Quote:
Originally Posted by Palace43
A bit early, but I’m desperate to see what GF has to say! 
Barring no injuries, assuming all injuries are back, I’d be starting the same team, with Vicente back in.
Guaita
Clyne - Andersen - Guehi - Mitchell
Kouyate
Gallagher - Eze
Olise - Mateta - Zaha
Butland, Ward, Tomkins, Milivojevic, McArthur, Schlupp, Ayew, Edouard, Benteke |
I won’t disappoint you! How can it be anything else? Even if stalwarts like Ward and McArthur were fully fit I wouldn’t pick them. This will be a very tough fixture. Arsenal are rock solid under Arteta and deserve to be in 4th place. But, to me, our identity during our greatest period of early 90s was always about attacking football, spirit and giving it a go. Vieira is not a defensive manager, his subs in the early games proves it. That’s why I was so disappointed that it took him so long to give Eze a start in midfield. But let’s not look back, let’s look forwards.
I really hope that Eze is given a chance to make that midfield shirt his own. I’d rather lose and give it a go with Eze than draw 0-0 with a defensive mid in there instead. And the reason is because I believe that Eze holds the key to our future. In the long run we will benefit from his experience and he can be our fulcrum. If he listens to Pat he can and will control games from there for us, not just win us the odd one. In time, he will be our most influential player.
Other than possibly Ferguson (who is currently injured) that is the best XI available to the manager this season. It’s attacking, but it is beautifully balanced - there is enough defensive ability and workrate too. Let’s see it. COYP.