Queens Park Rangers vs Arsenal Preview

Topics: Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers, Premier League, Harry Redknapp, Arsene Wenger, Lukas Podolski

Relegated Queens Park Rangers will host an Arsenal side who is still trying to confirm their place in the top four.

When the 2012/13 season started, QPR fans and their management had high expectations, which may have contributed to the poor campaign the London side has had. Their goalless draw last weekend against Reading confirmed what many feared for quite some time now, forcing Harry Redknapp's side out of the Premier League.

Two victories at Loftus Road so far in the season are a clear indication of how QPR's season has played out. Their most recent coming on March 9th in a 3-1 victory over Sunderland. Since then, four losses and one draw have all but buried them, with a slender goal difference keeping them out of last place.

With relegation already confirmed, it will be very hard for the English manager to get the most out of his players, considering he already could not do that since his arrival at Loftus Road.

Tony Fernandes, QPR's chairman helped to not only invest in the club, but he was a big part of setting the expectations for his club. Now knowing they will be battling for promotion again next season, Fernandes is at least happy with Harry's decision to stay with the club.

"We've been through who Harry wants to keep and who he is happy to let go," said Fernandes. "There are some that will want to stay, others that might want to move on. I am a positive person, so people will say I'm not being realistic, but if you go through player by player, we'll sort it out. It's not insurmountable."

Back into the lower divisions is not what Fernandes will have wanted, but he will now be faced with multiple headaches in regards to who comes and who goes. Finding a new home for some of the higher paid players will be just another bit of stress for the chairman.

On the other end of the table, Arsenal enter this match knowing that the full three points are a must. The Gunners will play on Saturday, giving them a chance to put some pressure on Chelsea who will travel to Old Trafford on Sunday.

One point separates Arsenal from Chelsea, but Rafa Benitez's men still have a match to make up on Wednesday against Tottenham, another Arsenal rival battling for a top four finish.

If Arsene Wenger's side is going to have any chance of defeating relegation bound QPR, they will need more goals out of their front line, which will continue to be without Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman remains out due to suspension, leaving Wenger with the option of playing either Lukas Podolski or Theo Walcott in a central role.

"He has the qualities to play through the middle, because he is a good finisher," Wenger said about the German international.

"He has a good technique and because we have a game based on very quick combinations, I believe he can be part of that. Overall, I am convinced in the coming games he will show it. A definite decision has not been made, but if there is an opportunity then there is a good opportunity I will play him there," Wenger added.

Undefeated in their last seven Premier League matches, Arsenal seems to have found their annual end of season form.

One must ask why the Gunners continuously leave it so late to regroup and sort things out, but it may take much to long to figure out the answer, if there even is one.

Trying to extend their streak to eight matches, Arsenal will be going for it without any big absences, with the exception of Lukasz Fabianski and Abou Diaby who are done for the season.

As for Harry Redknapp, if their confirmed relegation was not bad enough, QPR is still uncertain in regards to a number of players being available for Saturday's match.

Christopher Samba (knee), Andros Townsend (hamstring), Shaun Wright-Phillips (ankle) and DJ Campbell (foot) are all doubts for this match. Samba missed out on the match against Reading, but it appears as if he will be ready to go against Arsenal.

With only two victories at home from their shocking four in the campaign, QPR could find it very difficult to defeat the Gunners, although they won in this fixture last season. The likeliness of that result repeating itself this year is highly unlikely, but if Arsene Wenger's men come out flat and expecting the hosts to just lay down and offer them the victory, Arsenal could see their top four hopes quickly slip away.