Arsenal are playing a Champions League Qualifier every week until the end of the season, and with the Gunners having an excellent run of form in recent times, the fans are probably expecting more of the same on Monday when we visit Selhurst Park.
But I am sorry to say that we cannot treat the Eagles game as an easy three points, as it seems that Patrick Vieirs has got them playing like world-beaters!
It took some time for Vieira to get the team playing for him, and Palace only won one game in their first ten this season (and that was a 3-0 win over Tottenham!).
Since then though, they have gradually climbed up the table, and have lost just one game in their last ten. In fact, since New Years Day in all competitions, Vieira’s side has only lost to Liverpool and Chelsea.
That is formidable form for any team in any League as far as I am concerned. Have a look at their latest ten results…..
But we can also say that Arsenal’s form has been formidable as well. In our last ten in all competitions, the Gunners have only lost twice to a Liverpool team that are nigh on unbeateable at the moment, so it is fair to say that Arsenal are in a similar vein of form.
Here are Arsenal’s last ten results….
So, although Crystal Palace’s League position is currently 12th, they are by no means playing like a mid-table team with nothing to play for. Patrick Vieira will certainly be prepared to show Arsenal that they just may have chosen the wrong manager, and Arteta wwill have his team ready to fight for every point.
It is certainly going to an interesting encounter…
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Won’t be an easy game for sure. CP should be higher than they are now.they drew 13 games and in several of them with more composure/experience,they should have won a few of them, considering they were leading until the last few minutes where they would concede from corners while having the chances to kill off games.it finally seems that they’ve learnt.expect Zaha to torment us depending on who is playing at RB,could be too soon for Tomyiasu to face Zaha.
We only need to play with a lot of composure; like a team that merits where we are on the table. It’s one of the complicated games we have. In fact, there is no easy game right now for us; more especially because we don’t have Ramsdale. Let’s just pray that Lerno doesn’t make stupid errors as in the past.
@ Atangana, you sure there is no Ramsdale?
Meaning we are back to the panicky team we were with Leno. Len does not instil confidence in the team.
Vieira might have analyzed our previous losses, when the oppositions targeted the aerial weaknesses of White and Soares. The most shocking ones are when we played in Brentford and against Man City last year
White also just made another fatal aerial mistake in England vs Switzerland recently. Vieira would likely target White and Soares, since he has many towering monsters such as Benteke, Mateta, Edouard, Kouyate, Andersen and Ward
I don’t think Crystal Palace will be able to win the ball possession against us at the Emirates, but they could ruin Arteta’s plan by scoring from set-pieces. This is why we have to score more than one goal
GAI I bet ya that Viera instructions to his players will be to target our midfield weak point, constantly pressing/closing us high the pitch.alsi putting a lot of pressure on our players trying to play from the back.
I’m not worried about Palace’s high press, because I don’t think Mateta, Edouard and Zaha can do it better than Liverpool forwards
Ramsdale and Saka have been working very well to bypass the opposition’s high press. Liverpool couldn’t do it effectively against us, let alone Palace
I’m just worried about Palace forwards’ heading abilities and Zaha’s diving tricks
Have CP scored many headers this season?
Not many, but only Magalhaes and Tomiyasu are as tall as Palace’s towering players. Fortunately, our set-piece defending is currently one of the best in EPL
I just hope our defenders won’t be dominated in the air during open play. When White and Soares got beaten in crucial aerial duels this season, the oppositions turned the chances into goals
Gai,
Don’t you think Arteta like Viera would have also watched Crystal palace strength and weakness? Though we unfortunately lost to Liverpool we had a game plan. I don’t see Palace beating us I see a draw or a win for Arsenal. The two teams are inform. And the managers would be out to prove a point. On tactical perspective I rate Arteta better. Luckily our midfielders are in form.
I also think Arteta is better tactically, but Crystal Palace have shown that their defense is great
You’re right about our good defending of set pieces.
CP should have won a lot more games than what they have, PV has done a great job there.
I fully expect Zaha to be rolling around and diving with his usual cheating antics and crying to the ref non-stop. Gallagher is the one we need to keep quiet.
A bit harsh on Zaha no?he has got better with his “diving” and by better I mean as much.
Yep, should be a good game
Werks ago I said this is the most important game of the remaining ten.
We must seize the initiative and come away with all three points,
To keep that momentum after the international break is paramount.
Teams that gives Man City problem, will gives us problems too, Palace can be physical and they can play football too, everything will be on show here from the host.
The way the gaffer set his team up, we don’t overly focus on any one player, and good players are what Palace have in abundance
This one will be tough, traditionally it always has, we should edge this one when the dust settles though.
Gun smoke
I remember You did say that ..
I sense you have psychic powers
Any chance of predicting the euro million numbers for tonight 😃
Haha, nah am sticking with the beautiful game
The CP game is massively important, more so because it will start a run of continuous matches and we have to begin the run in with a win. That said, Vieira has drilled the CP team into a well drilled machine. He has made them difficult to beat and so it will be a tough match, although I feel Arsenal has the edge in terms of quality. Every game henceforth is like a Cup final.
l think arsenal is in a fine form than palace I can see an easy win for the gunners following the way they played the first leg
If memory serves me well, we almost lost the first leg at the Emirates.
Arteta needs to do his homework and get his tactics right.
We can’t afford to drop points at Selhurst Park.