Happy weekend to all you GOONERS around the globe.

 

Thank you for sharing a little piece of precious time in your hectic life schedules to read our blog. It is appreciated. Slowly but surely, we are growing in numbers, and people are coming around to our balanced takes rather than the tired, controversial, clickbait ones where 'fans' seem to be happier when the team loses or a player struggles for form.

 

We have faith that if we continue to produce regular, quality work, the word will spread and the Legion will continue to expand. The numbers since our return from the interlull have ticked up by a massive 467%. Yes folks. 467%. So a big thank you to everyone who is joining the Legion movement. Let's continue to grow this thing together. As it should be.

​

Next up for the mighty Arsenal is a tricky one against Palace at The Carpet.

 

With regards to historic fixtures against them, the most recent was a  2-2 draw with a late Mateta goal costing us two crucial points late last season. Going further back, if you set aside the two recent seasons' home romps—a 5-0 and a 4-1 victory in our favour— we endured a stretch of four years without a Premier League win against Palace on home turf, which included one defeat and three draws in that span.

 

We weirdly tend to do much better against them on the road, only suffering two defeats since the Premier League's inception. This is despite Selhurst Park having one of the more 'vibrant' atmospheres in the league.

​

We admit to having a soft spot for Palace. They gave us Ian Wright Wright Wright and, of course, most recently Eze. You would be surprised at the list of names that have featured for both clubs.  The lanky Togolese striker whose name we won't mention, Flamini, Chamakh, Holding, Nketiah, Lokonga, Upson, Linighan, McGoldrick, Dickov, Turner. The list is huge.

​

This is NOT the fixture to be taking our eye off the ball.  Our south London rivals started the season like a house on fire, winning the Community Shield and going undefeated both domestically and in Europe all the way to the start of October before suffering their first loss. Hey, going undefeated for a full season in the league isn't for everyone.

​

It would be a little harsh to call their recent form a 'drop-off'. If you look at their last 3 winless games, Everton are always a hard nut to crack away from home, whether it was Goodison or their shiny new stadium, whatever it's called. Their 3-3 draw with Bournemouth was one of those bonkers matches that they could have snatched 4-3 at the death. The Conference League match was a classic Euro smash-and-grab by the away side. Palace missed an absolute barrage of chances and conceded from a horrendous defensive lapse.

 

They currently boast the highest XG total in the league over the opening 8 games at 19.10 if you follow that kind of stat. We are 4th with 15.36 in case you were wondering.

​

A lot of talk this season so far has revolved around Oliver Glasner, their highly rated 51-year-old Austrian manager. According to the clown that is bitter ex-spud Jamie O'Hara, he is a better coach than Arteta. Yeah, okay, Jamie. Jog on. Glasner has been constantly linked with Man Utd and is refusing to commit to a new deal, which expires at the end of the season.

 

Palace have been desperately trying to tie him down, but with losing star players like Olise and Eze in successive seasons, captain Guehi due to leave for free this summer at the latest, plus the big boy vultures circling young star midfield Adam Wharton, you can see why he has been reluctant to commit his future long-term. 

​

Since Glasner's arrival, they have gone from strength to strength with league finishes under him of 10th and 12th. He ended their 119-year wait to secure a first-ever major trophy and European football (what a fuss that turned out to cause) last season, winning the FA Cup.

 

They do still have some talented players that they managed to hold onto, but for how much longer, we wonder? We already discussed that Guehi will be gone by the latest in the summer, earliest at Christmas (Liverpool looking likely).

 

In Mateta, they have a guy who is in the form of his life. Not only a full French international but now a full French international goalscorer. In 23-24, he was Palace's Player of the Year, bagging 16 league goals in the process. Last year, he followed it up with 14 league goals. He is certainly one of life's late bloomers. Just turned 28 years old, he is a 6ft4" powerhouse built like a heavyweight boxer. So far this season, he has snagged 5 league goals. He is their main danger, and that really is being Captain Obvious.

​

We can't talk about Palace and not mention Eddie. We feel a bit sorry for him. He moved to a team that plays one up top, and in Mateta, they have a guy who is in the form of his life. EN is finding ways to contribute with goals off the bench, most notably the late winner against Liverpool. Once a Gooner always a Gooner.

​

Their other dangerman is winger Ismaila Sarr. Never misses a match and last season had 14 goal involvements in the league with 8 goals and 6 assists. This season so far, he has 3 goals and 1 assist. Defo a guy to keep an eye on.

 

One player who does fly under the radar is 42x-capped Colombian right back Daniel Munoz. Another late bloomer at 29, he arrived unheralded from Belgian side Genk for £6.5m in the January 2024 transfer window and has been terrific. Last season's Player of the Year, he contributed 4 goals and 5 assists in the league and has one goal and two assists already this season.

​

Despite doing well to hold on to most of their prized assets (we all know the one that got away), the recruitment this summer certainly couldn't have helped Glasner's mood any.

​

Their main signing was Spanish winger/10 Yeremy Pino from Villareal for £30m, a million off their record purchase (Benteke). Linked with every top club in Europe all summer long, he eventually landed at Selhurst Park. He took over Eze's 10 jersey but has yet to register a goal contribution in six league outings so far.

​

Their only other signing of note was young French U21 international Jaydee Canvot, a £23m signing from Toulouse. Primarily a centre back who can also operate at right back. He was more of a signing earmarked for the future, to step in when the inevitable happens and Guehi departs.

​

Other signings of note were nomadic left back Croatian Borna Sosa for a couple of million. Palace are his 4th team in two years. He has yet to appear in the league. Free transfer goalkeeping veteran Walter Benitez arrived from PSV in a back-up role to Dean Henderson. Centre forward Uche arrived from La Liga on loan to round off their business. Hardly the most inspiring recruitment window we've ever seen. 

​

In fairness to them, we certainly didn't help by signing Eze with only a week left before the window slammed shut. It was never going to leave them enough time to use that money for incomings. Other outgoings were Odsonne Edouard returning to Ligue Ugh for £3.7m and our dear old friend Holdinho leaving for MLS and Colorado on a free.

​

With regards to team news, Palace's only main omission due to injury is midfielder Doucoure. From last night's Euro line-up, Richards should replace Canvot in defence after the new singing dropped an absolute disaster class performance. The highly rated Wharton should also come back in for Will Hughes in the midfield.

​

For us, the rumours of Noni, Kai the Guy, Gabi J and Odegaard returning soon are growing by the week. None of them, as yet, is fit enough to return to the squad for Sunday. Our only new injury doubt from Tuesday night is Gabi at the Back, who hasn't trained all week. We expect him to warrior his way through and start. You don't need to be a footballing genius to understand what a huge blow him missing from the line up would be at both ends of the pitch. At this moment in time he is most definitely in best in class conversations. We would imagine Mosquera would be the one to deputise if big Gabi doesn't make it.

​

It is obviously a massive day for Eze playing against his former employers.  If we are being brutally honest, he has probably been one of our quieter performers since filling in for Odegaard. There is nothing like the motivation of playing against old friends to get the adrenaline pumping, and we expect him to start again and have a major influence on the outcome.

​

In other changes, we have Calafiori and Trossard returning for the very impressive duo of MLS and Martinelli.  What we do with 'Nelli once Madueke is fit and available will be one to keep a close eye on. There are battles for places throughout the squad, and you can see that it has elevated performances, as was always the intention.