Crystal Palace fell 1-0 to Arsenal in a match many thought might see the Gunners stunned.
Under Oliver Glasner, Palace have made life difficult for the Premier League’s biggest sides, proving time and again that they can frustrate anyone on their day.
Palace a tricky opponent
Back in April, Palace drew 2-2 with Arsenal at the Emirates. They beat Manchester City in the FA Cup at Wembley, drew 1-1 with Liverpool at the end of last season, and went on to beat the Reds on penalties in the Community Shield before edging them 2-1 in the league just weeks ago.
It’s fair to say that when Palace turn up, they make it hard for top sides to get past them, as shown again with their 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in August.
Against Arsenal, it was always going to be a cagey affair – and it was. The Gunners managed to grind out a 1-0 win.
Arsenal’s attack still misfiring
While a win is a win, one glaring weakness was exposed once again. Arsenal’s attack failed to truly click. Were it not for a moment of brilliance from Eberechi Eze, this could easily have ended level.
Palace defender Chris Richards praised Arsenal’s organisation but also highlighted what makes them such a difficult opponent. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said:
“I think everybody knows how Arsenal are defensively, and we needed to take our chances.
Set-pieces are probably their forte right now. But we went toe-to-toe with the best team in the league.”
Those two traits – defensive resilience and set-piece mastery – have defined Arsenal’s success this season. Eze’s goal on Sunday, of course, came from a free-kick routine, showing again how influential set pieces have become in Arsenal’s matches.
But if they are to dominate truly, they must sharpen their open-play finishing. Imagine if the Gunners began scoring at will, dismantling teams with the same authority they show when defending or attacking from corners.
They would no longer be known only for defensive shape and set-piece strength – impressive as those are – but as a complete, ruthless side. Arsenal could be even better. And they should be. Because if they rediscover that fluid attacking rhythm, staying top will become far easier.
Your thoughts?
Daniel O
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