Arsenal V Fulham
Saturday, 26 November 2011 – 17:30 GMT (LIVE on ESPN)
English Premier League
North hosts West at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday as London rivals Arsenal and Fulham do battle in front of the ESPN cameras – and, courtesy of a quite stunning offer from PaddyPower, all eyes will be on Robin Van Persie.
Some would describe the move as courageous, while others may consider it suicidal, but Irish firm PaddyPower are LAYING Robin Van Persie – the Premier League’s leading goalscorer – by refunding all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast singles on the game should the imperious Dutchman land the first blow tomorrow.
I’m guessing Mr Power hasn’t watched a whole lot of football recently. By laying the Arsenal hitman, PaddyPower are opposing one of the hottest properties in football right now, certainly in the Premier League. A player Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger freely admitted his team were reliant on for success, because of his awe-inspiring scoring prowess. So why do it?
Despite notching 31 goals in 29 Premier League appearances in 2011 – 10 in his previous 5, scoring three braces (two-goal hauls) in six at the Emirates (four if you include his two efforts at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday), or the small matter of the 28-year-old being the league’s leading marksmen with 13 in 12… the Arsenal skipper has only netted the game’s opening goal on three occasions in the Premier League this season.
So it is actually a very shrewd move. Well, only if RVP doesn’t score first. But even if he does, those Irish folk won’t really lose a great deal; because of their glorious offer, there will be fewer bets taken on the free-scoring forward and more on the rest of the field, which means less liability and more potential profit, especially should the field triumph, as bar Van Persie absolutely anyone on the pitch could score the game’s opening goal.
In a very large and varied field, who stands out? You’d have to fancy Arsenal scoring first, surely? They’re in imperious form. Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, a result which guaranteed their participation in the tournament after Christmas, was their eighth in their last nine matches in all competitions. While last Saturday’s victory at Norwich was their fifth in a row in the Premier League.
Arch rivals Tottenham were the last team to beat Arsene Wenger’s team, at the very beginning of October, though Liverpool were the last – and only team this season – to trump the Gunners at the Emirates, at the back end of August. Fulham aren’t in the same league as those two, nowhere near, so it’s difficult to imagine them making the breakthrough – especially as they’ve only managed three away goals all season.
So we’ve narrowed it down to Arsenal players. The Cottagers will no doubt serve up a timely reminder that they should never be discounted, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey – 15/2 and 10/1, respectively, to score first – are both viable options from midfield. Both like to push forward and assist in attacks whenever possible, invariably in alternating fashion, and both can certainly finish. Between them, though, they account for just three of Arsenal’s overall goal tally of 25.
I took to Gervinho (11/2) very early on. That was a bad decision. He has pace, an abundance of it, and I must say his direct style of play is refreshing, but he certainly isn’t the most talented lad you’re ever likely to come across. His final ball often lets him down and was arguably the poorest player on the pitch against Dortmund in midweek.
From set-pieces, Thomas Vermealen (16/1) will pose a major threat. The Belgian defender is an absolute monster in the air, and pretty decent on the deck as well, but he may have his cards marked by Fulham centre-back Brede Hangeland.
There is only one player left who I haven’t mentioned, and that’s whizzkid Theo Walcott. The 22-year-old is probably playing the best football of his career right now, a player who has matured so much in such a short space of time. Not boarding the plane to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup with England really hurt, but he’s worked tirelessly on his game since – and it has shown.
Finally there is an end product to those blistering runs on the flanks. Granted he doesn’t score enough goals from a very offensive position, in a three-pronged attack alongside Robin Van Persie, though that is to be expected when playing alongside a man who now calls the shots at Arsenal, in the latterly mentioned. Nevertheless, I reckon it could be Walcott’s time to shine on Saturday, as his pace in behind could be key to unlocking a staunch Fulham defence that has only conceded six times on the road.
Recommended Bet: Theo Walcott First Goalscorer @ 13/2 PaddyPower
Alternative: Theo Walcott to Score @ 9/4 StanJames
