please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Venue: Selhurst Park Sunday, August 16th 2015 KO Time: 13.30 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Crystal Palace Played: 34 Wins: 23 Draws: 9 Losses: 2 Goals For: 72 Goals Against: 26 Goal Difference: 46 Last 6 Meetings: Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal Arsenal 5-1 Crystal Palace Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal please log in to view this image Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace: on the team news... Hector Bellerin is back and is available for Sunday. Danny Welbeck is making good progress, but is still not available. on Jack Wilshere... We said Jack would be out for four weeks, and he’s in the second week now so he’s on schedule. on Tomas Rosicky... Tomas has had surgery on his knee. His agent said he will be out for one or two months, but it will be longer. How long exactly, we don’t know yet. on Alexis... Alexis Sanchez is fit, he’s been working hard and is ready for the weekend. please log in to view this image
Need a good response here. 1st game result was poor and disappointing but its early days and a chance to get our season started here.
It'll be tough away at Palace, they are a well organised and energetic team. Crucial that we get the first goal really, we don't want to be chasing this game and end up getting picked off. I expect us to perform much better than we did against West Ham. If there's one saving grace from that game was that the two goals were pretty much our own fault, so it's an area that we can put right this week.
I believe Crystal Palace played the least amount of short passes last season, they look to start attacks quickly from deep so we need to put plenty of pressure on Cabaye and McArthur, make sure we are snapping at their heels and making things uncomfortable for them. Mertesacker and Koscielny also need to win the physical battle against Murray (who I assume will play). I would play Bellerin and Gibbs for their pace to combat Palace's wingers. I think we can win if we don't lose concentration and put the hard work in. Going for 2-1 to us.
Tough away game but it's the best time to play them after losing on the weekend. We will be playing with a lot more intensity this time round and Palace will hopefully attack us and leave plenty of space for our attackers. Hopefully our rude awakening against West Ham will trigger a major response.
Does anyone remember the last time we conceded a goal first and then went on to win the game? Because it appears that every time we concede first, we always end up losing. It is worrying if Palace draw first blood.
Man United away - was a draw but a good result. I think this is more a problem at home though. We do seem to give up very easily if things aren't going as planned.
Cazorla centre mid too at the very least, possibly Walcott up front too given how gash Giroud was as well as end of last season.
I start Giroud because he has a good scoring record there, 2 goals in 2 games, and against C.Palace away, can't see Walcott getting much running space, which how he is affective, C.Palace have always kept things very tight and made it hard for us when we play there, in all last 3 away games, including the one back all the way in 2005 when we had the likes of Henry-Pires. There are some games you just know Walcott won't offer much, I see this as one of them, Newcastle away though, big pitch and all, I would start Walcott.
Debuchy/Giroud benched instead for Bellerin/Walcott.This will be a tough game make no mistake.Palace will do well this season and have a nice balance in midfield.Wouldnt be suprised if this ended a score draw.
I can't see Walcott having much joy against a packed Palace defence/midfield tbh. Though Bellerin and Gibbs may get a lot of joy down the flanks, especially with Oxo there as well. Tbh I'd drop Ramsey have Walcott and Oxo on the flanks and Santi sitting deep next to Coq, but I can't see it happening.
We definitely need to get our fullbacks involved in this game going forward. I'd start Gibbs and Bellerin, as they offer so much pace down the flanks. Also Walcott on the right and Sanchez on the left. Ozil, Ramsey and Cazorla are NOT wingers.
I'd only bring in Bellerin for Debuchy to give more pace from the flanks, i don't think it's possible for the same set of players to put in such another bad attacking performance like they did at West Ham.
Question is do we drop one of Ramsey/Cazorla for more pace down the flanks or play them both to (in theory) dominate the midfield.
Ramsay should get dropped. He's a central midfielder and Cazorla is better than him in this position. He was brilliant for 5 months in 2013/14. He was quite good last season in patches. He was average to poor at the weekend. Unless he starts playing better his 2013/14 is just going to look a flash in the pan. He's been average far more in his career than brilliant. He'd strengthen our bench with more options too.
In the last 3? West Ham games before the very last one we always conceded first and then went on to win it.
