Morning all.
Finally, domestic football and Arsenal return to action tonight. The weekend threw up a few interesting resulting with Leicester City beating Man Utd, Wolves coming back from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 and Chelsea getting a win at Brentford. Shame yesterday’s result went the way they did though.
Crystal Palace have been a bit of a bogey team for Arsenal over recent years but Roy Hodgson is gone and in case you missed it, Patrick Vieira has taken his place. Palace have certainly changed their style of football under Vieira. They go after teams, pressing hard from the front to back and at the first opportunity. They’ll be snapping at our players heels in attempt to win the ball. When Palace played Brighton, a team Arsenal seriously huffed and puffed against, they were the better team but they couldn’t hold on to their 1-0 lead until the final minutes when Maupay nicked an equaliser.
Palace’s front three are capable of causing any defence problems. Ayew, Edouard and Zaha. In reserve is Benteke who likes to score against us. Conor Gallagher, on loan from Chelsea is a player to watch as he’s the man who can turn defence into attack quickly. His midfield partner James McArthur is no slouch either.
Like Arsenal, Palace had a busy summer in the transfer window with eight players joining the club. Michael Olise – from Reading, Remi Matthews – from Sunderland, Jacob Montes – New England Revolution, Marc Guéhi – from Chelsea, Joachim Andersen – from Olympique Lyonnais, Conor Gallagher – season-long loan from Chelsea, Will Hughes – from Watford and finally, after giving up on Eddie Nketiah, Odsonne Edouard – from Celtic.
At Selhurst Park, Palace have had some good results, but away from home they’ve struggled a bit but they’re only three points behind us. I’m sure many Arsenal fans will be keeping an eye on how Patrick Vieira does this season. I know I will. He’s been quoted in The Mail as saying he expected a call from Arsenal after he’d retired from playing but that call never came. One day maybe.
For now though, it’s Mikel Arteta at the helm and I hope he gets one over our old French midfielder with another win at The Emirates. Arsenal have lost just one game in front of the home fans so far this season and when you compare the two squads going head to head tonight, this “should” end with an Arsenal victory.
Granit Xhaka, who played a big part in our victory over Toots, is missing of course but bearing in mind many of us would have loved to see him sold by now, his absence cannot be an excuse for Arsenal’s lack of quick passing which was the case against Brighton and possibly every other opposition bar the Toots. Is it really that difficult to drum into the players that swift pass and move football is likely to be more rewarding than the slow crablike game? Certainly at home with 50,000 fans urging the team on.
I get it, there’s a need for pragmatic football but it’s not City, Chelsea or Liverpool turning up tonight it’s Crystal Palace and as much as they might have improved this season, anything other than a home win will be a big disappointment. I hope we see Mikel Arteta’s team come out of the blocks fast and take our game, whatever that is, to Crystal Palace. Press them high up the pitch from the off and force errors. Boss the midfield battle to restrict their creativity to a minimum and keep Zaha out of the game. Out of the box too because we know if the wind suddenly blows, he’ll go over.
See you in the comments.
I thought we were rather fortunate..
New post up now
When was the last time anyone can remember a keeper taking a throw in
Just watched the replay again, I recon a fair result, although palace player should have been show a red card, I couldn’t see any real game plan again for us, but on a whole it looked like 2 equal teams that could have gone either way.
Comes to something when Adrian Durham says that Arsenal should have had a decision and Palace should have been down to ten .
Probably because it was Saka had it been someone else it would have been different.
Totally drained after that!
Hit it too well but really the only positive thing that he did do
I’ve already posted here that playing with Odegard and Smith Row at the same time, especially without Partney-Xhaxa is wrong. The midfield is fragile. With technical quality but without strength. Once again he saw himself. when muscle overpowered technique, midfield was lost.
Playing Odegar with Partney doesn’t work either. Saka is tired, although with a “normal” referee (and a VAR), the Palace player’s entry would be punished with a red.
Laca + Martinelli give another strength, commitment and muscle that Auba doesn’t have.
A positive….both our main strikers scored. A first this season and a very long time since they both appeared on the same result sheet!
I jumped out of my seat when Lacazette scored, then fell back and asked why I was cheering, it was only a draw! I think that’s what it’s come to. Sub standard football and minor results have been warmly received. My word, the world is standing on its head.
Ah well, a points a point. Only another 29 and we’ll have avoided relegation.
Ho hum.
Agreed re Martinelli and Lacazette, at least they look as if they want to go towards goal. Tierney was really unlucky, boy did him hit that one…
I would like to see Tierney’s action stats how many times he passes back or cuts inside.
We always look better when Lacazette is on the pitch and Martinelli had so much more energy than Saka who needs resting in my opinion
They better start with Laca and Martinelli on Friday. Cracking shot from Tierney but nothing else 2nd half till injury time!
At least some aggression with Laca and Martinelli.
Great determination Lacazette
Laca yes yes yes.
Exactly.
It’ll be 1 – 3 if all our defenders keep going forward.
We’re far too safety minded. Boring really.
Must be the tactics..
Clinical finishing from Palace. Slow slow slow from us. What ARE our tactics?
10 minutes for Martinelli.
It’s either going to end 2–2 or 1-3/4
Why isn’t Tierney getting behind the fullback. He just keeps passing the ball backwards.
We look so fragile in possession, the slightest of challenge and we’re losing the ball.
Pathetic
I could see that coming…
You look forward to game all day, then after going a goal up, we play so negative and uninspiring!
Come on Lacazette.
Take Odegaard off for Martinelli
Doesn’t Tierney go forward any more
Isn’t it just.
So frustrating
Are the Arsenal players not fit enough to play more than 15/20 mins at full throttle?
Not until 86 mins I suspect Cicero..
Another gift given…
S**t
Sambi on for Saka.
AMN for Odegaard ? Rico.
Shame Eddie/Balogun isn’t on the bench instead of Elneny.
Let’s start the second half like we started the first. A quick goal will put the damper on Palace.
They’re having too much possession imo. Partey is on his own in the middle half the time.
McArthur should have been off.
Most home Premier League goals for Arsenal since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his debut:
42 – Auba
24 – Laca
07 – Pepe
It’s Pierre-Emirates Aubameyang now ⚡
McArthur is a very lucky (and dirty) boy…
Too lightweight in midfield for me
Fantastic from Ramsdale. Rest need to be as lively as Auba!!
Great save Ramsdale.
Knew after letting two bookings go, we would get first one for same foul. Bliidy Dean!
Odd gameplan
😂
Great finish Auba (or was that Gervinho) 🤣
Excellent from Auba.
That’s bad news Sue…
Goal machine (😜) Benteke comes in, Rico
Good news re Zaha, shame though..
No Zaha… we all know what their record is like without him! 😉
Pepe in for Lokonga otherwise it’s the same eleven.
Rico. I hear you.
Evening Adam. I can’t write on here what I really think about what happened. His family must be broken to pieces emotionally.
Evening Rico. I was in Leigh about 3 weeks ago having some lunch and looking at the boats. It was a terrible thing that happened to David Amess. These things tend to erode our hopes and diminish us in many ways. Senseless and appalling.
Let’s hope we battle it out with Palace tonight and get 3 points.
Arsenal vs Man City
Saturday 1 January
12.30pm
Our only televised fixture over the festive period.
His murder was just awful Andrew but I bet he’ll not be the last. Dreadful…
Sad day hearing the tributes to David Amiss MP, whatever your political persuasion, one of the good guys. It happened a quarter of a mile away from my home, so somehow seems worse.
Fitting tribute that his pet cause, Southend becoming a city had been rushed through. Town needs something the way our football team has nosedived to bottom three of National League!
We survived Brighton but with a nearly full squad, no gales or downpours, it’s a must win and good performance tonight. Oh, just seen, Mike Dean!
Hi Sue, thanks. I’m looking forward to the game too. Still not sure what to expect from this group of players though.
😂 Cicero and there’s Oasis up next.
Don’t get my hopes up Wavy. Seriously though, if he works wonders at Palace, he’d have to be one of the club’s future candidates should things go south under Arteta.
Hi Rico..Nice read 👍 Milivojevic has scored more goals against us (5) than any other PL team. I’m assuming most of those were penalties, so he’ll be devastated Xhaka isn’t playing tonight 🤣
Plus, Auba has scored 11 goals in the last 10 games officiated by Mike Dean.. fingers crossed hey?!!
Really looking forward to this one! Been a long wait…
Don’t write Patrick off yet. I think he’s serving his Premiership apprenticeship at Palace before moving to us when Ek takes over, ditto withTH14 who will arrive in some capacity or another. Palace is our new nursery!
We’ll see,eh?
Tonight could be a real test of our new found project. I just hope we don’t get found out. A draw is possible but a win should be the most likely outcome. A loss would be unthinkable!
Scott we all know Zaha is a diver but we need to be smart enough and not give him and the Ref that chance, especially inside the box.
Well Rico Ek’s Spotify has made a huge killing with Adele’s new release “Easy on Me”, so maybe he can up his offer by a few million.
Not if Ek buys Kroenke out eventually Cicero 😉
I think Vieria has burnt his boats as far as managing Arsenal is concerned, his support for Daniel Ek’s take-over of the club has put a big black mark beside his name in the Kroenke’s black list. The same goes for Thierry Henry.
As far as tonight’s game is concerned, there is a good chance of three points for us. The new manager bounce has worn off to some extent and Palace have taken only two points from their last three games, in fact they have only one win in The Premiership this season.
The biggest danger from Palace is that filthy, diving, cheating Zaha.
He will be trying lol
Morning all.
Game day!!
One that’s at a lovely time of day for us Aussies.
Morning Cicero.
I agree re Aubameyang, he’ll probably be one of the first names on the team-sheet which is fine as long as we don’t play crablike football.
Amanda is Marina Mk2 I think.
Good morning Rico and all.
Depending on how the players have recovered from the international break, Arteta could start an unchanged side tonight. Certainly the back five of Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel and Tierney should all be in the line-up.
I’d like to see AMN given a go alongside Partey, although I think Arteta will stick with Sambi. One certainty is Aubameyang will start, Arteta just can’t see beyond him.
Has anyone seen the picture of one of Newcastle’s new owners, Amanda Staveley, taken at the end of the game yesterday? Scary!!!
Yes, that’s him Kev. I watched a bit of Palace over the last few days on catchup and I think Vieira has done a fantastic job so far in a very short time. His players speak very highly of him.
That’s great, hope it’s a good game you see.
Yes Rico, I shall find a convenient parking spot just off of Highbury Barn and have a nice stroll down to the stadium whilst taking in the atmosphere.
Rico are you talking about Gallagher, he’s been very impressive for Palace this season, Andersen also is a great signing and a proper centre half, so we’ll have a job on our hands keeping a clean sheet that’s for sure?
Are you going tonight Kev?
I think their midfielder who’s on loan from Chelsea could cause problems, especially if we give him time on the ball from the start. We need intent from the start to knock their confidence when pressing…
Now I know you’re being cheeky Kev. 😜
Zaha always has a point to prove when we play Palace even if that train has left the station yonks ago and maybe Edouard and is thinking along similar lines now?
They definitely look a very dangerous outfit.
I’m expecting a tough 90 minutes that’s for sure.
Yes Rico, as I expected, a great post and the best of the week… 😀
Morning Kev. We’ll all get a nose bleed if we win. 😂
That’s right Rico, win this evening and we rocket up to 9th, draw and we go up to 12th.
Morning Optimists, morning Rico, great post again, er, well I’m sure it will be when I’ve read it. 😉
Morning Geoff, all.
Agree. At the moment, the only good performance we’ve seen is against Toots. Gritty defending has seen us through the others imo.
Hi Rico and all
We need our game boots on tonight or also all the good work we have done in the last 3 matches could go belly up,