Arsenal vs. QPR: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape London Derby for Gunners

Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers will meet on Boxing Day for the first time since the latter were relegated to the Championship.

The Hoops are struggling a bit in their first season back in the Premier League and sit only two points above the relegation zone. After dropping two points against Liverpool at the weekend, Arsenal absolutely need a victory at home.

Both sides will have quite a lot to think about in the run-up to the match. Here are four things that could push the outcome of the game in either direction.

How Much Will Theo Walcott Play?

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With the exception of two short substitute appearances this season, Theo Walcott has not played a single match in almost a year.

Arsenal were, and will again be, a much different side when he returns to the fold. His pace is invaluable and has never totally been replaced, while his eye for goal is better than that of almost every other player on the team.

Despite Walcott's unique skill set, Arsene Wenger is likely to bench him due to fitness concerns. But it would be nice if he could get a half-hour of running in—and who knows, he has the talent to return with a bang.

Will Arsenal Rotate?

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Arsenal's calamitous injury situation might just be starting to get better.

Arsene Wenger said in his pre-match press conference that David Ospina is available again and Tomas Rosicky has a decent chance of making the squad. Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta are all about a week to 10 days away.

So Wenger has the option of playing a proper midfield in this game, rather than the makeshift arrangement he put forth against Liverpool.

It would make sense to put Rosicky back in the team, pairing him with Santi Cazorla and even Lukas Podolski on the left flank. Alexis Sanchez might also be given a rest ahead of the busy holiday period.

How Will Arsenal's Defence Fare?

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With Laurent Koscielny still out, Arsenal's defense has looked leakier than a colander. Mathieu Debuchy has been decent in a couple central-defensive shifts, but the entire back line looks out of sorts.

Regardless of how well the rest of the team performs against QPR, Arsenal always run the risk of conceding from a counter-attack that yields the visitors their first chance of the game.

Chalk that up to an ineffective central-defensive pairing and subpar defensive midfielder. Per Mertesacker needs to be more assertive and quick, and the entire team needs to be focused on its defensive responsibilities.

Even QPR could punish the Gunners at any given moment.

Will Arsenal Be Hungover?

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It sounds a bit cliche to say that a bunch of professional athletes near the peak of their profession would be thrown off kilter by a disappointing draw.

But Arsenal have shown themselves to be remarkably mentally fragile over the last year, so it is not unreasonable to wonder if they will play with the infamous "handbrake" on against a clearly inferior opponent.

Hopefully, the crowd at the Emirates spurs them on and the players are fit enough to play hard for the whole 90 minutes during the busiest period of the season. It is quite easy to amble through most of a match at 0-0 before either going down or running out of time to turn up the heat.

Arsenal simply must get the job done here and give their fans a late Christmas present.

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