Match Preview: Arsenal v Crystal Palace; Premier League Match Day 9

Well, sometimes not everything goes to plan and you have to get right back at and essentially start over. The good thing is that seems to be the prevailing mindset of Arsenal in light of a heartbreaking midweek loss to Dortmund.

Good thing for Arsenal is that they are probably playing the worst team in the league. The bad thing, is they’ve just lost their manager and players at Crystal Palace may want to prove something.  The point for Arsenal is there can be no letup and a win will surely numb the fact that Arsenal had a letdown early in the week.

Arsenal are on an impressive run since losing to Aston Villa on opening day. Out of a possible 21 points since, Arsenal have taken 19.  They have netted 18 goals already this season, second behind title challengers Manchester City. Even more impressive are that on the road Arsenal are even more potent. In 13 competitive away matches Arsenal are unbeaten in 11 with 2 draws.

Arsenal need to keep this form going. Sure, everyone will argue its only lowly Palace. But you can only play whom the schedule lays out for you. Hunger has to stay in place of complacency. We’ve seen with Arsenal squads of the recent past where a defeat like Tuesday’s would spawn a mini spiral. This Arsenal squad can ill-afford that. They must get back to their free flowing self and playing against a team in downward spiral like Palace, can’t hurt.

At a minimum it allows the team to get right back into the swing of things. Many of us including the manager have lauded the new found mentality of this club. Well, they need to show it yet again. When last faced with a challenge – at the beginning to the season, they went on an impressive run that brought us to the point we find ourselves in now.

There is no reason that the loss to Dortmund can’t be the same catalyst for another run that carries the club even further. The lads have to show that they mean business. Everyone outside of Arsenal will harp that we lost to our first serious opposition. Let’s be clear – not many clubs will beat Dortmund. They are now a top club in Europe and were a sniff away from preventing Bayern from winning the Champion’s League last year.

For the most part of that match, Arsenal who started off rather quietly in the match, went toe to toe with them and in my opinion a draw would’ve been a fair result. But Robert Lewandowski is as cool as they come and on a counter, like that he was unlikely to miss. The point is United and Tottnum supporters can crow all they want, they would’ve fared as well as or worse as Arsenal.

The squad is likely to see little changes. Mathieu Flamini is back. Only Jack Wilshere is a doubt after taking a knock on the ankle after his run in with Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller.  So the club are more than enough talent to make a positive response in wake of a negative result early in the week.

With such comfort on the road, Arsenal will likely look to come out and impose their style of play, especially with control of the midfield. Mile Jednak, the Crystal Palace holding midfielder, is likely to draw the duty to snuff out Özil. The problem for Palace will be, even when he’s snuffed out he still manages to create chances like against Dortmund when they pressed and pressed and then pressed some more.  Palace aren’t Dortmund. Not even remotely. They will try but through every one of their games they’ve been unable to sustain pressure and as the game wears on, the opposition makes Palace pay.

They are physical side but they lack any sense of real cohesion and if Arsenal play as they’ve been playing, even like they did against Dortmund, Palace likely won’t have much an answer for Arsenal’s free flowing attacking style.

Still caution must be exercised. A wounded beast is nothing to scoff at. Arsenal need this win. They need it to exorcise the bad taste of Tuesday’s letdown and they need to it reestablish some momentum going into a crucial November fixture list.

How the match should play out:
It’s going to be hard to predict how Palace will play. As we mentioned they will be looking to make a statement of intent after Holloway departed as manager. The problem will be for them, as it has been their ability to sustain focus and cohesion for a full 90 minutes. Arsenal will try and unlock them early, opening up the game and hopefully negating any high pressure the lads from Selhurst Park may try to employ. The wealth of attacking riches are just going to prove too much for Palace and Arsenal will come out of this one, still on top of the Premier League.

Players to Watch:
Arsenal. Olivier Giroud. Not only does he get goals but he gets assists too. He leads the league with 4.

Crystal Palace. Mile Jedinak. It’s his job to make sure Özil can’t be Özil.

Projected Lineups:

Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal:  Diaby (knee),  Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) Podolski (hamstring), Walcott (stomach) Wilshere (ankle – late fitness test)

Crystal Palace: Wiliams (ankle), Hunt (ankle), McCarthy (groin), Murray (ACL)

Leading Scorer:
Arsenal: Ramsey 5

Crystal Palace: Gayle 2

Assists:
Arsenal: Giroud 4

Crystal Palace:  Delaney 1

Last 5:
Arsenal: WWWDW

Crystal Palace: LLLLL

Goals For:
Arsenal (away): 2.2

Crystal Palace (home): 1

Goals Against:
Arsenal (away): 1

Crystal Palace (home) : 2

Goal Differential:
Arsenal: 9

Crystal Palace: -11

Match Official:
Referee: Chris Foy (Matches: 3. R0 Y11 PK 1)
Assistants: Kirkup, Wilkes
Fourth Official: Oliver

Broadcast Information:
US: NBC Sports Network 7:45AM

UK: BT Sport 12.45 GMT

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YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 3

Crystal Palace: 0