Crystal Palace are tough opponents and Arsenal have to get the basics right.
If Arsenal wants to leave Selhurst Park tomorrow with all three points they cannot afford to make the same errors that have been so costly against the Eagles in recent times.
Five things Arsenal must get right against Crystal Palace.
Not get overconfident
It looked to me last Monday night against Leeds United that the lads were a little overconfident. It is understandable why, they had just beaten Man Utd but Palace is not a championship team with a bigger focus elsewhere. Any overconfidence against Palace will be punished.
Follow Mikel Arteta’s instructions
It was clear that the players did not listen to Arteta in the first half last Monday night and they were lucky to be on level terms. They got a rollicking and naturally they improved and won the game. Not rocket science really.
Do not be scared
On one extreme there is overconfidence and at the other end is being afraid. Palace may have had Arsenal’s number for the last couple of games but this is a very different Arsenal and there is no need for them to be afraid of another loss. They can be respectful but not scared.
Silence the home crowd
If Arsenal starts the game as they did against Leeds then the home crowd will get behind their team and make the job a lot harder. If they quieten down the crowd fast then they remove the small advantage the Eagles have. Slow starts can be costly, fast starts can be very rewarding.
Keep their chins up
In the past when a team went ahead against Arsenal the lads would drop their heads. This has not happened under Mikel Arteta and that has to continue. They cannot afford to fall back to their old ways.
Conclusion
All simple stuff really but important, we have seen what happens when they do not listen to Arteta. We have seen what happens when they let their heads drop. The same applies with slow starts and fear.
As long as they take to the field with the same attitude they did against Man Utd and for large parts against Chelsea, they will win.