please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Team News: (To Be Updated) Form Guide: please log in to view this image Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs Crystal Palace: Played: 36 Wins: 21 Draws: 10 Losses: 5 For: 74 Against: 32 GD: 42 Last 6 Matches: Crystal Palace 0 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 5 - 1 Crystal Palace Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Arsenal Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Arsenal (FA Cup) Arsenal 1 - 0 Crystal Palace Arsenal 0 - 0 Crystal Palace (FA Cup) please log in to view this image Manager's Views: (To Be Updated) My Team: please log in to view this image
If Wilshere is not fit, then we probably have to play the OX in that deep midfield position. Defensively he is wet behind the ears, but gives us much needed pace in there and can burst forward and get into the box. Ideally though, we need Wilshere to be fit for this one.
OKay, i would go: Szczesny Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs Matuidi Oxlade-Chamberlain Cazorla Ozil Podolski Giroud What we'll probably get though is: Szczesny Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal Arteta Half fit Wilshere Gnabry Ozil Cazorla Giroud
Monreal in midfield when Arteta is fit? and even if we do sign Draxler, he's injured at the moment. even if he was fit, he wouldn't get into the team ahead of Podolski or Gnabry with minimal first team training. Plus, I believe Gibbs has played CM before (for 10 mins or so) whilst Monreal has not.
arteta was poor last game. monreal has played more in midfield than gibbs and could do DM role letting Jack be box to box. draxler was just a wish list
arteta was poor because he was alongside flamini. Arteta was tasked with sitting, but since flamini doesn't really roam forwards too much, arteta didn't have anyone to pass to start attacks. those two don't work in midfield. need one of wilshere or ramsey.
No Wilshere, then. Between the OX and Rosicky for that CM spot. Would pick Rosicky for the experience and he is better defensively.
Getting the 3 points is really important in this one. We need to stack up all the points we can prior to our tough run of fixtures. With City playing Chelsea we have the opportunity to be back on top of the table. A win will see us go 15 clear of Utd 11 ahead of Tottenham and 10 clear of Everton in 5th. I think that has us quite comfortably not in the battle for top 4 but rather fighting for the title. With ~two thirds of the season played thats a great position to be in. If City beat Chelsea that'll keep us 5 and 6+ points ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool, 1 point behind City. If City and Chelsea draw then we coud be a point ahead of City and 4 clear of Chelsea. Basically if we win and anything other than a Chelsea win in the City/Chelsea game and we will be firmly in the top 2. We have some really difficult patches of fixtures this ha;lf of the seson and so these games are really important for us.
I think Rosicky - Arteta is a decent CM pairing. Both can defend and both can pass well, Rosicky also has the ability to open up defences with his runs. Much better than Arteta - Flamini. I don't think we need to get carried away about any midfield crisis just yet.
I'd go for: ----------Sczc---------- Sagna--Mert--Kosc--Gibbs -----Arteta--Rosicky---- Cazorla----Ozil----Podolski ----------Giroud--------- Subs: Flappy, Verm, Monreal, Gnabry, Oxocube, Zelalem, Bendtner Assuming Wilshere isn't fit. If he is fit enough then have him on the bench. But i think we may see Gnabry on the right, Cazorla on the left and Podolski on the bench. Which i don't mind either tbh.
I'd go for: Shezza Sagna Mert Kos Gibbs Arteta OXO ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Santi cazoooorla Podolski Ozil Giroud
I don't think Oxocube is best suited at the moment to playing centrally. Maybe once he has had some more game time. Rosicky knows what he is doing. That said i wouldn't be against giving Zelalem a shot.
Wenger disagrees. @Arsenal: #Arsenal team to play Palace: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Ozil, Podolski, Giroud
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Parr, Bolasie, Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Puncheon, Chamakh, Jerome.
I'd say its more about getting him game time and the opposition rather than a preference over Rosicky for the position. Good to see Podolski get a start on the left.
