I did not know how confident to be about this one. The home team has a great record in NLDs, so I should have seen this coming. We looked fantastic early, but then we looked great early in Manchester. Partey's opener was a majestic blast. The equalizer was annoying, mainly because it was Harry Kane who tucked away the PK by driving it at the spot Ramsdale vacated. I should have realized that when Gabriel Magalhaes screws up, as he did when he fouled Richarlison in the box, Arsenal always comes back to bail him out. And so it happened. Lloris's goalkeeping howler was pounced on by Jesus to put us up again, then Royale made a nasty ankle-stamp on a retreating Martinelli and earned a straight red, which was perhaps a bit harsh, but only a bit. He made no attempt to win the ball and was in control of himself, and left in the studs. Xhaka finished a period of strong Gunners pressure by sealing the win with a third goal. Both sides threw on the subs to prepare for their midweek European games, and little happened after that.
This was one we needed. We'd lost to the other Big Six club we've faced. We have Liverpool up next. (That should be a cracker.) To have any chance of competing for the league championship, we'll need to beat our close rivals at home. Man City is very strong; Spuds and Man U are looking good; Chelsea will be there. Only Liverpool seems vulnerable now, with a leaky defense, as they showed in a very entertaining 3-3 draw with surprising Brighton at Anfield.
Meanwhile, among the peasant class, Crystal Palace is beginning to worry about relegation, having only won one match out of seven. Those late and stoppage time goals are killers. The patient has not yet died, and very likely may recover, but the doctors are beginning to ask who would manage the estate and pay the hospital bills.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Palace will be relegated. They have mid-table talent and will probably finish with close to 50 points. Arsenal did not dominate Palace in the opening game. You've had a tough schedule so far (and bad luck/officiating) and you have a game in hand. Palace has gone from the oldest team in the league to a good age profile. Your manager knows what he's doing. By January, I think the crisis talk will be silenced.
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