Arsenal vs Leeds United

09/01/2012

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Today’s featured game is the FA Cup game at The Emirates between Arsenal and Leeds United. These two sides met in last year’s FA Cup and played out a couple of interesting games of football but I expect a different game here.

Whereas it’s true that Leeds are still a big club and would relish a cup run, I just don’t think it’s appropriate for them right now. They’ve been playing poor football for some weeks now and that’s not like them. They normally throw caution to the wind with attacking displays, scoring and conceding a lot of goals along the way. However, they just don’t like right at the moment and their extensive injury list isn’t helping. Their defence is in tatters with Kisnorbo ruled out for the season and both Lees and Bruce big doubts here. Joining them on the sidelines are captain Howson and integral attacker Snodgrass, both of which can’t be replaced, in my view. Becchio has done nothing this season and with numbers waning in their squad, confidence is ebbing low with Grayson having few options to switch things around and freshen the Leeds squad up.

I’m not so stupid as to think that Wenger will approach this tie with gusto in the sense that Arsenal may have a chance of winning it now that one of the favourites have been dumped out of the competition. Wenger is far too stubborn and set in his ways to change his approach for this game. He will do his usual trick of fielding some players that need match practice and some youngsters that are keen to impress but this still tends to result in a good Arsenal display. Indeed, if they’re clinical enough then this game should be comfortable for the hosts against their injury-struck opponents. Thierry Henry’s loan deal has finally cleared and chances are good that he’ll feature here with van Persie in dire need of a rest and Gervinho having departed for the African Nations. Arsenal have a few absentees themselves e.g. Vermaelen, Sagna, Santos but what’s new? I don’t remember the last time that Arsenal didn’t have injuries to deal with! Chamakh is still available for Arsenal after delaying his call up to the Morocco team for the African Nations and that does give Arsenal an edge here because although he’s a fairly average Premier League striker, he should still be able to cause problems for a vulnerable Leeds defence.

All in all, I think Arsenal have more than enough here to defeat Leeds comfortably. I’m banking on Leeds not turning up against the odds, which can be dangerous because they do love to cause upsets! However, I don’t see Leeds having enough energy to see this one out and I think Arsenal have more than enough firepower to beat the -1.5 handicap so my call is for Arsenal to beat the -1.5 handicap at 4/5.

Verdict: Arsenal to beat the -1.5 handicap at 4/5.

Monday’s Picks

As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!

International Friendlies:

Gabon vs Burkina Faso (5) 1-0
Tunisia vs Sudan (7) 1-0

Cypriot Division 1:

Omonia Nicosia vs Aris Limassol (8) 2-0

English FA Cup:

Arsenal vs Leeds United (8) 2-0

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Beira-Mar vs Sporting Braga (5) 0-1

Turkish Super Lig:

Fenerbahce vs Gaziantepspor (8) 2-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!