English Premier
2012-01-15 - Swansea vs Arsenal
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 15 January 2012 - Kick Off 4pm
This game is live on TV
Swansea
Brendan Rodgers has really got his side moving in the right direction in terms of keeping their Premier League status alive and much of that is down to their form at the Liberty Stadium this season.
Results on Saturday means Swansea have dropped down to 13th in the Premier League, while the clubs in the relegation zone have tightened the gap between themselves and the Swans. However, the home team will know a win would move them back into the top half of the Premier League table. They are 4-5-1 at the Liberty Stadium this season, scoring 12 goals and conceding 4, giving them the joint best home defence in the League so far.
Swansea have lost just 1 of their last 7 games in all competitions, and they come into this one on a 3 game unbeaten run in the Premier League. However, they have won just 1 of their last 5 games at home in the League, although they did hold Tottenham Hotspur here last time out.
There are no new injury concerns for Brendan Rodgers coming into this game.
Arsenal
Arsenal fans couldn't really have asked for much more than seeing Thierry Henry coming off the bench and scoring the winner in the FA Cup tie against Leeds and thus erasing memories of an otherwise disappointing performance. It is unlikely that Arsene Wenger will be making any more transfers during this window as they look to push on with their bid to make the Champions League.
The Gunners are now 4 points behind Chelsea in the final Champions League spot after results on Saturday, but they remain in 5th place in the table as Liverpool failed to win. They have a 4-1-5 record away from home this season, scoring 20 goals and conceding 22, making them the second highest scorers away from home, while also conceding the joint most away goals.
Arsenal had a very good run of form after losing at Old Trafford in the League, but they seem to have hit the buffers a little bit of late. They have picked up 7 points from their last 15 available in the Premier League, while performances have not been that good of late, at least not for the full 90 minutes. Arsenal have actually lost 3 of their last 4 away games in all competitions, including their last League game at Fulham 2-1.
There are still plenty of injuries for the Gunners in the backline as Thomas Vermaelan, Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Andre Santos and Carl Jenkinson are out, while Per Mertesacker is ill and a major doubt. Makeshift full-back, Francis Coquelin is also ruled out. Robin Van Persie should return to the starting line up after being rested last Monday against Leeds in the Cup.
Head to Head
Arsenal beat Swansea 1-0 at home earlier this season thanks largely to a mistake by Michel Vorm in goal.
They last played in Swansea during the 1982/83 season with Arsenal winning 1-2.
Prediction
This is another game that I am going to pick to go 'Over 2.5 Goals' as I think both sides will play attacking football and both could certainly get on the scoresheet.
Arsenal are having a torrid time with injuries at the back and I think the likes of Scott Sinclair, Danny Graham and Nathan Dyer will cause plenty of problems with their pace against some makeshift defenders.
On the other hand, the Gunners are still more than capable of opening up teams like Swansea that will look to pass the ball and will not get into the Gunners' faces and try to pressure them consistently when they don't have the ball.
I did think about picking Arsenal to win the game, but their poor away form of late, coupled with the fact I think they will need to score at least 2 goals means the Overs looks the better value at odds against.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Swansea 2-2 Arsenal
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll back Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10
