- What do you do when you invest half a billion pounds in players and it goes wrong
- Why do Arsenal always do so badly away from home under this referee?
By Tony Attwood
Ahead of today’s game against Burnley, Crystal Palace have asked for their next match in the league cup, against Arsenal, to be played on 23 December. Arsenal have opposed the idea as vigorously as they can. Mikel Arteta has stated quite clearly that it would not be reasonable either for players or fans to make both teams play two matches just over 48 hours.
That is, of course, a fair point, and indeed a generous one (although the media don’t admit that), given the much stronger squad depth that Arsenal have than their opponents..
The game is currently announced as being played on Tuesday, 16 December, with Palace facing games either side of that match against Manchester City and KuiPas in the Conference League. However, it should be noted that Arsenal are not facing a clear run: they are playing Wolverhampton the day before Palace take on ManC. Palace are suggesting that both teams should have an equal number of days to prepare for the League Cup game, although as far as I know there is absolutely nothing in the rules to say this is the case. And indeed clubs regularly face taking on an extra game when they draw a cup match and have to undertake an unexpected replay. I imagine Palace will start asking for those to be withdrawn soon.
But it is exactly because of the congestion that can arise if a Premier League club in Europe progresses in the League Cup that Arsenal and other teams generally play their reserve teams in the League Cup games. This approach, which explains Arsenal’s failure to progress in the competition over the years, has always been accepted as ok by the organising committee.
Crystal Palace have also said that they would accept playing on Christmas Eve but Arsenal, the Metropolitan police and Transport for London have all said they would object as there would be no rail and bus services at the time the match was due to finish. It appears that here, as elsewhere, Palace have failed to do their homework.
Arsenal also argued that the only time a 24 December match has been played in recent years was when it could be played in the afternoon not the evening.
Generally, Arsenal have expressed their opposition to any arrangement that leaves their players playing two games in three days while the Football League has yet to make a final decision. Part of the argument from Arsenal is that from the summer onwards, all clubs know which competitions they are in and when public holidays fall, and it is their management duty to arrange their squad so that they can cope, rather than bring up issues just because they happen to get further in the competition than they expected.
Palace, however, seem to blame the Premier League for not liaising properly with other organisers of competitions. Arsenal has suggested that if the organising committees can’t put a reasonable solution together, rather than risk player safety, Arsenal would pull out.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the latest news is that Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba still appear to be doubtful for this weekend’s match. However, it is being suggested that Ødegaard, Havertz and Noni Madueke might be ready for selection after the next international break. Which reminds us that no one is suggesting that the best way of treating congestion is to cut the internationals. Except Untold.
There is also some talk that in their last two games, Palace have scored five goals – against Wolverhampton and Leeds. Arsenal have scored just three goals in their last two. Although it could also be noted that Arsenal have conceded no goals in their last six games while scoring 12. Palace have conceded 12 goals in their last six.
The other games in the League cup quarters are, Cardiff City v Chelsea, Manchester City v Brentford and Newcastle United v Fulham.
Elsewhere in the media the Telegraph is pondering over why “Thomas Frank has not won over the fans,” there is yet more praise in that same paper for “Arsenal’s academy stars” and there is news emerging that some managers (not in England, however) have admitted using Chat GPT to get new ideas on tactics for games. Reading some of the match previews and ceaseless criticism of Arsenal, I think journalists have been doing this for a while.
Although in the same paper, Jason Burt tells us that the Premier League is not entertaining this season. I think the reason for him feeling that is that, as a journalist, he doesn’t pay for entry and is given a nice seat with refreshments readily available, while what we bring to matches is commitment and enthusiasm and a long trek to the ground. That’s the difference. The media ought to try it sometime.
Mind you, that same newspaper is also telling us that, “Concentrating on one game at a time is a thing of the past.” To which I can reply, not when you are a real fan who pays to get into the ground, it isn’t.
Up next, the team.
