After a rather disappointing performance against Liverpool, Arsenal will look to find their possession-first-touch-silky-football mojo again when they host Queens Park Rangers in the English Premier League on Friday.
The Boxing Day London Derby gives Arsenal an opportunity to put that performance against Liverpool behind them, when they were thoroughly outplayed by Brendan Rodgers' men, but somehow found themselves in the lead, only to concede an equaliser in the seventh minute of stoppage time to throw the victory away.
That defence of Arsenal's has come into question again, with the defenders tamely giving away a free header for Martin Skrtel to pounce on. If Arsenal continue conceding such sloppy goals, those frustrating days will keep coming, and Arsene Wenger needs to find a way to stop the lapses in concentration, which have hurt his team pretty badly already this season.
Wenger will hope the festive season will bring his team some joy.
"It's more than the day," said Wenger when asked about the importance of the Boxing Day clash. "It's the period that is very important. The day has something special because it's called Boxing Day and it's famous all over the world.
"Everybody knows that Boxing Day is the only day when only England plays. Overall it maybe contributes to the fact that the Premier League is so famous.
"We played QPR two years ago and they were very difficult games. West Ham at the moment are in very good shape. We go away to Southampton, which is a very difficult schedule as well.
"There are three games in a very short period of time and we can make points. Our opponents will think that as well, but let's just put the performances in and capitalise on it. The consistency in that period is what will matter."
Arsenal need all three points against QPR at home before they face those two tough challenges against high-flying West Ham and Southampton, and the man that this leaky Arsenal defence will need to stop will be Charlie Austin, who has struck form, and then some, in front of goal.
Austin is coming off a fabulous hat-trick against West Brom last weekend, a hat-trick which helped QPR to a win while also helping his team stay away from the relegation zone. Harry Redknapp's men are currently 16th with 17 points from 17 matches.
"First of all, he is an English striker who has played in lower divisions and has managed to come up," Wenger said of Austin. "You have to congratulate him for that, because, first of all, that shows mental strength and tenacity.
"That mental strength is very important at the top level. Secondly, it could bring some idea that there might be some other players down there who are good enough to come up to the Premier League and don't get the chance.
"Congratulations to him and as well to the people that have given him a chance."
Where to Watch Live
The boxing Day game is set for a 5.30 pm GMT (11 pm IST, 12.30 pm ET) start with live coverage in India on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2. The match can also be watched via live streaming online in India on StarSports.com. Live coverage in in the UK is on BT Sport 1, with viewers also able to live stream all the action online on Watch BT Sport. Watch the game live in the US on NBC Sports, while the action can also be live streamed online on NBC Sports Extra.
Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can catch the match via live streaming online on Bein Sports Connect, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same via SuperSport online. Audience in Australia can live stream the match action on Fox Sports On Demand, while viewers in Canada can live stream the game on Sportsnet online.
Confirmed lineups: Arsenal: Szczesny; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs; Rosicky, Flamini, Cazorla; Sanchez, Giroud, Welbeck.
Queens Park Rangers: Green; Isla, Onuoha, Caulker, Ferdinand, Traore; Kranjcar, Henry, Mutch; Vargas, Austin.
