Arsenal vs. Norwich Match Preview: Back to Work

Arsenal vs. Norwich
English Premier League
Saturday, November 19, 10 AM EDT
Emirates Stadium, London
SBN Norwich Coverage: This picture of a real canary.
TV Coverage: Premier League Extra Time

After another International Break of Destiny (which is like the WORST story arc in the history of Journey Into Mystery*), it's time for the Arsenal again. Norwich, a not-super-great team with whom Arsenal seem to struggle at times anyway, come to visit North London tomorrow, Stephen "Best Living Human" Fry and Dame Delia "Let's Be Havin' Ya" Smith hopefully in tow.

[*I'm just kidding; there are no bad story arcs in Journey Into Mystery.]

Arsenal's long-term injuries haven't changed with the exception of the return (likely as a substitute) of Santi Cazorla. Mesut Özil is fine but will get a late test after the little knee knock he took in a meaningless international game for Germany, and Bacary Sagna is also due for a pre-match test, but will likely start. Arsenal's lineup will probably look a little like this:

Szczesny
Sagna - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Gibbs
Flamini - Arteta
Ramsey - Özil - Wilshere
Giroud

With Santi and Tomas Rosicky lurking on the bench.

Norwich, for their part, have seven points from seven games, and none of their players has managed to score more than one goal so far this year in total. In seven games, they have five goals for and nine against. Norwich are not super great at playing the football this year, so far. Last year, I feel that this would mean that they were due for a Grant Holt hat-trick and a Jonathan Howson penalty, but that was last year.

Arsenal should win.

Match prediction: Arsenal come out in yellow away kits just to confuse the living heck out of all watching and to burn holes in the retinas of Midasknight. The first half ends 18-17, since nobody can mark anyone, and the referee is last seen trembling in the sub-basement of the Arsenal tube station. In the second half, Arsenal wear the correct kits and stop trolling, and two Olivier Giroud goals put the game out of reach, 20-17.