The next stop for the circus that is Arsenal and the ringmaster Arsene Wenger is Middlesbrough’s Riverside, where they visit on Monday night. It is a crucial fixture for both clubs.
Boro, who got rid of their manager, desperately need a win to keep their survival hopes alive. Arsenal, who many Gunners fans wish they would have also got rid of theirs, desperately need a win to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
With so much at stake, this could be a tight, tetchy affair. The hosts are 6.55 with Unibet, the draw is 4.4 with the same green listed bookmaker while Arsenal are 1.58 (Marathon).
The first thing to say about those numbers is that Arsenal are a truly dreadful price. You would need your head read if you reckoned that was value considering the chunk of money required for a stake to get anything meaningful back.
We have made a chunk of money on Arsenal in their last two games – getting with them against Manchester City and opposing them at Crystal Palace – and we can safely say that we wouldn’t back them at under 2 with someone else’s money.
Ah, the Palace performance. It worked out beautifully for this column. Just as we predicted Arsenal were outthought and outfought by an organized and hungry Palace team. They really did want it more – ordinarily a terrible football cliché – against an Arsenal team who have been exposed as non-triers.
So can we count on the same at the Riverside? Well, Middlesbrough are not quite as blood and thunder as Crystal Palace. They are, in fact, quite a refined outfit. They keep the ball well and they defend with style and purpose instead of desperation.
Indeed, their defence is excellent. They have conceded 37 goals. Outside of the top five only Everton let in fewer goals. The problem with Boro is scoring goals. Just 22 all season. It is the lowest in the division.
So immediately we have to consider the draw as a solid punting option. We are not sure Arsenal will be as limp as they were at Palace – they just don’t have the guts to be as gutless again – but the way they struggled to break down Sam Allardyce’s team suggests this could be another tough nut to crack.
A 1-1 stalemate comes in at 9 with Bet Victor while no goalscorer (on first goalscorer coupon so to keep an own goal on our side) is 13 with Bet365.
Our bread and butter here, however, is under 2.5 goals. That comes in at 2.2 with BetStars and we\’re happy to call that out as out most recommended.
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