could be a problem.
Holebas (ankle injury) slight doubt
Femenia (illness) slight doubt
Deulofeu (fractured foot) out
Sinclair (muscle injury) out
Kabasele (hamstring injury) doubt
Cleverley (hamstring injury) out
Wague (hamstring injury) out
Kaboul (fractured metatarsal) out
Chalobah (knee injury) out
Cathcart (knee injury expected return 31st March) out
Hoban (ACL injury) out
Watford looked to have pulled themselves into safety with three wins in their last four games, which has left them sat in the top half of the table. The arrival of Javi Gracia seems to have been the catalyst for improved performances, though you have to wonder how long he will be given before the ownership look to a fresh face to lead the club. It seems like the Hornets change their manager every summer, regardless of how well they have done during the season.
Most important player: Troy Deeney. The club captain has been revitalised by Gracia, even scoring goals. Arsenal are likely to target him following his comments after the previous match between the two sides.
Defining Battle: we all know Arsenal do not like it up 'em so to speak, Watford are fully aware of that and exploited it earlier in the season as they beat them. It is likely to be the same again, lots of aggression and players in the faces of the Arsenal team, trying to unsettle them. Can the Gunners, for once, handle that kind of treatment?
Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 3-0
Ed003 - 4-0
Ed004 - 1-2
Ed007 - 2-0
Ed018 - 2-2
Ed025 - 1-0
Ed033 - 2-1
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 4pm kick off
Fraser (back injury) late fitness test
Ibe (hamstring injury) late fitness test
Pugh (calf strain expected 17th March) major doubt
Mings (back injury) out
Their form has taken a knock of late, after a good run they have now gone three games without a win and slipped a little bit back down the table. However they do look to have enough to stay in the Premier League this season, as it looks like less than 40 points will be needed. They do need to tighten up a lot at the back if they are to move the club forwards, as they concede far too many goals, both home and away.
Most important player: Callum Wilson. Top scorer with just seven goals, that is simply not good enough at this stage of the season.
Dier (elbow injury) late fitness test
Alderweireld (hamstring injury expected return 1st April) out
Spurs are once more back up and running in the Prem, though they did suffer a devastating defeat in the Champions League, which could have knocked them out of their stride. They are in the middle of a run of eleven games without defeat, but their away form is not as good as their home form. They have put themselves in the fight for second place, unless the Juventus result really has knocked the stuffing out of them, they will fancy their chances of going to Bournemouth and taking the game to them.
Most important player: Harry Kane. Who else?
Defining Battle: the Cherries struggle against teams like Spurs that press them. Similar to Arsenal, they do not like teams getting in their faces and taking the game to them. That is the way Spurs play best, they press, they harry and they force mistakes.
Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 0-1
Ed003 - 1-3
Ed004 - 1-1
Ed007 - 1-1
Ed018 - 1-1
Ed025 - 1-1
Ed033 - 0-2
Editor's Predictions Table
1. Ed025 - 184 points
2. Ed002 - 183 points
3. Ed033 - 181 points
4. Ed007 - 177 points
5. Ed018 - 176 points
6. Ed004 - 173 points
7. Ed003 - 167 points
*1 point is awarded for the correct result, 3 points for the correct score.
**updated 9th March 2018 (not including results for that day)
Written by Tris Burke March 11 2018 05:44:21