Arsenal are right up against it today with Tottenham demolishing Watford to push the Gunners out of the top four of the Premier League. Anything less than a win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates will be a disaster and even at the halfway point of the season it would leave our Premier League title hopes in tatters.
Hopefully Arsenal will respond to this pressure in the right way and Arsene Wenger has certainly gone on the attack with his team selection, which is packed with goal scoring threat, although I am a little concerned to see that our creative lynchpin Mesut Ozil is not even in the squad.
Whether that is because of a knock or simply to keep him fresh for our trip to Bournemouth in just two days we will have to wait and see, but in his absence the boss has gone for Olivier Giroud as well as Alexis Sanchez and the summer signing Lucas Perez is also in the starting line-up.
It looks like it will be Alex Iwobi who will fill Ozil’s position and to add some extra creativity we have the midfield pairing of Elneny and Xhaka with the more defensive Coquelin on the bench. Mustafi and the Ox are also on the bench with Aaron Ramsey.
Cech
Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal
Elneny, Xhaka, Iwobi
Sanchez, Lucas, Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Coquelin, Reine-Adelaide, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It is a strong Arsenal side but I just hope we do not miss our brilliant German. COYG.
Bob.