Tag: Arsenal

Can Arsenal Stay in Title Contention?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Arsenal are just about in the title race….just! They trail leaders Chelsea by eight points. Whilst that lead is far from insurmountable, it does look increasingly likely that Arsenal will drop more points than Chelsea between now and the climax of the season. Arsenal almost blew it at home to Burnley in their previous home fixture. It took a penalty seven minutes into stoppage time from Alexis Sanchez to rescue all three points for the Gunners.

This story has a familiar ring to it from previous seasons. Arsenal is simply too error-prone when it comes to dropping points in games where they shouldn’t.

Arsenal Can Close the Gap

On Tuesday, Arsenal entertains Watford on the same evening that leaders Chelsea travel to Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp has seen his Liverpool side suffer a dip in form since the start of the year but they are still tough to beat at home. This is a great chance for Arsenal to show their fans that they have what it takes to win the title.

The pundits and experts don’t rate Arsenal’s chances when it comes to winning the league. They let a huge opportunity slip last season when Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all had mediocre seasons by their standards. Yet Arsenal still couldn’t land the title, which is proving to be more and more elusive season by season. While the Gunners have been picking up points of late, their Achilles Heel is in defence.

Papering Over the Cracks

Arsenal came from three goals down to draw 3-3 away at Bournemouth which was a great fight back and showed tremendous spirit and grit. The main problem was that they were three goals down in the first place. Arsene Wenger will be serving a touchline ban after being punished for his outburst at the fourth official during their home game with Burnley.

That shouldn’t prevent Arsenal from taking the game to Watford who are resilient but nothing special. Arsenal can be backed at 1-4 with Stan James but there appears to be little value in those odds. Watford is a best-priced 14-1 with BetVictor while you can get 6-1 for the draw also with BetVictor.

Given that Arsenal is likely to score at home coupled with how dodgy they are in defence, the odds for both teams to score may prove better value. You can get even money with Stan James for both Arsenal and Watford to find the net. Having a bet on the correct score may also be a good choice. BetVictor offer odds of 9-1 on a 2-1 Arsenal victory and that bet may be worth a flutter as is the 13-1 on offer for a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal vs. Burnley: Will Wenger’s Men Prove Too Strong?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

If you’re a Burnley fan, or just a canny punter looking for a bargain bet, you may be prepping yourself for a tough match on Sunday. Heading to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is never fun for any team, so when you’re a relatively small club like Burnley, this sort of fixture is always going to be tough.

However, just before you hold your hands up in despair, it’s worth noting that Burnley’s record against the Gunners isn’t that bad. In fact, since the two clubs first locked horns in 1896, Burnley has won 38 games, drawn 21 and lost 48. The optimistic among you will have already spotted that these stats mean Burnley have come away with at least a point on more occasions than they haven’t.

Recent Results Mean More than History as a Whole

Now, it’s fair to say that most of the positive results were recorded a few years ago (quite a few in some cases) and in recent times the Clarets haven’t fared as well. In fact, the last five meetings between the two clubs have all gone Arsenal’s way. With this being the case, the question for all betting bods then becomes: can Burnley roll back the clock and produce a vintage performance on January 22, or will Arsenal reconfirm their modern superiority?

Before we answer that question, let’s take a quick look at the outright betting markets. As it stands, Arsenal will start the game as favourites according to Sun Bets. With the home side a commanding 2/11 and the visitors way out of town at 12/1, the odds would suggest this match is only going to go one way. However, despite the betting markets not favouring the northern side, Sean Dyche’s men are far from pushovers.

Burnley Have Pushed the Top Dogs on Numerous Occasions

Yes, Turf Moor has been something of a fortress and provided the majority of Burnley’s best performances this season, but the club’s away form hasn’t been terrible. In fact, over the last five games, Burnley has only lost twice to Tottenham away (2-1) and Manchester City away (2-1). Narrow losses to two of the top sides in the country on their home patches are nothing to be ashamed of.

Of course, prior form against top competition on the road doesn’t necessarily mean Dyche and his men can do the same against Arsenal. But, if we’re going to put our necks on the line, at least one goal for Burnley isn’t out of the question. Now, stopping the likes of Ozil and Giroud from scoring two or more won’t be easy, but the least we can expect is Burnley to bring the pressure.

Odds Favour Arsenal but there’s Value in Burnley

From a betting perspective, Paddy Power’s 4/9 on over 2.5 goals isn’t a bad shout, but Joey Barton to score anytime at 13/2 with Coral looks to be the value bet of the day. With a goal against Southampton in the side’s last Premier League outing, Barton proved that he’s not quite done with top flight football just yet.

Yes, there was a deflection on the free-kick, but his effort in the middle of the park throughout the game was impressive (especially at 34-years-old) and that could earn him an opportunity at the Emirates. However, if we accept Barton to score anytime as a punt with some value, then a “banker” bet for this match looks something like Arsenal to win 2-1. Sun Bets currently has that result priced at 17/2, while the similar (and possibly more likely) 2-0 is 11/2.

Overall, it’s hard to see passed Arsenal in this one. With a 4-0 win last time out against Swansea, Arsene Wenger’s men are certainly fighting hard for second place this season. This sort of form, combined with previous results and a clear gap in quality, should see Arsenal secure a comfortable win. The question, on this occasion, is by how many goals.

Big Sam Aiming to Topple Title Contenders Arsenal

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Crystal Palace will make the short trip across London to face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on New Year’s Day. And new manager Sam Allardyce will be looking to dent the Gunners title ambitions with his Palace charges aiming to move away from the relegation places.

Allardyce aiming for upset

Allardyce, who sensationally left his dream job as England manager in September after just 67 days and one match in charge, will be looking to build on the 1-1 draw his Palace team achieved in his first match in charge against Watford before the Christmas break.

However, it will be a tough ask against Arsene Wenger’s men who have lost only once at home this season, back in August against Liverpool in their season-opener. Six wins and two draws since that defeat for the Gunners will do little to encourage Palace supporters that their team can topple their hosts after five matches without a win on the road.

Yet, encouraging signs were visible against Watford at Vicarage Road in Big Sam’s first match after replacing Alan Pardew at the helm. And the former Bolton, Newcastle and Sunderland boss will concentrate primarily on addressing Palace’s leaky defence which has already conceded 20 goals in just nine away games this season.

Arsenal overwhelming favourites for victory

With Arsenal trailing league leaders Chelsea by nine points already and with fierce rivals Spurs breathing down their necks just a point behind in the table, Wenger will send his team out looking for a convincing win to maintain their challenge for a first title since 2004. There looks to be little value for money in backing Arsenal for the win, however, with odds of just 1/3 on offer across a host of bookmakers. A better return looks to be available from backing an Arsenal win coupled with both teams to score, 9/5 with Coral amongst others.

Alternatively for Palace fans may be unwilling to bet against their team, enticing odds of 19/20 are on offer from bet365 for both to teams to score, a particularly interesting set of odds for punters aware that Arsenal, despite their strong home record, have conceded on average a goal a game thus far at the Emirates this season.

For the overly optimistic, betvictor are offering huge odds of 10/1 for a Palace victory, as unlikely as that may be, while a more realistic proposition comes from bet365, who price Palace in the Double Chance market to win or claim a draw at a very tempting 11/4.

With his record of never having been relegated from the top flight of English football and an injection of fresh enthusiasm sure to have Palace fighting for the cause, a winning bet on Allardyce’s Eagles could mean a very happy and lucrative start to the new year for punters across the country. Big Sam will have to be at his motivational best, however, if Arsenal is to begin 2017 in losing fashion.

Key Boxing Day Match for Arsenal

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This Boxing Day we see West Brom travel to the Emirates to take on an Arsenal side reeling for 2 consecutive league defeats. Having taken the lead in both games, Wenger will be furious that he has allowed a 9 point gap to open between his team and Chelsea. West Brom comes into this game on the back of decent form, and having lost to both Chelsea and Man United in recent games, they will be looking to Arsenal to take a scalp against one of the top teams in the league.

Getting back on track

The game against City was a real chance to keep up with the leaders while doing damage to an immediate rival, but it wasn’t to be; as against Everton in their previous game, Arsenal fell to another disappointing defeat. Their second half capitulation at the Etihad has led to some serious soul-searching, with Mesut Ozil coming under focus for a lacklustre display, and Wenger deflecting that criticism onto others in his team. Arsenal fans are looking for results rather than excuses, and a home game against West Brom seems to be the opportunity to regroup.

Looking at the head to head records we can see Arsenal have a strong pedigree of beating Albion: 14 victories, 3 draws and 3 losses for Wenger’s team, and West Brom haven’t beaten them away since 2010.

Arsenal can add Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Shkodan Mustafi to a growing list of first team players out with injuries. In-form Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott will be available, and the focus will be on Ozil, Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin to make big improvements on their performances in Manchester.

Tony Pulis looking for one up against an old rival

The bitter feud between these two managers has cooled in recent years, but no doubt will Pulis be hoping to take some valuable points away against a man of whom he once said “I’ve got nothing against foreign managers, they are very nice people. Apart from Arsene Wenger.”

West Brom have been in solid form this far, sitting pretty in 8th place, they have had a tough run of games leading up to Christmas, and while there is no shame in their losses to Chelsea and United, Pulis will be looking to improve on those performances to take at least a point in North London.

West Brom has a mostly fit squad, with only Jonny Evans and James Morrison of their regular starters in doubt.

Where is the value?

It’s likely that we will see another rearguard display from Pulis’ boys. While West Brom has been fairly free-scoring against teams they are more confident of a result against, we have seen a much more cautious, organised approach against the bigger club. It’s likely that they will allow Arsenal the majority of possession while hoping to do some damage in the air from set pieces.

Arsenal to win is at 1/3 with Bet365, so it might be worth enhancing these odds, and seeing as West Brom failed to score against either Chelsea or United it could be worth taking Arsenal to Win BTTS/No at 6/5. I think this game will really depend on how Arsenal turn out on the day; if they can fire themselves up to get a result they desperately need, then they should be able to take all the points with minimal fuss. But should the flaky, unreliable Arsenal we have seen all too much of in recent times turn up, then there could be value in backing West Brom on a double chance at 2/1 with William Hill, but this is definitely an outside chance.

 

Manchester City vs. Arsenal: Will We See a Festive Flop?

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When Arsenal travel to Manchester City on December 18, fans of every team in the top five will be waiting with baited breath for the final score to come in.

Whenever two of the Premier League’s top clubs clash it can have a cataclysmic effect one way or another and things will be no different on Sunday. Despite a loss in their last match, Arsenal will start that game with the league advantage over City.

Yes, the difference between Arsenal and City at this point is just a single point, but the more significant stat could be goals. Arsene Wenger’s men are proving superior in front of their own and their opponent’s goals this season.

Goals May Matter in Manchester

With a goal difference of 20 compared to City’s 15, the stats would suggest that Arsenal should get at least one goal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Building on that, Arsenal have won four of their last six games while Pep Guardiola’s side have just two wins, two draws and two losses.

For all intents and purposes, Arsenal should be the favourites going into this game, but the bookmakers don’t appear to see it that way. A look through Sun Bets’ latest pre-game betting lines shows City will start the game as 11/10 favourites over Arsenal at 12/5.

It’s a similar story over at Unibet with the home side sitting at 23/20, while Ladbrokes has it at 6/5 for a City win. Could it be the recent results from both sides that are tipping the balance or is it Arsenal’s record against City that’s swaying the odds? Well in answer to the second point, no. Arsenal is unbeaten against City in the last six encounters across all competitions.

If that’s the case, then surely it’s the recent results? Well, City certainly looked more comfortable playing with four at the back against Watford, but they were far from convincing. Moreover, Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Everton could have gone either way.

Has Arsenal Got the Bottle?

What this game could come down to is resolve. Have Arsenal got enough character to bounce back from a tough defeat or will they crumble? If they can bounce back then we know goals could follow and that may hurt City. Although he’s pulled some wins out of the bag, Guardiola’s tactics are still under review, especially at the back, and a few slips against Arsenal could spell trouble.

In fact, to make matters worse, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero will miss the game which means the team may struggle to cancel out any defensive mistakes with goals. However, if Arsenal’s young players can’t find it within themselves to rally after a defeat to Everton then City could easily steal a win.

Whichever way the result goes, it’s going to be a close one, which is why a draw may be where you should be laying your money. 5/2 at Sun Bets or 13/5 Unibet are strong prices given the fact both teams have their weaknesses heading into the game. Not only that, but you can’t discount the fact neither side will want to head into Christmas with a loss to their closest rival.

Don’t Discount a Draw

With these factors in play, this match could be a much tighter affair than we’re used to seeing. In their last six Premier League showdowns, Arsenal and City have scored 24 goals, which equates an average of four per game.

If we use that logic, 2-2 could be worth a punt at 10/1 with Ladbrokes. However, if we accept that neither side will want to expose themselves to too much risk, 1-1 or 0-0 at 6/1 and 12/1 respectively could be the better options.

Can Arsenal Keep up Their Title Charge?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It has been twelve long barren years for Arsenal when it comes to lifting the Premier League trophy. They haven’t tasted success in the league since 2004. A combination of being outplayed in big games, a lack of consistency and other clubs simply outspending them have contributed to that long period without a league title. Many of the Arsenal fans are unhappy, and they were particularly boisterous after their early season 4-3 loss at home to Liverpool.

Since then, Arsene Wenger has really turned things around. After beating Stoke City 3-1 on Saturday at the Emirates, they are making a strong case to be champions this season. The problem for Arsenal isn’t so much what they do now but how they handle the pressure during the closing stages of the season. Arsenal has flattered to deceive so often that it is hard to put any faith in them when it comes to going all the way. They travel to Goodison Park on Tuesday to play Everton.

The Form Favours Arsenal

Everton under Ronald Koeman has made a decent start to the season with 20pts from their first 15 games. Their recent form isn’t good. They have had successive away defeats in the league to Southampton and Watford. They did draw at home to Manchester United but a home draw to Swansea and a 5-0 hammering at Chelsea appears to have taken its toll on their confidence.

There are no such issues with Arsenal. They are riding high after topping their Champions League group with an impressive 4-1 win away to Basel. There seems to be solidity about Arsenal this season. They have faced some stiff opposition in the form of Paris St Germain, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham and not been beaten in any of those games. It appears that the August loss to Liverpool was nothing more than a blip.

Can Everton Stop the Gunners

It is tough to make a case for Everton even though they are the home team. Clearly, they need to be respected, but their leaky defence shipped three goals at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Everton can be backed at odds of 3-1 with Bet365 which seems tempting. BetVictor quote odds of 14-5 for the draw while William Hill quotes 19-20 for an Arsenal win.

It is tough to see Everton taking three points from this fixture. A team that isn’t in form tends to find it tough to find form again very quickly. The value is in the Arsenal win even at 19-20 but if you want to play it safe then you can possibly place half a point on the draw. Then you win if the game is drawn or Arsenal win.