Arsenal have put themselves under great pressure already after the unbelievable home defeat against West Ham last weekend, and now simply must beat Crystal Palace or they will lose any residual confidence that they can still win the title.
Arsene Wenger started with Olivier Giroud as striker in that game, and took a chance of putting Alexis on as a sub, despite only being with the squad for one week. Wenger is now confident that the Chilean striker is ready to play and thinks he will improve on last’s seasons excellent campaign. Wenger said: “He came back as well reasonably fit. He practiced for two weeks before he came back. He did not start from zero and in training now, he looks alright.
“You wonder if he has created a beach at home, and runs along the living room. He is a hyperactive guy. He needs that to be happy.”
“He made 52 or 53 games last season, plus the Copa America, so that means somewhere he has an instinct that shows how far he can go,”
“It is difficult. In March, April, May (2015), you could see he was a bit jaded, but he is still a guy who can make a decision in a game, and once he is out there he gives 100 per cent.
“He is very ambitious, Alexis. He knows he won the FA Cup, now he wants to look to get more.”
“This season, he knows what is expected from him, and he will do better than last year.”
Olivier Giroud looked rather toothless last week, as did most of the players, but he still believes in his ability to bounce back and show mental strength. “I showed great mental strength last year and I had good stats.” Giroud said. “I always try to improve myself and I feel with the team, so yes, I am sure I can bring something more to the team and to my team-mates.”
“Unfortunately we have made mistakes – we will learn from them and try not to do it again. We can succeed to play our game, we want to bounce back on Sunday.
“When you want to win the league it is always a mix of skill and mental quality, technique and tactical. You cannot win the league without mental strength, and I think we have got it in our squad.”
Arsenal desperately need to win today, and keep on winning. Any more points dropped will simply look like failure, especially with Liverpool coming up next….
a draw today is no good, we need a win.
the negativity on here has been relentless after last sunday.
Agreed! If we won last week a draw today wouldn’t be the end of the world ! But we all no went down then so it’s a must win
Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil Again. WTF, four midfielders again. I really hope we dont lose this match
No pace again in this line-up and Giroud is leading the line
OMG! Giroud talking mental strenght, he’s Been spending too much time with Wenger heh?
IT WON’T BE EASY but we’re winning today, i’m a thousand per cent sure
Yup we have three choices
Win Win or Win 🙂
If palace give us headache today, whether it comes with a draw or a narrow win, it wont be good for our game against a top side like liverpool. Mentally atleast
yes, this shows how delusional the manager, players and some fans here have become. Thinking that they have the right to walk away with the title! Wait until we meet Swansea/Westham and the likes or have we? we finished 12 points off Chelsea last season and without improvements to the team bar Chekch, we think we can now win the EPL! how delusional!!!!
If we want to be league winners we should be looking to win every week.
Ask Adams,keown, Dixon et al..
Today will be uncomfortable viewing I’m sure…hopefully we get something from this game.
With the great Giroud upfront and Cech in the goal…nil nil looks the likely outcome.
what is it with the french … just more f****** incoherent drivel….. we have at most 4 real quality outfielders i.e. players that other top european teams would take …ozil sanchez santi and kos… in my books you need 6 … we are two short but worse the quality of others is lower than needed … only bellerin coq and wilshere have that potential … and there are problems with each still … we should have put in bids in june for griezman kondogbia and the Burussia striker as all could have been prized away with right bid plus players thrown in IMO … now its too late and wenger is in some weird gallic world of existential hope and denial and fans are just praying we dont lose opening 2 matches for first time in over two decades…but no one is really confident against a team which is sure to finish around mid table…
I am feeling negative again because Palace seem confident and strong. Hope we don’t go down again..
Oh….please, the muppet should shut it already!
Goodness gracious! All the dishonest and misplaced sophistry, just a complete laugh.
NO MORE TENSION,ARSENAL IS GOING TO WIN (affirmative statement), just go and watch the match with ease mind and u will see its going to be an easy win for ARSENAL. Come back and tell me am damn right.
Some other clubs, they are disappointed for 15 years and the manager is the same.” – Jose Mourinho
What do you guys think about that?
Wenger should not pressure Alexis to do more, bec till now he did to much already. Whats important is that others need to share the burden to improve.
As for Giroud. He needs to play simple and not try to much bec talentwise he is very poor. You can see him trying a lot, but this trying can damage our game. Like him running on the wings, or him being more selfish then he was before.
I expevt to win today, but with Arsenal you are never sure. Coyg
Wenger starts Ramsey once again. Can anyone explain why Wenger doesn’t want to play with natural wide players? Why are Walcott and the OX on the bench? Disappointed.
By playing the likes of Ramsey out wide, he hopes that Arsenal can gain more possesion and controll bec of it.
Walcott is a bad footy talent and very one dimensional, where Ox is very clumsy, and loses the ball to much at times.
So. Ramsey on instead of Chambo.
well. . .
Ozil cazeola Rambo Coq in 1 team. All our wingers on the bench. Hope wenger has a plan. Per on the pitch is scary.
wenger has completely lost it for me … if he doesnt think there are better wingers than ramsey available then i dont know what to say anymore …. and why the f*** did we up the whippets wages…talk about people with no management skills … mourinho is right on wenger spot on he really is …
I saw it !! just other day i said wenger will bench Ox and Walcott to play Ramsey RW. I GIVE UP NOW.
Either Ramsey or Santi left wing, do we ever learn
No matter what the score is we need to learn from previous mistakes the only pace we have is Sanchez
Wenger will never learn sorry guys I love our club and will always support Arsenal but hate to see how it’s being run
What a dull uninspiring lineup. We have some of the fastest players in the league, yet refuse to use them. Whatever has Ramsey done to justify selection???
Spot on Twig, if we win everyone will say good decision , but it’s failed so many times
Ramsey playing just could work anyway. You never know.