EPL | Crystal Palace vs Arsenal | 10th April at 20:00 (GMT) Sky Sports

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Allardyce and Tony Pulis went to the same school of football management. Unfortunately for Allardyce he doesn't yet have the right players to execute his direct style. They will instead sit back and defend deep, then try to isolate our CBs and break into the space left by our full backs using the pace of Zaha and Benteke.

Because of our last result against West ham, people have forgotten that we struggled to get any fluency in the first half and West Ham, having lost 5 games in a row, collapsed after our first goal. This is a different game, away from home and I think what we need to do given recent away performances is focus on defending again.

A clean sheet at half time means you can take fewer risks, the opposition will eventually come out and leave gaps. A must win game doesn't mean we have to get wreckless again and have our CBs trying to win headers on the half way line.

I get what you're saying and agree to an extent, but I think it'd be dangerous for us to focus on defending.

With Koscielny, I wouldn't trust our boys to focus on the defensive aspect of our game. I feel like we'll eventually give up a chance and knowing us we'll end up conceding. With no Kos and a (talented) rookie in goal in Martinez, we should definitely look to impose ourselves on Palace.

They've got a ridiculous amount of injuries atm, most in the league I believe. The likes of Dann, Cabaye, Remy, Tomkins, Van Aanholt and Souare are all out. They also lost their last game to S'ton despite taking the lead and being on a good run of form. It's time the boys took to the field with some confidence and assertiveness.

 

[asukru]

@Taylor Gang Gunners - I think you can help me with this one as I have a dilemma LOL - game is on at 3pm here in Canada and I work until 5pm, they will be showing the game again at 8:30pm, however, WWE RAW is on at 8pm and they are doing a draft tonight so what do I do lol?

Hoping the game is a good one and I can watch the highlights after watching WWE RAW.

2-1 Arsenal in a tight game is what I am calling.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Matchday!

Am I right in assuming you're somewhat "optimistic" regarding our late kickoff today?


Note:

Bear in mind by optimistic I mean that we won't start in our usual lethargic manner & soak up the pressure of being constantly bombarded by long balls & having our flanks exposed by our marauding spaniards abandoning their posts leaving us exposed to opposition wingers & still somehow salvaging a point sparing us even more shame & which will be lauded as yet another example of our "mental toughness".

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

@Taylor Gang Gunners - I think you can help me with this one as I have a dilemma LOL - game is on at 3pm here in Canada and I work until 5pm, they will be showing the game again at 8:30pm, however, WWE RAW is on at 8pm and they are doing a draft tonight so what do I do lol?

Hoping the game is a good one and I can watch the highlights after watching WWE RAW.

2-1 Arsenal in a tight game is what I am calling.

Can you possibly record the Arsenal game? Avoid the score and watch it when you get home from work, then watch the draft. If not, the live event always wins over highlights .

Can't wait to see the draft tbh, I hope Seth Rollins is drafted to Smackdown Live. AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins NEEDS to happen in the WWE.

 

[kopzilla]

Narrow loss or a draw...

 

[mm76]

@Taylor Gang Gunners - I think you can help me with this one as I have a dilemma LOL - game is on at 3pm here in Canada and I work until 5pm, they will be showing the game again at 8:30pm, however, WWE RAW is on at 8pm and they are doing a draft tonight so what do I do lol?

Hoping the game is a good one and I can watch the highlights after watching WWE RAW.

2-1 Arsenal in a tight game is what I am calling.

simple - you watch Arsenal

 

[SA Gunner]

Palace are in great form at the moment.

We need to play some crisp stuff, otherwise its a loss for sure.

 

[Rimaal]

Am I right in assuming you're somewhat "optimistic" regarding our late kickoff today?


Note:

Bear in mind by optimistic I mean that we won't start in our usual lethargic manner & soak up the pressure of being constantly bombarded by long balls & having our flanks exposed by our marauding spaniards abandoning their posts leaving us exposed to opposition wingers & still somehow salvaging a point sparing us even more shame & which will be lauded as yet another example of our "mental toughness".

I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic. Finding it hard to conjure up the energy to care, really.

 

[Big Poppa]

I get what you're saying and agree to an extent, but I think it'd be dangerous for us to focus on defending.

With Koscielny, I wouldn't trust our boys to focus on the defensive aspect of our game. I feel like we'll eventually give up a chance and knowing us we'll end up conceding. With no Kos and a (talented) rookie in goal in Martinez, we should definitely look to impose ourselves on Palace.

They've got a ridiculous amount of injuries atm, most in the league I believe. The likes of Dann, Cabaye, Remy, Tomkins, Van Aanholt and Souare are all out. They also lost their last game to S'ton despite taking the lead and being on a good run of form. It's time the boys took to the field with some confidence and assertiveness.

I agree with you by the way.

When I say focus on defending, I don't mean sitting back and absorbing pressure. I mean pressing from the front, retaining our shape without the ball, stopping crosses, tracking runners, and staying focused on set pieces.

We need to focus on getting the basics right, competing in duels with purpose, being physical when needed and earning the right to play our football. The confidence and assertiveness will naturally flow once we get a goal or two up.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic. Finding it hard to conjure up the energy to care, really.

Same here. A win we is just as underwhelming as a loss. The only thing that can save this unmitigated disaster of a season is the FA Cup.

 

[samshere]

Hope Giroud starts. It messes up the game plan of these smaller teams. They come out expecting to deal with small technical players and it's confusing having to deal with Giroud who wouldn't look out of place in a West Brom side. Of course, we don't always play to his strengths, but that's a different story.

 

[Rimaal]

Same here. A win we is just as underwhelming as a loss. The only thing that can save this unmitigated disaster of a season is the FA Cup.

Don't care about the FA Cup either.

 

[mm76]

Hope Giroud starts. It messes up the game plan of these smaller teams.

only because they're too busy laughing...

if either he or Ramsey start, we're doomed

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Wenger would be stupid if he not start with the same line up who played very well against westham. Coq need to stay away from starting line up.

 

[samshere]

only because they're too busy laughing...

if either he or Ramsey start, we're doomed

Doesn't Giroud have 3 in 3 against Crystal Palace. Was he able to score because they were laughing at him? These are the kind of games where we start Giroud, he's of no use against a city or Tottenham.

 

[A_G]

Welbeck up front fgs, unreal that you'd shunt Alexis out wide for him

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Good same line up.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Glad line up is unchanged but wish Arsène would just switch Alexis and Welbeck around.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Greatest lineup of all time ngl. Xhaka-Elneny two games in a row, I'm being spoilt here.

 

[Trilly]

The PL app says that Welbeck is in midfield. Hopefully that's the case.

Regardless we should be interchanging much more than we have.