Hello and hope youre well?
Wednesday the 18th of December 8.30pm (western European time) will witness the Mighty Cannon in a deadly duel of two parts with London rivals Crystal Palace. The first at Ashburton Grove will see the next installment of our Carabao cup games as we fight for a place in the semi-final. The second match will be a few days later at the Nest, as a PL game.
As we start to approach the winter solstice and everyone reaches for their vitamin D supplements, with regards to this game the Arsenal have been given a 65.9% chance of winning and Palace only 13.4%. Being no insider or an expert in anyway I can’t imagine how Arteta is going to line this one up. Will he go full force with a few small changes (maybe Sterling might start instead of warming the bank?) or will he throw even more youngsters into the deep end? Will Kieran get a game after such a long time? Poor lad missed out on a cabinet full of trophies at Celtic, in search of fresher meadows. Whoever plays, I hope they find form and confidence and can do the business. We sure could do with it!
Palace I’m sure having seen the aspirations exemplified by both Fulham and Everton of trying to grind out a point rather than go head to head will no doubt will go for the old parked bus tactics and hope for a penalty shoot out? I don’t feel so worried about this game but I do feel part two at Selhurst Park will be much tougher, but I can get into the doom and gloom of that one next time.
I realise everyone’s feeling pretty frustrated and I’m sure the players and management feel it too. Palace lie in 15th in the PL but I hear you cry what that to do with a cup game? and you’re quite right. Nix. Palace saw off Villa, QPR, Norwich on their way to play out this one.
It will be two years since Terry Hall died, a man missed by many and who touched many hearts and minds but we can still enjoy the music he made, enjoy yourself, its later than you think, even if you did too much too young! Here’s hoping for a great game and a great result.
And sincere apologies, this is the best I can do. COYG!
Well that’s it, lots of bits and pieces that I’m sure have made you feel like going off and counting all the visible stars in the night sky instead of reading this.
Even so, here’s to a great game for us and lucky horses!
COYG and keep on keepin’ on!
Mills