Arsenal take on QPR at Loftus Road later today, so here are 12 things you should know about the two sides before kick off:
1. Adel Taraabt is one player that Harry Redknapp will undoubtedly want to keep the services of. The talented Moroccan has struggled to convert the chances that he has worked so hard to make for himself this season. With 95 shots at goal, Taraabt is the 11th most prolific shooter in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, but has converted just five goals and got just 54.7% of shots on target. That’s an average of 19 shots for every goal scored this season.
2. In comparison, today’s opponent Theo Walcott has 12 goals from just 71 shots at goal with 69% on target, averaging 5.9 shots per goal this season.
3. Stephane Mbia has also worked hard in midfield for QPR, and is one of 17 players in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index to have attempted 100 or more tackles. Mbia has attempted 116, though with just 44% won he has the worst tackle success rate of those 17 players.
4. Clint Hill, meanwhile, is ranked 7th in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for clearances with 55 this season.
5. The R’s have only scored 12 goals at home this season – the worst in the Premier League.
6. QPR have now gone 275 minutes without scoring in the Premier League.
7. Santi Cazorla has been the driving force behind Arsenal’s push for a top four finish this season. The Spanish midfielder has scored 12 goals from 106 shots at goal. He’s one of only 7 players in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index to have had more than 100 shots at goal this season, and of those seven he has maintained the best shooting accuracy, getting 69.8% of his shots on target.
8. Aaron Ramsey may want to borrow Cazorla’s shooting boots against QPR. He is now tied in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index as the player to have had the most shots at goal this season without scoring. Ramsey (along with Sung-Yueng Ki and Jobi McAnuff) has had 34 shots at goal this season without scoring.
9. Lukas Podolski can also give Ramsey some tips on troubling goalkeepers. The German striker has the third best shots on target rating in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, discounting players who have had fewer than 40 shots on goal this season. Podolski has got an impressive 72.1% of his shots on target, and Arsenal fans will be looking to him in the absence of the suspended Olivier Giroud.
10. The Gunners have won their last three away games in the Premier League – they have not won four on the bounce since November 2010.
11. Arsenal have never won at Loftus Road in the Premier League era (D3 L2).
12. Arsenal have conceded the least goals away from home this season (14).
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Iam shivering cos we have not won at loftus road.. But to we win 6 NIL. Go Gunners.
Lots of talk about how QPR’s form will improve now that they are relegated and can play without the pressure of staying in Premiership. Is that a thing??? Does that happen? http://www.continentalgunner.com has some data that makes me feel better about it… what do you think?
Playing with relegated team in the EPL is a kind of cumbersome kind of game but what I know is Arsenal will come out in fly colour.Up Gunners!!!
Check out my blog guys for my views on the beautiful game! and see my latest post about the gunners
http://10maestro.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/is-arsene-wenger-still-the-one-for-the-gunners/