Friday 05 August 2022 Selhurst Park USA TV: USA 3pm ET Well, well, that was a quick summer break! TBF the season’s starting a bit early due to the silly winter WC excursion, which will be here before we can all say “how do you spell bribery?... QATAR’22” For the 2nd year in a row, we play a London derby away on a Friday night as the EPL season opener. We all know what happened at the start of last season. But this time feels different. I think I speak for most of us when I say I’ve got way more hope and confidence in this new team. Fueled by a very good transfer window and a little “invincibles preseason” . Though there’s an ominously dark storm cloud hanging over our #6 position, hopefully that can be appropriately compartmentalized until the severity of that storm is revealed. I did the thread for this fixture back in 2015, when I had fun attending with the away supporters and we ran out 2-1 winners... I’d take that scoreline this time, in a heartbeat. Note: interestingly there were 3 players in that squad who are still “with us" 7 years later... wanna guess? (hint: only 1 is still a player) https://www.arsenal.com/video?entryid=0_w75dvhvg And here’s another little something from Arsenal.com that might get your juices flowing... https://www.arsenal.com/video/men/crystal-palace-classics?entryid=0_1v8i82xb
4-1 we are going to do the opposite of match day 1 last season and come out and give our supporters hope for the season ahead. Jesus 2, Saka 1 and Cap'n Ode 1.
YankeeGunner reminded me today of this fixture last year where Palace “ate our lunch“ because they basically just wanted it more badly than we did. Plus TP5 was subpar then injured. I had conveniently put that memory out of my mind. But I suspect Mikel and the boys have not. And Friday should be payback time!
Bring on the new season~! Hopeful for a win but Palace are always tough at Selhurst. I say a familiar theme, "One-nil to the Arsenal."
I will be reengaging Hulu and taking it off of pause in a few minutes and be set to see us in our new pink third kits we'll be sporting away at Selhurst tomorrow afternoon/night. At least I heard that we'll be sporting them but depending on the changeovers of both goalkeepers and the 4 officials it's either those or we just might be in our new gorgeous away kits. COYF'n'G!!!
Hulu officially back on!!! As for my projection even though Patrick Vieira was Invincible WITH US he and his new boys will be far from that, but I know they'll give us all we can handle but in the end it'll be 2-1 to The Arsenal, as we all know that Wifried Zaha will be his usual all-World self out there but hopefully nobody else on Palace will and that's where Gabriel Jesus will shine!!! COYF'n'G!!!
Team selection is pretty clear aside from the subs Ramsdale White - Saliba - Gabriel - Zinchenko Odegaard - Partey - Xhaka Saka - Jesus - Martinelli Subs: Turner, Cedric, Holding, Elneny, Sambi, Nketiah, Pepe. Vieira and ESR sound like they are out. Tomiyasu and/or Tierney could be in if fit. If not, AMN, Nelson and/or Marquinos could fill out the bench.
Barring any new injuries, I agree that's our XI, and I think Arteta might have been inspired by Sarina Wiegman's super steady XI that she employed to ultimate glory. But when I look at those names, it feels to me more like: Ramsdale White - Saliba - Gabriel - Zinchenko Partey - Xhaka Saka - Odegaard - Martinelli Jesus Is it just that 4-2-3-1 is so ingrained in my head over the years as the Arsenal Way, or are we in fact playing more like that lately, for much of the 90?
I haven't followed preseason closely. Are we playing 3 CBs or is White playing as a fullback? Edit: So happy for Saliba. Sorta sounded like he felt tossed aside last season. He went on loan, balled out and he's in the starting 11 on the first day.
Going on record: we're finishing 3rd. Headed to the pub, ready to get drunk. Let's ********ing do this.
A healthy ESR would knock Nelson out of the squad. Tomi should take Cedric's spot. The real question is if Pepe would be on the bench if Vieira was available. I don't think he would. I was showing a 4-3-3, I think Xhaka has been playing higher up than Partey.
I'm completely out of the loop. Is ESR hurt? Also, excited to see Saliba play. Never seen him before.