PL | Arsenal v Crystal Palace | 1/1/17 | 4pm GMT

[Hunta]

Oh look, Palace get a new manager just before they play Arsenal. After bending over for Man United and Chelsea at home, Palace have swapped Pardew for Big Sam.

Will Arsenal bottle it at home to Palace like last season? Will we start 2017 with a home loss? Will Benteke end his drought? Probably.

 

[Rex Stone]

Can @THunter do every match thread? Dying

 

[SA Gunner]

Our team are back in that "we need to prove we have what it takes" mode.

That signals win for us in my book. The false security and swagger isnt back yet to hamper us.

 

[Gooner_Delhi]

This is the 'We can still do this' time of the year.. we will be fine for next few matchdays.

It's mid-Feb that will break our back.. and make us truly out of contention and desperately holding on to 4th spot.

 

[tap-in]

I've only just managed to watch the WBA game highlights. I think that win will be huge for us, the goal really lifted us and although it was late we had chances to score more. I expect us to score at least 2 in the first half and go on to a comfortable win.

Gaby is starting to look the part, a run in the side is clearly helping his game. I'd like Gibbs to start again and prefer to stick with Xhaka/Coq in the middle, although I think Wenger may be tempted to start Xhaka/Ramsey.

I wont hope for Lucas to get a start, I think there's more chance of a George Michael tour in 2017.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Palace score goals, I think they might've scored the most goals outside the top 4 teams. Zaha has been brilliant this season and Benteke is always a threat. I'm pleased we kept a clean sheet against WBA, particularly with how good they are on set plays. Good preparation for a Sam Allardyce team.

We'll win comfortably IMO, Palace aren't strong enough defensively to cope with us. Allardyce will need more time to rebuild a defence that shipped 5 to Swansea. The biggest question heading into this for me is who will be fit to play.

Ox, Theo, Gibbo?

 

[NotAUserName]

Ospina - Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs - Xhaka, Elneny - Iwobi, Özil, Sanchez - Giroud.

 

[bingobob]

Another manager whom Wengers record isn't great. At home though so I expect us to win. Ramsey and Xhaka at the Base of the midfield the rest unchanged.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Cech
Bellerin - Gabriel - Koscielny - Gibbs
Xhaka - Ramsey - Özil
Walcott* - Sanchez - Iwobi

* If not Walcott then Perez or Chamberlain!

 

[Jury]

Boom tings OP

Crystal Palace and BFS are rolling up to our very own theatre of dreams--dreams for the opposition, that is, where anything is possible and miracles can happen. We will fix you. We will give you shelter.

Alright, maybe a bit strong, but we'll probably let your struggling striker end his drought and look unplayable, while your new manager gets off to flier.

Too many bad omens here.

4-4

 

[Mitch]

I would like to see the following team:

------------------------Cech--------------------
Bellerin - Gabriel - Koscielny - Gibbs
----------------Xhaka - Coquelin------------
-------------------------Özil-----------------------
Lucas --------------Alexis- -----------Iwobi

 

[rich 1990]

Gonna be a rubbish game. The first two letters of Crystal, the first letter of Arsenal, the first letter of Palace and you get CRAP. Someone's trying to tell us what we are with subliminal messages.

 

[Santi's Left Foot]

I would like to see the following team:

------------------------Cech--------------------
Bellerin - Gabriel - Koscielny - Gibbs
----------------Xhaka - Coquelin------------
-------------------------Özil-----------------------
Lucas --------------Alexis- -----------Iwobi

I would like to see Coq dropped, we don't need a defensive outlook at home against a side with big Sam at the helm. Having said that they could be dangerous on the counter but with Benteke more likely an arial threat.

We need to try a new midfield partnership with Ramsey and let it gel because we won't get many other opportunities to experiment.

Also Gibbs will be out I expect.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

If we lose this game I'm gonna lose my self.

 

[Malky]

If we lose this game I'm gonna lose my self.

Lose yourself?

Yo
Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on your sweater already, mom's spaghetti
We're nervous, but on the surface the team looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but they keep on forgettin'
What Wenger wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
Wenger opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
We're chokin', how? everybody's jokin' now!
The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow!

 

[rich 1990]

Lose yourself?

Yo
Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on your sweater already, mom's spaghetti
We're nervous, but on the surface the team looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but they keep on forgettin'
What Wenger wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
Wenger opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
We're chokin', how? everybody's jokin' now!
The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow!

You don't want to know why his palms are sweaty.

 

[Garrincha]

Would be daft to make any unforced changes.

The only issue vs West Brom was taking our chances. We had 75+% possession, 25+ chances & 10+ shots on goal. The passing game & flowing moves were back.

See no point in shoehorning players like Lucas, Ramsey & Ox into the starting lineup. They can all make an impact if required off the bench.

 

[Santi's Left Foot]

Would be daft to make any unforced changes.

The only issue vs West Brom was taking our chances. We had 75+% possession, 25+ chances & 10+ shots on goal. The passing game & flowing moves were back.

See no point in shoehorning players like Lucas, Ramsey & Ox into the starting lineup. They can all make an impact if required off the bench.

Perez deserves a start and Ramsey needs games to form a partnership. Palace at home is a chance to build confidence and fitness considering the problems Palace have atm we should be able to dominate midfield.

 

[Garrincha]

Perez deserves a start and Ramsey needs games to form a partnership. Palace at home is a chance to build confidence and fitness considering the problems Palace have atm we should be able to dominate midfield.

Thought Xhaka & Coq were fine as a two against West Brom both with & without the ball.

If Perez cant earn a start centrally over Giroud & a natural winger thats on him. The last thing we need is another substandard wide player.

 

[Santi's Left Foot]

Thought Xhaka & Coq were fine as a two against West Brom both with & without the ball.

If Perez cant earn a start centrally over Giroud & a natural winger thats on him. The last thing we need is another substandard wide player.

Was thinking Perez instead of Iowbi.

Xhaka and Coq were ok but it's West Brom at home, what do we do against better teams when we need a bit of creativity and need to take the game to them (Santi won't be fit until March).

As Ramsey is still getting back to fitness maybe he can come on into the game later but it needs to be incorporated at some point.