@LaboGoon strides toward the Palace for Sunday lunch
Good morning Positivistas…
Arsenal is making the short trip to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace with hopes of attaining another 3 points, another ‘W’, the business of the day.
The Gunners are purring under Unai Emery and haven’t dropped a single point since the second game of this season. Not only is there notable momentum but also a lot of enthusiasm in and around this team. Having won 11 in-a-row in all competitions, including seven consecutive PL victories… that buzz is understandable.
Trying to derail the streak will be a difficult task for the Eagles considering the clubs’ fortunes are of varying contrasts. Roy Hodgon’s team has won only one of their last eight Premier League games, that was away to Huddersfield on the 15th September and you must go to their opening fixture vs Fulham to find their only other victory. Since the 1st September they have scored two and conceded seven goals. With them goalless at home too the Palace faithful will be looking for an improvement as they are in for a bumpy ride with Chelsea, Spurs and Manutd to follow today’s game.
Scoring goals is the least of Unai’s concerns. In Lacazette and Aubameyang the club possess a one-two punch we’ve been lacking for years; if things don’t work out for the one the other pick up the slack, if both are on fire you end up with an attacking masterclass. If both can’t find the back of the net we have a good spread of goals amongst the rest of the squad for good measure.
What is a concern of Unai are 1) the slow start to games, here he emphasised the need for more urgency and responsibility from the players, and 2) still being too open at the back, with tougher games to follow soon he want us to show some defensive solidity if we want to continue breathing down the necks of the early log leaders. This shows an awareness of the areas which we need to improve on and taking steps to do so.
I’m not going to stick my neck out and say today will be a cakewalk, but the Gunners are in a rather bullish mood of late, so if it all clicks the Eagles could be in for a long afternoon, especially with their issues in front of goal.
PS: Pundits are questioning whether our winning streak against so-called lesser teams is a true reflection of where we are [looking at you Paul Merson]. While that remains subject to opinion, it’s results vs “the farmers” that will ultimately decide where we finish on the log at the end of the season. So today’s game is by no means less important than games vs top 6 opposition… and anybody that think otherwise can go kick rocks.
Positively Arsenal 
Bit of an enigma are Palace. I expected them to kick on this season and move up to a comfortable top half position, mainly on the strength of god home form. Their results at home have been crap, three defeats, and the natives are restless. If we can snatch something early and get the crowd angry we might see the Eagles de-feathered by 3.30.
COYG
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Things I’m expecting today.
An uncut pitch. A soft but seen them given Palace penalty. A robust series of challenges from Woy’s lot. A red card for Toreira.
And if we escape with a point after all that I shall be mightily relieved.
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well anicol whatever about palace kicking on this season I expect them to put in a few kicks today, and a good number of dives from Zaha, including loads of mouth from him if decision does not go his way.
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mandy asked on the previous post why were the club allowing contracts to run down, re:Raul saying the Club would no longer allow this, — well its more that the club will now look to make a decision on a new contract 3 years out, and no later than 2, as to how much we want and need a player, and then it will be either offer new improved deal, or try to sell the player. As to how exactly the club will force a player to be transferred I really don’t know, we’ve been trying to offload Jenkinson for a couple of years now and there was nothing we could do to make him leave. Maybe the club intend paying off some of the lesser player if they won’t leave, and in the case of bigger name players, hope we and the player get an offer worth their while. I know Raul tried to make it all sound rosy and simple, in that we will give the player we want to keep an offer 3 years out, but you simply can’t do that with every player, that is how you end up with massive wage bill and players you no longer want, hard to shift.
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Thanks to Labo for the intro. Tough one to call? Going to the Selhurst Nest hasnt always been fun in the past, but a nice result could exorcise a few doubts?
Anyway, heres hoping its us whose glad all over.
COYG!
ps Does anyone know if Fred Street is still about?
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After his10-11 tumbles last season that earned penalties I think Zaha has been on the end of the traditional referees’ backlash since August and the last I saw he was moaning about not being protected by officials. Stop chucking yourself on the deck and pretending to be injured Wilfried, and officials might find it easier is my tip.
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Coo – Xhaka at left back again – I am surprised I admit it.
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Interesting, I would imagine we will see a lot of dark arts, and Xhaka targeted in just about every way possible.
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Good point Eduardo, just how exactly does a club move n a player under contract who doesn’t want to move
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I feel a bit winded that Ramsey ain’t starting with Xhaka filling in at LB. It’s as if the board told Unai it’s best to groom his heir apparent, young Douzi, while he’s being phase him out.
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Labo: I think that the manager feels that Ramsey is not a starter, just as he did with Wilshere. And just as the decision makers did with AW.
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Granit had his stroppy head on in Lisbon – deep breath required today son.
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Mustafi and Holding keeping their places despite Sokratis back fit again
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isn’t it Atkinson in charge today, I think Zaha might just be rewarded for his diving
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Ramsey “isn’t a starter”, but a 17 year old is. What a load of bullshit that is.
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COYG
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Who’s the 17 year old?
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Sorry, typo. 19 year old.
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Ayew booked
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Bloody hell – let off x2
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palace after going very close twice in a minute, zaha hits the post then after we are cut open townsend fires wide
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Thanks Labo
Was just about to write that palace hadn’t had any decent chances as they’d have been hoping for with their game plan, going for the early goal if possible before facing Second Half Arsenal.
Fortunately Zaha hits the post with that cheeky effort.
Be very happy with a victory by a margin of one goal and would’ve bit anyone’s hand off for such a result before KO.
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sterile possession
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Personally I can’t wait for the public haggling which arrived so late in the process to be sorted out by about, oh, the 31st of January 2019, so that we can then see Ramsey play in CM!
Always the optimist…
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Taking the sting out the game and the momentum the home team were hoping to build?
A penny for the thoughts of those who dreamed and demanded for so many years that they’d get a less attacking manager after AW left.
Heh.
Heh.
Heh.
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This team scare me at the start of games
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After trying to see off the predictable efforts by the home team to snag an early lead a first good half chance for Laca.
Nearly a good goal, nearly the perfect game plan with a little bit of luck for the Arsenal there.
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Oh Bellerin! Ball just sticking under his feet for a fraction too long. A great start to the match at both ends by the RB.
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we are so casual in possession
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Atkinson being Atkinson
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mistakes all round, leno, belwrin mustafi
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peno scored
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Completely avoidable sucker punch, but we wouldn’t be Arsenal if we made life easy for ourselves.
Terrible time to concede in such a way, but this team can massively improve in the second half.
Palace had been getting away with quote a lot of rotational fouling.
Guess they will just sit back now
Very annoying, at a place where we don’t seem to do so well these days
Expecting much better in the second
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HT: palace 1-0 arsenal
give a sucker a chance and you will pay for it
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A foul on Holding not called? Had his shirt ripped? Before anything else?
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Need another half time turn around.
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Penalise opponents for ripping shirts off our players backs, come on, this is Atkinson !
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Lack of quality in possession in that first half – bit to do
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one of the Arsenal coaches was sent to the stands by Atkinson at half time for complaining about the foul on Holding not being given
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Top bins!
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Xhakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa what a free kick
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Xhaka-Koeman!
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Boom boom Xhaka
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goalie got a hand on it but could not divert it enough 1-1
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Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
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commentators saying Lacazette handled the high ball in, but a palace defender headed it on, PEA was coming in at far post to prod it home, 2-1 to the Arsenal
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The Hand of Laca
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