Crystal Palace v Arsenal Match Preview

Published 26th October 2013 By Jeff @ArsenalTrend

Ian Holloway won't be around for Saturday's lunch-time kick-off when Crystal Palace welcome Premier League leaders Arsenal to Selhurst Park in this London derby.

The charismatic Holloway stepped down as manager of Crystal Palace on Wednesday. He guided Palace back into the top flight in May after an eight-year absence but the team has lost seven of its eight matches this season and are second from bottom with the lone victory over winless Sunderland.

''This man has done the honourable thing, maybe, and fallen on his sword,'' Palace co-chairman Steve Parish said.

Holloway made 16 signings over the summer in a bid to strengthen the squad. The Eagles have shipped 17 goals for the league's second-worst defence, and Keith Millen will serve as caretaker manager Saturday.

''I didn't value enough the spirit of the group that helped us get to the Premier League,'' said Holloway, in his usual honest manner. ''I've lost the spirit of that group. I owe it to the lads to admit that.''

Monday's 4-1 defeat at Fulham caused Holloway to hold talks with Parish for an hour after the match. The manager reportedly offered his resignation that night.

''This club needs an impetus of energy,'' said Holloway, who failed to keep Blackpool in the Premier League two seasons ago. ''But I just feel tired, to be honest. I'm worn out.''

Arsenal are insisting fatigue won't be a factor for them after Tuesday's 2-1 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Olivier Giroud's 41st-minute goal drew the Gunners level in a first half in which the visitors were on the front foot before the Londoners improved after the break only to fall on Robert Lewandowski's goal.

"We lost but have won almost every game," Giroud told Arsenal's official website. "Just Villa and West Brom so it's not the time to be really worried, but we want to come back on Saturday and win the game."

Arsenal's 12-match overall unbeaten streak ended (10 wins, two draws), but Arsene Wenger's side still are unbeaten in their last seven in the Premier League.

"I believe our movement going forward wasn't quick enough," Wenger said. "It can happen if you play many games. We weren't at our best tonight.''

Mathieu Flamini is expected to be available after missing the Dortmund match with a concussion. He left after 37 minutes in last Saturday's 4-1 victory over Norwich City.

Arsenal are the only team to score in every game in the league this season and have 18 goals compared to six for Palace. Eagles forward Marouane Chamakh will face his former team for the first time. Chamakh hit eight goals in 40 league matches for the Gunners between 2010-11. Keith Millen's first game in charge of Crystal Palace could scarcely be more daunting. Millen, a former Bristol City manager, faces a tough task to shore up a defence that has conceded more goals from set-pieces than any other Premier League side with nine.

"It's the fixture that we all looked at when they came out at the start of the season, it's the reason we worked so hard last year to get promoted and that Wembley day seems a long way off now, doesn't it?" Millen said.

Tony Pulis, Neil Warnock and Roberto Di Matteo have been linked with the vacancy at Palace.

Team News :

Arsenal : 

Arsenal 1 Dortmund 2 Match Pictures

Arsenal 1 Dortmund 2 Match Date 22.10.133

Ozil arrives for the game

Arsenal's Line Up

Dortmund Fans

Giroud makes it 1 1

Arsenal 4 Norwich 1 : Match Pictures

Published 21st October 2013 By ArsenalSupremo

Match Date 19.10.13
Mesut Ozil goals keep Arsenal top of the Premier League table with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Arsenal are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions.
Full Match Report Click Here

Arsenal 4 Norwich 1 : Match Report & Post Match Reaction from Wenger and the Arsenal Players

19th October 2013 by Jeff @ArsenalTrend

German playmaker Mesut Ozil justified his status as Arsenal's most expensive player, scoring twice as the Gunners showed great offensive power and extended its lead in the English Premier League to two points.

Mesut Ozil goals keep Arsenal top of the Premier League table with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Arsenal are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions.

Jack Wilshere teed up the win with his opener, but another man of the moment, Aaron Ramsey, made sure that his midfield colleagues did not steal all the headlines as he carried on his red-hot form with another goal. Transformed from the opening day of the season, when they lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa, the Gunners have remained unbeaten since.

Wilshere scored his second goal in as many games when he struck in the first half and Ozil got on the goal trail with a second-half header. At times Norwich had rare skirmishes in the Arsenal half and went close through Robert Snodgrass and Lee Martin.Jonny Howson eventually found a way past home goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to grab a consolation and set up a tense final 20 minutes, but Ramsey and Ozil had the final say. The early groundwork for the victory had to be done without Ramsey, Arsenal's player of the month for the third time in a row, as he was rested.

Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla was drafted in alongside Wilshere and German star Ozil in an attacking trio full of flair and creativity. With a team crammed full of international midfielders, there was little wonder that Arsene Wenger's side spent the majority of their time camped in Norwich's half. Still, visiting goalkeeper John Ruddy was not tested as much as Wenger would have liked, as his side initially did a lot of work in midfield without any end product.




Right-back Bacary Sagna was allowed space and time to get down the flank past Martin Olsson, only to either overhit a cross or watch it cleared away. A change of approach was needed, and as soon as the Gunners went through the middle, they broke the deadlock.Cazorla carried the ball forward before picking out Wilshere in space just on the edge of the 18-yard box. In turn the England ace played a neat one-two with striker Olivier Giroud before coolly tucking the ball past Ruddy from the Frenchman's flick.


With Norwich struggling to get a foothold in the game, the only disappointment for Arsenal was the sight of midfielder Mathieu Flamini departing after a 30th-minute clash of heads with Alexander Tettey. Ramsey took his place.

As Arsenal pushed for a second, Ruddy showed his England credentials when he made a reaction save at his near post as Giroud attempted to turn home Kieran Gibbs's cross from the left.

Russell Martin fired wide of Arsenal's goal soon after the interval in a warning shot for the hosts.

However, within 10 minutes, the Gunners had doubled their lead as Giroud's cross was met by Ozil and he buried a header past Ruddy to calm the nerves of the home fans.

They were on the edge of their seats again in the 70th minute, however, when Howson drilled home from just inside the box after Per Mertesacker failed to clear an Elliott Bennett cross. It fell to the in-form Ramsey to put the game to bed with seven minutes to go, jinking into the box and slamming home his 11th goal of what is turning into a remarkable season.

Ozil added his second of the day in the 88th minute as Arsenal fired another warning shot to the rest of the league. Its indeed the right momentum to have ahead of crucial Champions League game against Borrusia Dortmund on Tuesday. 




Team Line Ups 

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini (Ramsey 37), Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla (Rosicky 59), Giroud (Bendtner 78)

Subs not used: Vermaelen, Monreal, Fabianski, Jenkinson.

Goals: Wilshere 18, Ozil 58, Ramsey 83, Ozil 88.

Subs not used: Whittaker, Johnson,Bunn, Becchio, Ryan Bennett.Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Turner, Bassong, Olsson, Tettey (Hoolahan 79), Snodgrass,Howson, Fer, Pilkington (Redmond 70), Hooper.

Goals: Howson 70

Attendance: 60,009

Referee: Lee Probert
Mesut Ozil now has two goals and three assists in five Premier League appearances.

Video : Exclusive Interview with Dennis Bergkamp as he looks back at his career

19th October 2013 By ArsenalSupremo


Arsenal Legend Dennis Bergkamp recently released his autobiography and spoke exclusively to Geoff Shreeves of Sky Sports about his career. He also talked about one day returning to the Gunners in a coaching role and insist they can win the Premier League the way they have started the season. Below watch his interview in full. Enjoy!

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Arsenal Vs Norwich Match Preview

18th October 2013 By Jeff @ArsenalTrend 



Premier League leaders Arsenal welcome Norwich City to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal (5-1-1) come back from the international break full of confidence, having enjoyed a terrific start to the season. The Gunners' 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion last time out was the first time they dropped points since the opening day of the season, and the arrival of record signing Mesut Ozil is being credited with transforming the mood at the club.

"Of course, it's a big responsibility to spend that amount of money," explained Wenger. "But I feel comfortable with it because we had the money to do it. Before we couldn't have done it because we didn't have the money available. It's as simple as that.

"I had a huge sense of responsibility when we built the stadium to get the club through it without going bankrupt. The first years were difficult, and also explained why we lost some players. Now we are in a more comfortable financial position, I - more than anyone - want the great players to play for Arsenal Football Club. If we have to spend the money to do that, I will spend the money."

Chris Hughton's Norwich (2-1-4) also invested heavily in new players over the summer, but their squad has shown signs of taking time to settle in the early going. Three defeats in the last four league games have left the Canaries in the bottom three going into this fixture, but at this early stage of the season, Hughton's side is only three points outside of the top half and chief executive David McNally this week urged the fans to remain patient.

"I think we're not in the position we deserve to be given the performances," said McNally. "We would like to have more points. I'm not happy about being 18th; I'm embarrassed by it. So I'm sure lots of supporters feel the same way and we will do everything we can to support Chris (Hughton) to get up the table as quickly as possible, and to stay and remain up the table.

"One point would've moved us up five places at the weekend; a win and we may have been on the cusp of top half. So it's very early days. This time last year we only had three points, so year on year there is a distinct improvement."

Arsenal won 3-1 against Norwich at the Emirates last season, but a lone Grant Holt goal was enough to earn the underdogs a win in the return fixture. Norwich have scored at least once in each of their last six Premier League meetings with Arsenal, but the Gunners have bagged at least three in their last three home games versus the Canaries.

Norwich have failed to score in seven of their last 11 away matches, managing just six goals in total in those games.

Arsenal's tally of 16 points is their best start to a Premier League season since 2007, and Wenger's outfit are the only side to have scored in all seven of their league games. Arsenal are in a terrific run of form stretching back into last season, winning 13 of their last 17, and losing just once.

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal :
Theo Walcott (abdominal strain), Yaya Sanogo (back), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), About Diaby (knee), Lukas Podolski (hamstring) are the players out of this encounter.

Norwich :
Norwich have doubts over Anthony Pilkington (knock) and Elliott Bennett (knee).

3 points for Arsenal will ensure the team go into Tuesday's champions league game against Dortmund in positive spirit.