Arsenal vs Watford Preview

Three points the target as Arsenal host Watford this weekend

A


By Oli Dickson Jefford

Arsenal will look to continue their recent run of form when they host Watford at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.


Mikel Arteta’s men will welcome the Hornets to the Emirates for a 2pm kick-off on Sunday and will be confident after going on a seven-match unbeaten run following three defeats in their first three league matches.



In Profile: Watford


It’s been a characteristically dramatic start to the season for Watford, who already have a new manager in the form of Claudio Ranieri after Xisco Munoz was fired by the club’s typically temperamental owners.


Ranieri’s reign started with a horror show at Vicarage Road with a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, though on a trip to Merseyside they came from 2-1 down to beat a woeful Everton 5-2.


However, that was followed by a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton which leaves the Hertfordshire side sitting down in 16th and just three points above the relegation zone, after losing six of their first ten games.


Though they may be struggling, there are some quality players that Arsenal should be wary of.


Ismaila Sarr is arguably the Hornets' biggest danger and can cause defenders any number of issues, meaning he is someone that will need to be kept quiet.


Meanwhile Arsenal players and fans will relish the opportunity to take on former Tottenham players Moussa Sissoko and Danny Rose, both of whom joined Watford this summer.


CR



What Arsenal need to do


The performance against Leicester last weekend was one of the best performances - if not the best performance - from Arsenal this season, and they’ll hope for a similar display this weekend.


Aaron Ramsdale will hope for another impressive display against a team that has recently scored a bag full of goals against Everton, while the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White will need to step in and perform their duties when required.


Perhaps most interestingly, it will be intriguing to see how Arsenal’s attack thrives against a team that will likely provide several opportunities.


The likes of Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will fancy their chances of finding the back of the net, while Emile Smith-Rowe might want to make a significant statement after being snubbed by Gareth Southgate for the England squad. 


Watford are unlikely to threaten quite as much as Leicester did, so the same level of intensity may not be needed throughout, though Arsenal will still need to be wary of being caught on the counter attack. 



Assessment


Anything other than three points should be considered disappointing in this encounter.


Watford undoubtedly have some quality within their side but shouldn’t be able to threaten Arsenal regularly enough to claim three points- especially considering the Gunners’ recent form.


There should be an array of opportunities for Arteta’s men to score here and a positive display and convincing win would be the ideal way to head into the international break.


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more