Arsenal travel south of the river to take on Crystal Palace on Monday evening as they continue the early stages of the thirty-eight game marathon that is a Premier League season. Mikel Arteta’s side got off to a successful, if slightly bumpy in patches, start last Saturday against a spirited Nottingham Forest. The Eagles will offer a different sort of test where Arsenal will be under more pressure although you’d expect the Gunners to enjoy most of the possession.
Selhurst Park is the epitome of the famed “Banana Skin” fixture, meaning it is widely considered to be one of the toughest places outside the traditional Big Six clubs to go and get a result. It is a notoriously raucous ground – it is believed that our own Ashburton Army took some inspiration from Crysyal Palace’s Holmesdale Fanatics. Flag and tifo displays as well as pyrotechnics are regularly on show at Selhurst, giving it a European feel that you seldom find at English football stadia.
Some Arsenal fans have attributed Palace a bit of a bogey ground for the Gunners which is not entirely true. Since the Eagle’s promotion in 2013, Arsenal’s record there stands as played ten, won six, drawn two, lost two. The most recent of those half a dozen victories did of course come on the opening night of last season. After losing at Brentford on the opening night the season before, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher were there with the sky cameras ready to dance with the crowd like little girls after the eagerly anticipated Arsenal loss. Mikel Arteta’s men then proceeded to play some of the best football we’ve seen from an Arsenal side since the ‘Invincibles’. Neville and Carragher were bitterly disappointed. Arsenal will be very pleased if the night results in a repeat of that.
I am not usually someone who pays much attention to omens or a result against the same team on the same ground in 1952 but I will point out that the two defeats Arsenal have suffered in this corner of South London in the last decade both came on a Monday night. Both were 3-0 defeats. Their recent record on Monday nights makes for pretty grim reading, having lost their last four premier league fixtures on a Monday night with the 3-0 reverse at Selhurst Park in April last year being part of that unpleasant sequence.
Well now that’s out of the way, which Crystal Palace will Arsenal be facing on Monday Evening? Palace are now Wilfred Zaha-less following the departure of their record Premier League goalscorer to Galatasaray on a free transfer. They looked set to lose tricky winger, Michael Olise, to Chelsea before he made an unexpected U-turn and signed a four-year extension to stay in South London. In terms of incomings they have brought in Matheus Franca from Flamengo to bolster their attack as well as Jefferson Lerma from Bournemouth to increase the numbers in the middle of the park. A shrewd signing, one feels. They did, of course, have our own Sambi Lokonga on loan for the second half of last season but the Belgian failed to make the sort of impression that could’ve led to a permanent move to Selhurst Park. Roy Hodgson is remarkably still managing at the ripe old age of seventy-six. You’re only as young as you feel.
As for the Visitors, it looks like Arsenal will be without Jurrien Timber for some months following an unfortunate ACL tear last weekend. Zinchenko and Jesus are reportedly close to being available for selection although you wouldn’t be surprised if they were eased back in to avoid further injury. In terms of team selection, well that’s very difficult to predict for Arsenal these days which is probably a good thing. Although not for FPL managers for whom I’m sure it will be the source of a great deal of selection headache this year. However, the real selection headache is being suffered by Mikel Arteta. Although you suspect the Spaniard is enjoying the plethora of options he now has at his disposal. It will be interesting to see if he does persist with the 3-2-4-1 box midfield system. It becomes that bit more complicated without Timber and probably Zinchenko also. Of course, since we last kicked a ball we have made an additional signing in Goalkeeper David Raya on loan from Brentford. While you wouldn’t expect him to start over Ramsdale, that will be another question for Arteta in the weeks and months ahead. Questions he would like to have of course. Given the options I am predicting this starting eleven:
Ramsdale
White, Saliba, Gabriel
Partey, Rice
Saka, Odegaard, Havertz, Martinelli
Nketiah
Feel free to disagree because I am almost certainly incorrect. To what extent we will find out tomorrow. It will certainly be a tough encounter for Arsenal but one they are well equipped to deal with. We may not see the fast and fluid football we saw at the beginning of last season on this ground, but I am still predicting an away win here. 2-0 to The Arsenal. Some hairy moments are more than likely at some point, but just remember – it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
Very comprehensive and interesting preview 21CG .You make the point that Selhurst is not a bogey ground for us . I used to see this game every season and we only lost it once in games going back to 1969. That doesn’t mean it will be easy, quite the contrary . It is a noisy ground, a throwback to olden days .
I wasn’t quite sure what we saw last weekend but I think my conclusion was that ( quite understandably at this stage of the season ) Arteta isn’t sure of his best line-up. This being our first away game we will probably play quite differently from last week with a mix between dominating possession and then hitting Palace on the break when they ge5 forward . They are missing a lot of their best players and I hope we can produce a similar result to last season.
Not sure if Arteta will produce this line – up , but I’m not sure what line-up he will produce !
Can I make it clear that I didn’t see every season from 1969 in case this gets picked up on and we did lose to Venables’s ‘ Team of the 80s ‘ but from memory we’ve only lost three times at Selhurst that I can remember
Excellent preview, 21 CG, with a nice tip of the hat to Gorgeous George’s favourite maxim.
I have no idea what team Arteta will put out, but I rather fancy a reversion to a back four including Gabriel, with White moving outside Saliba and Tomi at left back. Grater defensive solidity away from home comes at the expense of a player further forward, and I see that player being Partey, rested to try to ensure he can last the season, with Rice being the midfield pivot. Of course as many wise people have said to me over the last 50-odd years – ‘ What do you know?”. It is a point well made.
Cheers, 21cg. I will comment on your post later.
Vindication for Vilda, and a splendid achievement for the Spanish women. Sorry for the lionesses though.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66539272
What does 200+mil buy you? A missed penalty and a conceded penalty!
Good, thought provoking preview 21cg.
I can’t see us starting with a back three at Palace. I’ll guess blindly at Zinny at LB with Havertz dropping to the bench for a 60 minute substitution role.
Enjoy the game.
Extraordinary start to the season but PL football is now extraordinary! It will be difficult to judge our progress for some time but this game will indicate the shape Arteta envisages us playing . Until we know the finsl squad it’s hard to know just how good our chances are but the Spuds , Liverpool and Brighton are better than last season, Newcastle may be and no team has clearly dropped hugely although the jury is out on ManUre .
I will be keen to see some tactical clarity , know who we have at our disposal for tye long haul and how we intend to use ESR, Partey , Havertz and White in particular . Some things may become clearer tomorrow evening
Nice focused preview, 21CG.
I think BtM is right that last Saturday’s starting 11 is a bit too risqué for an evening out in saarfff Lundin (they just ain’t proper gentlemen across the river, you know). I too predict a back four but I don’t expect Zinchenko to be deemed ready to start and if he does start I’ll be surprised if he gets more than 45 minutes. I expect Tomi to start at left back as he already has a serious half under his belt and e will be asked to reproduce the Zin inversion until Zin himself comes on around 60 minutes. Havertz and Trossard will join the party in the second half.
2-0 would be nice but 3-0 would be better but it’s sure to be the tough encounter predicted.
A sharp and succinct preveiw, 21CG.
I am not sure that Arteta chooses between playing a back three or a back four any more. He wants to put out a defence that can morph between the two formations during games. He has been banjaxed, however, by having both the players who can play the critical inverted left-back role go in the fetlock.
Thanks 21CG, great stuff. I hadn’t realized the Monday night travails and it’s a good chance to put that little run in the dustbin. 3-1 to The Arsenal. I watched the first half of Palace vs. Sheffield Utd last week, it was low on quality as you’d expect but for Palace more or less everything mostly went through Eze. He isn’t a bad player, though the end product is inconsistent, and he’s been enjoying a revival under the dilapidated Roy. Fortunately Eze hasn’t yet mastered hurling himself to the ground with the shameless abandon of Zaha so I think Ben will be able to manage him but I wouldn’t want TP5 at right back for this one.
Excellent preview 21CG!
I like your team selection, and in absence of both Zinchenko and Timber this is probably the formation that will let Mikel play his preferred first eleven.
But might we see a slightly different tweak with Havertz on the bench, Rice playing left sided 8 (where he spent lot of the time in the first match), and Tomiyasu or even Tierney starting left back? Trossard is a bit unlucky to miss out, but once the European fixtures start we will likely see him more, hopefully true for ESR too.
Come on Arsenal!
Many thanks 21cg for an excellent preview setting the stage for this important early season encounter. The home supporters are sure to make plenty of noise and we must match their and their players’ energy especially in the first half to get the game under the spell of our creative frontliners. Here’s hoping that they, Havertz and Rice all grasp on to their chances to shine.
Another great review from the writing team.
I have been to Palarse a few times and don’t really buy into this raucous atmosphere they supposedly create. They soon shut up if you take an early 3 goal lead. Here’s hoping.
Thanks 21,
We need to set down some early markers this season to stop the doubters already writing off the achievements of last season.
3-0 will do nicely, whoever starts.
UTA.
Thanks 21CG for a history laden preview that is to take no heed of history – of course ! Good job though !
Guessing the line-up is going to be a thankless task methinks – I wouldn’t argue with yours – it could be spot on or not even in the right formation. I think we will become more and more fluid positionally with Arteta developing his own version of total football, as can maybe be suggested by our recent transfer business. He seems to be following Arsene’s example of buying quality players who can play in a number of positions. I would really like to see ESR more in our team – wherever it is.
Happy to go with the 3-0 win.
Anyone else remember the Clive Allen-Kenny Sansom swap? That was a headscratcher!
21CG, I like your starting XI.
I remember it happening U4GN but details are cloudy.
As I remember, we bought Allen and sold him, without him ever playing for us, to the Spuds and then we bought Kenny SNsom with the proceeds.
Did we buy Allen from Palace or QPR ?
It’s a long time ago ….
U4GN @17,
From memory wasnt it done because Palace and Rangers wouldn’t do business? Something to do with enmity between the chairmen. So Arsenal bought Allen and immediately swapped him out for Sansom, acting as honest brokers. Ahem…
It all turned out well for Arsenal though, because the following season Stapleton left and we signed the dynamic duo of Rak Hankin and John Hawley.
You, boy, at the back – stop sniggering……..
That was it, CER …. Didn’t think my version added up somehow 👍🏻
So when did Allen move to Spurs ? he enquires, like anyone gives a monkey’s ….
Dunno some time later. Didn’t he score about 40 goals in a season for the Marshdwellers in about 1987?
And Allen still finds it hard to keep the scorn for the Arsenal from his voice when on media duty.
In fairness, I suppose I wouyld if I’d been treated like that. I mean, South London?
Indeed. Imagine being used and dumped by Arsenal to eventually spend the rest of time at Tottenham 🤣
I notice we’ve not heard from Clive or Depressed Gooner for a while.
Hope you’re ok, fellas …?
Many thanks 21cg for an informative review. This is a game where we should be well prepared for the task ahead – no excuses should we give a poor performance. We are now in a happy position where the boss can rotate as he sees fit – the onus on MA to get it right.
Most matches nowadays in the EPL are not a gimme but feel a confident 2-0 to the good guys.
Further to Trev @26, we’ve not heard from Dorset Mick for some time as well – hope you are ok.
COYRRR
For the record, we signed Clive Allen from QPR in the summer of 1980. After playing only preseason games for us, he moved to Palace in time to make 25 league appearances for them in the 1980-81 season. Next season, he returned to Loftus Road, following Terry Venables, who had left Palace to manage QPR. He moved to the Middlesex Marshes in the summer of 1984. His 33-league goal season was 1986-87 (49 goals in all competitions). From the neighbours to Bordeaux in the summer of 1988, then twilight years as a journeyman at Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham, Millwall and Carlisle. In 1997, he swapped his football boots for cleats and had a season as a kicker in the NFL Europe for the London Monarchs.
And echoing Trev@26 and Uply@27 on those who haven’t been in in a while.
Just pushing the head up out of the covers…1130pm here in Sarff Ostraya….nothing sensible to contribute but always interested by the comments above…but then again …agree with some about what’s been said but overall i remain disappointed that TK3 & ESR8 appear on the outer…my kind of players…Not sure of the year but when i lived close by (Bromley) i was there when we won 5-1 (methinks) was it 1969/70…go Ned, an easy one for the Monks…touchee
COYG
PS Looking forward to meeting up with one of my Spuds (golf members)…he owes me 2 botts of bubbly..St Totteringhams Day & their defeat..it always tastes better when he buys..He should get used to it…Ange Potse..nice guy, good coach but as i said before what was he thinking…Celtic to Spuds…money, perchance?
Re: SP @14. You could be right about the atmosphere at Selhurst but none other than Roy Hodgson was quoted this week saying “we will have to bring our best game to Selhurst Park and hope our fans can weave that magic that they do in getting extra ounces of energy and play from the team that maybe I, as a manager, can’t expect them to do.”
What a knack for whipping up a crowd.
MMTWP@30: November 1969. Raddy hat-trick.
Most likely an extremely deceptive statistic:
Palace have only won their opening home Premier League game of the season once in 14 previous attempts (D3 L10), beating Southampton 1-0 in 2020/21.
Cheers 21CG!
Arsenal twitter (not always totally reliable) giving it Big Gabby won’t start tonight.
Strong bench: Raya, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Gabriel, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Vieira, Trossard.
Hmmm no Gabriel?
Sorry that was a bit negative.
That’s a very strong first 11 and subs bench.
4 nil at half time and 4 nil at full time.
1-0:to The Arsenal!
Three points the hard way at the end, but now it’s over that was a good win
Ground out and backs-to-the-wall at the end, but three precious points. Played 2 Won 2.
The two Tomi yellows were very soft.
Job done.
A bit sweatier than it should have been because of a criminally inconsistent, blind, bird-brained referee.
Declan Rice was colossal.
Adamsesque rearguard performance in the last 20 minnutes.
1-0 to the Arsenal!
Yeah, Coote’s name was apt and it’s a joke that Tomi is banned a game for those two yellows.
Apparently, Tomi had possession of the ball for only 8 seconds before he was yellow-carded; Havertz did the real timewasting, holding onto it for twice as long. So who should have got the yellow card, if anyone?
>>>>>>>