By Bulldog Drummond
In the last eight games (all in the League) Palace have pulled themselves together under Roy Hodgson…
Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
18 Nov 2017 | Crystal Palace v Everton | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
25 Nov 2017 | Crystal Palace v Stoke City | W | 2-1 | Premier League |
28 Nov 2017 | Brighton and Hove v Crystal Palace | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
02 Dec 2017 | West Bromwich v Crystal Palace | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
09 Dec 2017 | Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
12 Dec 2017 | Crystal Palace v Watford | W | 2-1 | Premier League |
16 Dec 2017 | Leicester City v Crystal Palace | W | 0-3 | Premier League |
23 Dec 2017 | Swansea City v Crystal Palace | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
That makes five draws, three wins and no defeats, which is not at all bad for a team that lost their first seven games in the league this season.
Arsenal’s last eight games have given us four wins, three draws and one defeat – that to Manchester United
Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
29 Nov 2017 | Arsenal v Huddersfield Town | W | 5-0 | Premier League |
02 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v Manchester United | L | 1-3 | Premier League |
07 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v FC BATE Borisov | W | 6-0 | UEFA Europa League |
10 Dec 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
13 Dec 2017 | West Ham United v Arsenal | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
16 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v Newcastle United | W | 1-0 | Premier League |
19 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 1-0 | League Cup |
22 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v Liverpool | D | 3-3 | Premier League |
Both teams have four injuries at present, Arsenal having Monreal, Ramsey and Giroud out, with physioroom counting Santiz Cazorla as a player injured, although as I always point out, he’s not registered to play in the 25. So three players out of the 25 are injured. Palace have Sakho, Ward, Delaney and Wickbam with Ward possibly back after a groin strain for this game.
So the question is what sort of team do we need to put out against Palace away from home. What’s their record in that regard? Here’s the home form of Palace in the context of the league…
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester City | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 7 | 29 | 28 |
2 | Manchester United | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 25 |
3 | Arsenal | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
4 | Chelsea | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 22 |
5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 21 |
6 | Liverpool | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 16 | 20 |
7 | Everton | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 19 |
8 | Burnley | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 17 |
9 | Huddersfield Town | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 15 |
10 | Leicester City | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 14 |
11 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 14 |
12 | Stoke City | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 14 |
13 | Southampton | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 13 |
14 | Crystal Palace | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 15 | -3 | 12 |
15 | Watford | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 21 | -8 | 12 |
16 | West Ham United | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 11 |
17 | Newcastle United | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 10 |
18 | AFC Bournemouth | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 9 |
19 | West Bromwich Albion | 10 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 9 |
20 | Swansea City | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 8 |
Looking the possible team news the first choice appears to be between Kolasinac or Maitland Niles – the former has the force with him, the latter has the pace.
It also seems possible that Shkodran Mustafi could play in central defence, leaving Kolasinac and Bellerin as wing backs free to maraud and push Palace back with Xhaka doing the extra defensive work.
Arsenal’s away form is of course not as good as we’d like it to be but still has picked up a little of late…
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester City | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 20 | 30 |
2 | Chelsea | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 20 |
3 | Manchester United | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 18 |
4 | Liverpool | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 18 |
5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 16 |
6 | Burnley | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 16 |
7 | Watford | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 13 |
8 | Leicester City | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 13 |
9 | Arsenal | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 9 |
10 | Newcastle United | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 8 |
11 | AFC Bournemouth | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 8 |
12 | Everton | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 8 |
13 | Huddersfield Town | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 20 | -12 | 8 |
14 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 7 |
15 | West Ham United | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 24 | -12 | 7 |
16 | Southampton | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 6 |
17 | West Bromwich Albion | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 6 |
18 | Crystal Palace | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 6 |
19 | Stoke City | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 22 | -12 | 6 |
20 | Swansea City | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 16 | -11 | 5 |
But still it is just two wins out of nine away from home. One goal per away game is not what we would hope for from a team with all this attacking flair.
So our goals tally is 9-13 away while their’s is 12-15 at home, which doesn’t sound too promising either way. Can we find anything to make this look more promising?
In our last five away games in the league we have got two wins, two draws and one defeat
Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
22 Oct 2017 | Everton v Arsenal | W | 2-5 | Premier League |
05 Nov 2017 | Manchester City v Arsenal | L | 3-1 | Premier League |
26 Nov 2017 | Burnley v Arsenal | W | 0-1 | Premier League |
10 Dec 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
13 Dec 2017 | West Ham United v Arsenal | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
Eight goals for six against. On this basis we are certainly tightening up away from home. We just need to have the attacking strength which has twice seen us score five in a league game this season (Everton away and Huddersfield at home). A spot of that with a solid defence could do us rather well.
More anon.
We’ll need at least three goals tonight in order to compensate for the ‘Oliver Factor’……
Fresh from helping the neighbours to an easy win, it’s next stop stitch up almost certain.
Argh! Michael Oliver? Not him again. I mistakingly thought it was Bobby Madley that will referee in our PL match away to Man City when the match officials for the match were being revealed on this site. A PL match in which Michael Oliver and one of his assistants played a major role in seeing that Arsenal lose the match. Whereas, had the match been genuinely refereed by not a bias referee instead of been PGMO anti-Arsenal refereed, Arsenal would have gotten a result in the match.
Once Bitten Twice Shy! With the nasty match referring experience the Gunners had from referee Michael Oliver and his assistant in their last Man City game, the Gunners should be shy of Mr Oliver and any of his assistants to not allow them this time around get away this night at Selhurst Park with doing anti-Arsenal referring in the game against them in their PL match against the Eagles of Crystal Palace. But negate his PGMO cynical antics against Arsenal in the match by blocking him and his assistants to play anti- PGMO referring Arsenal game that will see the Gunners downed not less that 3 Eagles in their flights during the match before M Oliver and his assistants know what is happening in the game. Thus, making them to become helpless in carrying out their master’s orders against Arsenal.
In as much as Crystal Palace might have pulled themselves together in their last 8 games under the guidance of manager Roy Hodgson, Arsenal will undoubtedly this night at their Selhurst Park scatter them 3 times during the match on their 9th game in as many as in their will be last nine.
Final Scores at full-time +: CPFC 0-3 AFC
Oliver is towing the PGMO party line.
However Shkodran pops up, some lax defending from Callum (still learning) is wiped out by that man!
Alexis, what do you want it?! With news gathering that Ozil and Jack are due to sign and some sections reporting the board are quite sure we won’t be losing either star man in January or the Summer! I am more optimistic than ever and look forward to the return of CL football once more.
With Theo omitted again from the starting line up, the interest F Everton, S’hampton, and even West Ham will surely be music to many ears. Meanwhile Mahrez is again linked with us, but seeing as he plays in the right, why is he being mooted a second the replacement of outnumbered mercurial talent from Chile? Fracker I could understand, but if there was a natural option, Ryad is mundane totalnfirst choice, let’s give the home office another headache.
A brief news reel on Rugani and suddenly we are after Bennatia, yes we want a thirty year old CB.
Additionally we are interested in all manner of players, but if we get in a CB and DM, whilst securing the services of Ozil and Alexis for the foreseeable future, I could only demarcate a RW as a bonus.
Montreal is out with a delicate injury which could take a while to heal fully and cannot be rushed and it would seem sensible to consider rehab and a sale here also! Before he busts something else.
We should use the Jan window as the summer will only seee players prices inflate with the World Cup!
COYG
Jack: Assists in this game 2! He is so important we should play with a midfield 3 he and Aaron supported by a deep lying and we need one more. Mo I love you but the air is thin where we beee to go.
Theo go to S’hampton if you like, but I’d go Everton son. 2 aged full backs out 2 in! Cohen make sure you are on it and fit by pre season!
Butland! Rugani and Ryan! William C, two full back and replacement for Danny and Oliver in time!
A game with no significant stoppages and 4 minutes added with four subs, each accumulating 30 seconds after more lax defending allows Palace a sniff!
If we are being shot at, stop self savoutaging!
That has been a banana skin fixture in tef by times, another packet counter attacking side! Well at least the second half of this season starts with a win! Next we must dismiss W Brom, to give Arsene a great gift for becoming the PL manager with the most fixtures under his belt.
Also starting the year in fine fashion and going off to party the night away with a day or rest available on the 1st will be a must.
We need to reinforce and let some deadwood depart. Mo is off to World Cup and so it may be worth the wait for that sale. But Id risk offloading Danny of China is fit and looking sharp and half committed.
We need the spaces and we need more quality. Nelson right wing understudy, Iwobi left. We can buy a right winger that way and a striker before we even have to sell Oliver.
I’m gonna start the search for a RB and LB properly. I still like Meter and Pulusic.
Enthusiasm and quality, some calm as well.
Alexis was marginally offside in first goal, not affecting the play but Sky ask it anyway!
Granit was hauled off, after a knock according to the same source and… I just cba quoting these morons from different comedy outlets anymore!
3 points bagged, 6 points separate 2nd to 6th whilst City will priorities the CL now they have that cushion, they will also prioritise the cups. Buy CL is something else and once teams smell blood in the league they come, 18 teams with a gripe!
The saga at Newcastle drags on meanwhileas the protracted sale goes on whilst accounts from Nov and payments from Dec are scrutinised.
On the bright side, looking at the next few fixtures for the other 4 cut adrift from City, I see that if we can perform in the next fixture and get the win we deserved at the bridge. We could well be 2nf by the time we face Chelsea in the league cup!
Now that is something to focus on.
Liverpool face some tricky fixtures, as do united, whilst Chelsea face us on our patch after a test against Stoke who are rarely pushovers. Whilst Spurs will be desperate to build on the momentum largely brought by Kane and his rightly praised (by Wenger) scoring feats.
But the rumblings behind, Courtois, William, Hazard, Luiz and if be fairly surprised if at least 50% of those names cease to be listed in the 25man squad of theirs by Sept 2 2018, if not sooner.
Courinho is sounding lit like the done deal for his former team mate and to the same club. They will want Lallana back asap. £75m artificial club value inflation much, but they are progressing at light years and have largely unfashionable players, they gonna need too four and I have Liverpool and Chelsea not making the grade.
United are looking to liquidate assets and Maruane, Mikhi and Mata look available, Herrera also and possibly Blind and Shaw. with Jose looking to throw more money at his problems.
There is something too good tonne true about City and I’m quite sure it’s PGMO assistance combined with no losses, I think both may be a little less likely quite soon.
Today the three points were what mattered and the things got bagged, if Mesut rescuing a win and a draw was needed, a match winning brace from Alexis was right behind in the sweep stakes top prizes.
Jack to transition behind Ozil was needed, he respects them and they will know to respect him. That’s a top class four, now a fifth.
Let’s stick with scoring one more first of all, but Jeez a DM would make it all better.
Watching them try and build from the back was horrifying and the two up top just loitering in the gaps.
We will be demolished in latter EL stages like that! Europe is flair players and compact passing, Dortmund, Athletico pretty much epitomise that!
I said it before the 10-2 Bayern aggregate and I’m saying it again.