Hello and how are you? Sunday the 26th of October sees a visit from our south London neighbours Crystal Palace, for a match up at Ashburton Grove. Kick off is at 15.00pm central European time ( 2.00pm UK time). Expected weather is cloudy, 10° (feels like 6°) and 22% chance of rain.
As we go into another game for the all- games- in -London for the month of October, we take on a visit from FA Cup-winners Crystal Palace. Palace are currently 8th: P8 W3 D4 L1 F12 A8. They lost to AEK Larnarca in the Conference League, having squandered many a chance and gifting them a goal through a poor back-pass. Prior to that they drew 3-3 with Brentford, saving it in the 97th minute and lost to Everton 2-1. But we should not forget that they make short work of both Villa and Liverpool, who they face again in the League Cup, next week.
Of course everyone knows and will have a beady eye on Eze and the fact he has to face his old club, but Oliver Glasner has stated he feels that Palace are better without him. Yet Arsenal are better with him.
The Gunners go into this game hoping they can be the second club (after Man City ) to go three PL games without a shot on target.
This one last year was 2-2 but its five losses of six for the Eagles against us.
Gabriel came off against Atletico and may miss Sunday, so Mosquera will fill in. Its still a knees up/out for Kai, Martin and Noni, with Jesus still out after his ACL rupture.They won’t be back this side of the next international break.
For Palace Caleb Kporha (back), Cheick Doucoure (knee) and Chadi Riad (knee) are all out, but we may will see Chris Richards back. Its unlikely we will see Eddie back unless its as a sub, as Mateta is keeping him out with his good run of form.
Statto HQ sent a runner over and supplied us with the stats: Arsenal have been given a 67.7% chance of winning and Palace 12.5%.
Next up for the Mighty Cannon is Brighton &HA on Wednesday the 29th of October for our League Cup clash here at the Emirates. COYG!
Mills
Palace are well known for sitting back and playing fast breaks, it’s their M.O. home and away, so we know what to expect. Fortunately we get plenty of practice against these tactics, in fact it’s all we ever get these days, and we have been finding the answers this season.
I expect the same starting eleven as our last PL game, with MLS and Martinelli returning to the bench, however, the squad is so strong that just about any combination of starters will be ok to little old me.
So, famous last words, I don’t see anything but a win tomorrow. Enjoy.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
A
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test
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Thanks you two. I’ve been lucky to get a seat via the Ticket Exchange so feeling nervously anxious. Ill make sure to report on all I see later!
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Thanks Heady, have a great time! COYG!
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COYG.
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Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Hincapie, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Martinelli.
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a hard watch once again
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https://x.com/i/status/1982458311266959524
Eze’s brilliant finish against his former team
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HT: Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Eze with our goal in a drab game so far.
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Saliba off
Mosquera on
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Saka off
Martinelli on
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Calafiori and Rice off
Hincapie and Merino on
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Eze off
MLS on
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6 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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FT: Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Eze with our goal, we improved once we took the lead.
Bournemouth now in 2nd spot 4 points behind us, Man City are 6 points behind after losing at Aston Villa
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Phew! COYG!
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this weekend in the EPL we had the unusual feat of all 3 of the promoted sides winning, its as rare as a free flowing Arsenal goal feast
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Saka taken off today cos he was ill during the week and did not train. Gabriel, Rice and Martinelli all picked up knocks and are doubts for midweek cup game v Brighton
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Gabriel carried a knock into the game bit finished it. It was Saliba who had to come off with Rice and Calafiori. Martinelli came on but finished the game.
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wordpress is messing me up I’m losing posts left right and centre
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There are none in the bin Ian.
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we have Brighton at home in the CC on Wednesday, then we have 3 away games before the next international break, Burnley in EPL, Slavia Prague in CL and Sunderland in EPL,
after the international break we return with Spurs at home in EPL, Bayern Munich at home in CL, and finish November out with Chelsea away in the EPL
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Found it a really interesting game to watch on a number of levels, not least the fact that most of the game seemed to take place in a narrow strip 15 yards either side of the half-way line. Without playing balls over the top I’m not sure how you achieve free-flowing football in those circumstances, as the Liverpool manager is finding out. As more and more sides play these mid to low blocks it’s no great surprise to see the game developing along Rugby lines: the attacking side inching forward, achieving sufficient territorial advantage to bring free-kicks, corners and long-throws into play.
It didn’t surprise me that Saka had been unwell, as he seemed lacking in his normal energy and drive (though still all but scored a trademark curler just before he came off). I felt the same about Rice and Saliba, so wonder if there is a bit of a virus in the ranks. Trossard would have been my man of the match, combining a tirelessness with great control and threat. Gyokeres ran himself into the ground, as indeed did most of the Palace players who looked broken at the end, having given their all. They are a good team and I can see why they think they are just as good, if not better, without Eze. It’s a strange irony that we are a better team with him.
But the main takeaway for me was the atmosphere and crowd reaction. At no time was there ever a feeling that we would sacrifice that one goal lead – it all seemed inevitable, such was the confidence the whole team exuded. It helps that they are all very good at football too.
If we are able to get Odegaard, Havertz and Madueke back without losing Rice, Zubimendi and Saka, in the meantime, we could have a really interesting season.
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Its a WordPress thing George, I’ve had to change my password several times and I can only use ianspace as q username. Really don’t know what happened.
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It’s not liking me either Ian.
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Tried to write a longish comment, posted it but nothing. Then tried again and it told me It was a duplicate.
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Same, Maybe we have to do lots of small posts
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I had that problem last year with wordpress, think it only sorted out when I got a new laptop and signed in to wordpress on it.
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Reiss Nelson scores and assists for Brentford in the cup.
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George, sent the Brighton preview over mate. COYG!
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CARABAO CUP 4th Rd: BRIGHTON.
Hello and how are you? Wednesday the 29th of October sees a visit from the south-coasters Brighton and Hove Albion for our next match in the League Cup.Kick of at Ashburton Grove is 20.45pm central European time (7.45pm UK time). Expected weather is 9° (feels like 6°) partly cloudy and 20% chance of rain.
Our last game of October and Brighton visit for the Carabao cup match, having beaten Oxford United and Barnsley 6-0 on both occasions. However, they went down 4-2 to the resurrected Manchester United on Saturday but it should be noted have also put to the sword Newcastle and Chelsea in recent PL games but also drew with the ailing Wolves.
It perhaps has no relevance on tonight’s match but the Seagulls are in 13th place in the league. Brighton beat us(1-3) in the 22/23 League Cup (3rd) but seem to historically stumble often in the fourth round and haven’t made it to the quarter finals since 78/79.
Declan and Riccardo have been passed ‘fit’ to play despite taking knocks against Palace, Saka too, despite coming off with illness, but I’m not sure he will figure. Saliba and Martinelli will miss the game, which is leaving us a but thin up front, which means there may be a space for Max to make even more of name for himself but Ethan is probably ahead of him at least for the kick-off? Hincapie looks to make his first full start.
Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma (ankle), Joel Veltman (calf) or Brajan Gruda (knee) missed the game against United and are doubtful for this match too. For the long term injuries for Brighton, Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Solly March (knee) and Adam Webster (knee) are all out, as is James Milner ( muscle issue).
The Gunners are unbeaten in ten, our winning streak is seven and have kept five clean sheets in al competitions.
Statto HQ sent me a letter snail mail and upon opening it it said that the Arsenal have a 63.8% chance of winning and Brighton have a 15.3% expectancy. Next up an away day at Burnley. COYG!
Mills
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Good write up Mills,
The trouble with league stats in cup games is they are not one for one, in fact they are chalk and cheese in a lot of cases.
We have a great squad to come in and replace the odd few players when rotation is needed or there are injuries to cover.
Picking a completely new team who need to work together and know each other is more difficult.
Obviously we want to win all games ARSENAL are involved in but should we logically put out first team players for this game when demands for the PL and CL ate getting greater and greater.
Im sure the seagulls have their own difficulties and decisions to make and any ARSENAL side we put out will be very effective COYG.
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Thanks Ian. Great points in your post. COYG!
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Arrizabalaga
White
Lewis-Skelly
Mosquere
P. Hincapié
Norgaard
Merino
Nwaneri
Eze
Harriman-Annous
Dowman
Subs, Gyokeres, Calafiori, Trossard, Zubimendi, Rice ,Saka, Gabriel, Raya,Timber
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so a debut for Harriman-Annous, hope he is better than he was for the U21’s last week were his touch was awful.
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i cant get the game on TV so relying on you guys!
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Tell me about the new No 9 Eddy.0
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Max Dowman becomes the youngest ever player to start a game for Arsenal – 15 years and 302 days old
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Harriman-Annous is a versatile forward, can play right across the front line, fast and tall(around 6ft), he has made steady progress through the academy. His older brother plays for Hull City.
As I said earlier I hope he plays better than he did last week for the U21’s v Chelsea where his first touch was awful, everything bounced off him. He did get in good positions though.
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Heady, you can get commentary on YT ( sammy sk football). COYG!
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Brighton have had two good chances so far, we are lucky to be level
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commentary is on Arsenal.com
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HT: 0-0
brighton have had 10 shots at goal
they are getting through our midfield a bit too easily
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liverpool 2-0 down at home to crystal palace
swansea 1-1 man city
newcastle 1-0 spurs
wolves 0-3 chelsea
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Nwaneriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii makes it 1-0 to the Arsenal
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https://x.com/i/status/1983641095297782184
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Hincapie, White, Dowman off
Gabriel, Timber, Saka on
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An exemption has been granted to lift the 3pm UK broadcast blackout of Premier League games on two Saturdays over this year’s festive period: December 27th and January 3rd
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newcastle 2-0 up on spurs
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wolves 1-3 chelsea
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