Football Betting

Derby/ Arsenal

A brief search on Google under "pointless" reveals a list of some of the internet's smaller niches: hats made of meat, photos of metal objects that have been squashed into roads and colour charts that clear up once and for all any debate over the difference between army green and asparagus.

Added to the list should be tonight's hollow Derby/Arsenal encounter, a game for the connoisseur - if connoisseur is the correct word for someone who can only cope with the most gentle mental stimulation.

In spite of Arsenal's profound depression at reaching the most thrilling part of the season with nothing to do, they will have no problem handing Derby another defeat to add to their already formidable collection. Indeed, with half the score already known (Derby nil), the most dramatic aspect of the entire evening will probably come after the game, when Arsenal discover if they are able to find enough petrol to get them home.

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Derby
Last six: LLLDLL
Last six league games: LLLDLL
Last six league home games: LDLDLD
Injuries: Davis (knee cartilage, May 31), Mills (knee, June), Barnes (knee, August)
Suspensions: None

Arsenal
Last six: WLLDDW
Last six league games: WLDWLD
Last six league away games: LWLDDW
Injuries: Hoyte (hamstring, doubtful), Almunia (thumb/wrist, doubtful), Sagna (sprained ankle, doubtful), Flamini (sprained ankle, May 4), Rosicky (hamstring, June), Diaby (thigh muscle strain, June), Eduardo (broken leg, unknown)
Suspensions: Hleb

Why Derby won't score

» Derby have failed to score in nine of their seventeen home games this season.

» chickendinner superfact: They have scored just one goal in their five home matches against the top six (2-1, Liverpool).

» Derby haven't scored in their last five-and-a-quarter hours of football against Arsenal, spanning three-and-a-half games.

» They have only scored in one of their last five home games - against second-bottom Fulham (2-2).

Why Arsenal will score three

» Arsenal have scored exactly three goals in seven away games this season.

» Although they only scored two at Birmingham, Arsenal fired three in their away games with all the other bottom-five sides (Bolton, Reading, Fulham).

» Arsenal are the only team to have scored three goals or more in six away league games this season.

» Derby have conceded an average of 2.56 goals a game at home to teams in the top half.

BUT!

» Arsenal are expected to field a relatively inexperienced team - although this didn't stop them winning 3-0 at Sheffield United and 3-2 (aet) at Blackburn in the League Cup.

28/04/08

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