Arsenal must take the game to depleted Crystal Palace team

For most of the games that Arsenal have played this season, whether in the Premier League, domestic cups or Champions League competitions, we have had to cope with a bigger injury list than our opponents, but that was not true of West ham on Wednesday and even less so for our next EPL game away to Crystal Palace.

According to the sports injury website physioroom.com the relegation threatened Eagles of Sam Allardyce have a massive 11 players in the treatment room compared to our five and that has got to give the Gunners a good advantage for Monday night’s match.

It is not quite so clear cut though, so Arsene Wenger needs to make sure that we make the most of this situation and looking at the players out of action for each team it seems clear to me how to do this. The main area in which Palace are hit by injury is on the defensive side of things, with Tomkins, Dann, Van Aanholt and Souare all missing and with their first choice central midfielder Yohan Cabay also unavailable to protect the back four.

Their attack looks strong, however, with Zaha, Benteke, Puncheon and Townsend, while our injury problems are also at the back with both first and second choice keepers along with Laurent Koscielny out, so we really want Monday’s game to be played in their half and around their box.

If Wenger was not planning to focus on attack before, will the Palace injury situation convince him that we must take the game to them for the best chance of coming away with all three points?

Bob.