Arsenal to Maintain Winning Run

Arsenal are on their best run of the season with 3 straight wins in the Premier League.  All 9 points have been picked up in London, with victories at the Emirates over Sunderland and Stoke City before last weekend’s exciting 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge.

The anti-Arsene Wenger club have been quite in recent weeks with Arsenal winning 8 of their last 9 prior to Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at home to Marseille.

Arguably a one-man team with Robin van Persie running the show up front. The Dutch ace, who has scored 27 goals in 28 Premier League games for the Gunners this calendar year because the first player to score a hat trick against Chelsea in the league since Kanu in 1999; also for Arsenal at the Bridge.

Arsene Wenger left van Persie out of the starting lineup midweek but brought him on for the final 30 minutes. Assuming this was enough rest for the player who was notably absent from the recent Ballon d’Or shortlist, he should have a successful time against a poor West Brom defence.

West Brom’s record on the road is better than their performances. They were fortunate to take 3 points away from them against Norwich in September, and then threw away a 2-0 lead to draw with an out-of-form Sunderland side. Their 2-1 victory at Aston Villa in their last away game was helped by playing nearly an hour with an extra man following Christopher Herd’s wrongful and rescinded red card.

Roy Hodgson’s side rarely threatened Liverpool last week and were outplayed by a side that even included Andy Carroll. Coming up against an attack which has all three forwards on form; van Persie, Theo Walcott and Gervinho does not bode well for the visitors in this one.

Yes, Hodgson’s side will no doubt sit back and look to hit Arsenal on the counter. In Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal do have a couple of players capable of unlocking defences. And with the way he’s playing of late, van Persie does not need much of a sight on goal to find the back of the net.

Gervinho’s dribbling down the left flank should have Steven Reid on his heels all game. The Ivorian is capable of winning penalties and assisting van Persie.

In Peter Odemwingie, West Brom have a striker with pace and who likes to have a go from long range. Wojciech Szczesny has conceded 6 goals from outside the area this season, so expect Roy Hodgson to tell his side to shoot on sight as they did against Manchester United earlier this season. Chris Brunt has a tasty left foot and James Morrison too likes an effort from outside the box.

Otherwise, Arsenal are capable of dictating the play in midfield and picking up a fourth straight league victory. Arsenal are currently an enticing 1.46 with Betfair to beat West Brom.