Morning all.
Sunderland pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge yesterday which is great for every club bar the home one whilst Newcastle United scored a very late winner against Fulham. In the two evening kickoffs, Utd beat Brighton 4-2 before Brentford defeated Liverpool 3-2. Not a bad Saturday…
It’s been a good week for Arsenal. A hard fought 1-0 win at Craven Cottage over Fulham followed by a 4-0 thumping of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Two scrappy goals from Viktor Gyokeres against Atletico was just what he needed. A wonderful run through midfield from Myles Lewis-Skelly followed by a fine strike from Gabriel Martinelli and a bullet header from Gabriel secured three precious European points.
Crystal Palace have not had such a good week though, drawing 3-3 at home against Bournemouth last weekend before losing 1-0 in the Europa Conference League to AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park. In the draw with Bournemouth, Jean-Philippe Mateta scored all three goals including one from the penalty spot.
Our starting 11 last in the fixture season was: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Sterling, Trossard and Martinelli.
Four of the substitute options were under 21 players, the others were Zinchenko, Saka, Tierney and Nwaneri. Two of whom have gone.
The game ended in a draw. Jakub Kiwior gave us an early lead before Eze equalised with a lucky strike. (lol) Leandro Trossard restored our lead before Mateta equalised on 83 minutes. Conceding two goals in one game is very unlike Arsenal but then we did have an injury hit small squad. Our virtually fully fit squad battered them 5-1 at Selhurst Park.
This afternoon there will be no Sterling (thank gawd), no Partey, no Kiwior.
No Odegaard, Madueke, Havertz or Jesus either and if Gabriel hasn’t recovered, he will miss out too with either Piero Hincapie or Christian Mosquera starting instead. One of whom we know is very very good, the other, well we’re yet to fully see what he brings to the team.
Mikel Arteta:
It’s a big game for us, because last season we dropped some points and it’s the fourth game in a row that we’re going to play against opponents that we drop points against, and this season we’ve been able to beat them, so our focus is on that.
If we want a very different outcome, we’d better do very different things than we did last year, especially in these fixtures. So we know what Palace are doing, what Oliver [Glasner] is doing for the football club, and the way they are getting results. So it’s going to be a really tough match, but we’re going to play again in front of our crowd, and we are confident that if we hit our level, we have a big chance to win it.
If xG is your thing then Crystal Palace are ahead of the rest in that department according to the stats and that’s after selling two of their so called better players in Eze and Olise.
Palace are very strong with Mateta, Pino, Sarr, Guehi and Wharton to mention just a few. Plus they have an intelligent manager in Oliver Glasner who only good things get written about. Yes they’ve had a couple of blips but I’m sure Glasner will have them well drilled for this match today. Their tactics:
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Glasner is wedded to a 3-4-2-1 formation. They are a relatively low-possession outfit, averaging the third-lowest share of the ball (41%) in the division, but once the Eagles win it back, they come alive in a flash to hurt opponents on transitions. They do not press high, but in the middle third and wide areas they are superb at applying pressure. Glasner’s men currently rank second for the most tackles, third for high-intensity pressures, and third for interceptions. No Premier League side can match the direct speed of their attacks, at 2.13 metres/sec.
Glasner deploys his wing-backs high and wide to supply width, but also to stretch play in a bid to create room on the inside for his twin No. 10s. Those two players often lure centre-backs into midfield, with the aim of isolating powerful striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in a one v one. He and Ismaila Sarr are both in outstanding form, and have pace to burn. But while Palace lead the league for shots on target (43), xG (17.4) and big chances (33) this season, they are underperforming their xG by the biggest margin (-5.4) and have missed the most big chances (22). Glasner’s men have also conceded the most high turnovers, so closing down with aggression may be part of Mikel Arteta’s gameplan.
I doubt anyone expects anything but a hard game for Arsenal today but it’s the kind of game we need to be winning, especially in front of our own fans.
Just go out there, take our game to them and do what it takes to get three more points on the Premier League board.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Gooners and morning Rico, great post…
Yep, if the team do their job, as I’m sure they will, they’ll be fine and we’ll be happy. So here’s to feeling happy later this afternoon.
I can’t tell you how enjoyable it is to see Liverpool struggling, not that I’m taking my eye off of City, but seeing those Scousers looking sad is brilliant and I hope it continues…
Good morning Rico, Kev.
A very important game today, dare I say, a must win? Three points will strengthen our position at the top of the table and stretch our lead over Liverpool.
Quiz question: What do Arsenal have most of in the Premiership and European club sides?
Afternoon Rico and all.
Fingers crossed for today, Palace has had some luck against us in the past, but I still feel we can get a win today,
Good afternoon Rico and all
Gabriel has made it to the line up. Fingers crossed he lasts the game.
Team….Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka Gyokeres, Trossard
Subs…..Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Martinelli, Kepa, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Merino, MLS
Just a question….Why four defenders??
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Eze, Rice, Zubimendi, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Beat me to it Devil. 😕
Hi there.
Waiting for the match
Afternoon guys, dog training earlier, an absolute disaster so hoping for an Arsenal win to brighten my day..
Afternoon all, Cicero your question, players named Gabriel!😀
18 minutes yaaawn 😴
Cicero, bookings 😂
This reminds me of a previous game when our passing was off.. Fulham game perhaps..
We’re being outplayed so far.
35 minutes and we’ve had one shot on goal.
Not now. 😜
Great strike Eze..
Second shot and it’s a goal for Exe. 🔔
Great goal by Eze, after a slow start
yep that was a great shot by Eze….but just two shots on target in 40 minutes. cant say that Palace are negative because we had a very slow start and we were not at the races. we were outplayed as Rico pointed out.
It just had to be Eze. But we need to find our rythm because we are being bossed around
Great technique! What class players do. Poor half overall.
Martinelli for Trossard’s at some stage I’d have thought. Not only does he gives us more pace but his defensive work is usually spot on.
City are losing to Villa.
Very tame first half from Arsenal but a great goal.
A few stern words from Arteta at halftime and hopefully we’ll come out firing on all cylinders.
If City lose to Villa it will be ironic…..the club accused of financial doping and irregularities lose to a goal by CASH. Irony at its finest.
I’ll put you all out of your misery, 44% of our out-field players are……left footers.
A balanced squad then 😜
hoping we get out of first gear for the second half
How did that not go in…
Tsk Tsk….53 mins gone and we still haven’t had a corner. What are they smoking when they call us Set Piece FC. Arteta out
Martinelli replaces Saka. Saliba subbed at HT and in came Mosquera.
Fingers crossed VK14 and GM11 get goals.
Job done, 1-0 to The Arsenal..
Nice hard fort win,
One goal, clean sheet, three points. Top of the league. 🔔
Great weekend of results, and we have improved on four dropped points results against fixtures last season.
What a weekend both Liverpool and Man c loosing
Good night all it’s 3am in OZ
18 more points and we will avoid relegation
And it was thought we had a dreadful run of fixtures to start the season. Makes it even sweater.
Just hope Rice and Saliba are ok..
League Cup on Wednesday v Brighton. Another tough one, mind you, Utd put 4 past them.. lol
An Everton win and it’s a oerfect weekend
🤞
Not going to happen, Everton are a mediocre side and Spurs not a lot better but are two nil up.
I would like to ask a question….when is a goal deemed a setpiece goal??
Its one thing taking a corner and the ball is headed in from the cross itself. Its another if there are about 5+ passes after the corner is taken and a goal is scored. The same goes for a free kick or throw in.
I feel that after 4/5 passes its from open play not a set piece goal. This season we have scored quite a good amount from set pieces however there are some of them in which there are more than 4/5 passes after the set piece is taken. Obviously the media and pundits will claim its from a set piece however I do not feel that this is correct since its not 3 or less passes.
Corner taken – headed down by CB – striker scores…..3 touches and obviously its a set piece goal.
Corner taken – headed down towards pen spot – passed to the right hand side – its passed again to play a wall pass – player crosses – striker shoots = goal. That is 6 passes and a shot. Even though all action took place in the penalty area its still open play imo because of so much touches. If the opposition failed to come out of a low block formation and stayed in penalty are its their problem.
What do you all think??
Darn Everton!
Imo, if a goal isn’t scored from the initial set-piece, the set-piece is over.
A few of our players looked as if they could do with a night off and maybe that’ll be vs Brighton this Wednesday?
Zubimendi, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Raya even?
A goal is a goal, who cares if it is from a set piece or a lucky miss-kick, or even an own goal gift. They all count.
We were looking at the pitch , it didn’t look as slick as usual and passes seemed to be slowing up and getting cut out . That said Palace were the better looking team on their breaks and I reckon that was one of the hardest wins we will get this year .
Before and after European matches, performances and results are difficult. Even so, considering the results around us, we came out on top. The challenges continue next Wednesday. And some players are suffering from the intensity of the season, the lack of vacation days, the poor preseason, and the overload of matches.
Carmelsson, If taken from the corner a a close up free kick, the second it clears the goal square it’s no longer a set peice, even if the next kick or header brings it straight back in it’s a goal from play.
The more I watch Eze and Gyokeres play the more I like them, while Kepa must be wondering when it’s his turn in front of goal.
Good morning winners
Smile, for the sunshine is already french kissing your lips. Enjoy every moment for we have been through hell enough times. Live the moment and let it linger.
1-0, 10-0 they all count as three points. Even though tired from midweek, and as many pointed out, the boys could do with a rest, we still managed to grind it out. Good. 1-0 is better for us than winning 4/5/6-0. Because the mindset of a grinded result of just 1-0 keeps the players feet grounded. They wont just turn up thinking they already won. They know they have to work hard. And that is what makes winners.
Let me ask you a question……who is more tense and panicking??? Us the supporters who dream of seeing Arsenal lift the EPL title OR the pundits and critics who are dreading the fact that Arsenal may upset the narrative and script and heaven forbid, win the title???