Palace v Arsenal: The Inside Track

By Rob Kelly

 THE QUOTE

 “We had a good continuity before the end of the season and we think that our cohesive aspect has been maintained. It’s not one game that should change our ambition, our objective, we just want to come back to our best level.” - Arsene Wenger

THE PREVIEW

For all the introspection and navel-gazing that followed last weekend’s shock home defeat to West Ham, one man has remained calm amid the storm. 

Arsene Wenger has been here before. Two seasons ago, the Gunners were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on the opening day, and the reaction that followed was, if anything, even more acute than that of the past week. Then, as now, the manager absorbed the criticism that rained down and backed his side to respond. And respond they did, winning their next 10 games.

What Arsenal need now is for history to repeat itself. The Gunners head south of the river on Sunday to face a resurgent Crystal Palace, and while it may be another searching examination, Wenger is convinced his side will deliver.

“We had a good continuity before the end of the season and we think that our cohesive aspect has been maintained,” he told Arsenal Player. “It’s not one game that should change our ambition, our objective - we just want to continue to come back to our best level. 

“West Ham were a bit sharper than us and they had a competitive advantage due to the fact that they had Europa League games, they had longer preparation, and they were not the ideal [opponent]. We know we have the quality to be better, to play better and the players are intelligent enough to know that our performance was not good enough on the day. 

“I’m confident we will be stronger at Crystal Palace. They’ve tremendously progressed and the consistency of their results has been impressive but we have a good record there and we want to maintain it.”  

ONE TO WATCH

In the immediate aftermath of last Sunday’s defeat, Petr Cech held his hands up on social media to admit that the performance - both collectively and individually - was “not in the script”.

Universally acknowledged as one of the best players of his generation, the Czech international has experienced tough times before and Wenger has no doubt that he will respond positively.

“I am confident that he will bounce back strongly,” Wenger said. “He knows that it was not his best performance and that life is just about focusing on the next game. It’s a next-job mentality and that’s what we want to do.” 

While Cech’s role in West Ham’s first goal has been the focus for many, one major positive over the course of pre-season, and last weekend, is his distribution. Whether with the ball at his feet or in hand, his ability to find his team-mates with short and long passes is a major benefit - especially when launching sharp counter-attacks.

DANGERMAN

Nothing signals the upward mobility of Crystal Palace more than this summer’s signing of Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Newcastle man is a classy operator, dictating play in the centre of midfield with his varied, inventive range of passing. 

Linked a number of times with Arsenal during his time in the North East, he is a fine addition and Wenger is wary of the threat he will pose at Selhurst Park. Closing him down and denying him space will be essential.

“He adds the quality of his passing, his vision, he has a long vision and can find the strikers,” the manager said. 

“He’s a very good signing because they have very quick strikers and Cabaye is a midfielder who can find the strikers from long distances. The two together will work very well.”

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