{"id":3436,"date":"2021-05-18T18:57:23","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T17:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=3436"},"modified":"2021-05-19T22:11:31","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T21:11:31","slug":"time-to-storm-the-palace-gunners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=3436","title":{"rendered":"Time to Storm the Palace, Gunners!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This will be the last time in the author\u2019s chair for me this season as we consider that on Wednesday 19th May the team heads to Crystal Palace for the penultimate league game of this campaign.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking News: before going any further, this late addition to wish Roy Hodgson all the very best in his possible retirement. He has only said so far that he is stepping down at Palace and stepping away from football for a while – he would never say never, but the tone of the interview was very much that he will be retiring. A very decent man who surely everyone will congratulate on an extremely long and varied career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the easing of government COVID-19 restrictions, Crystal Palace will be allowed 6,500 fans back in the stadium for our visit. To be fair to them, they do get behind their team, and their raw vocal support and Wilfried Zaha\u2019s inner ear problems have made life more uncomfortable for us in the past than perhaps it should have been. No matter. Football has to be the winner to get fans back in the grounds and this is a start.
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Trophies and titles are a long gone possibility for us this season, but a trip to the Palace normally involves awards – so what sort of awards could we possibly be looking to pick up after our footballing knights have had their swash well and truly buckled during one of our most disappointing seasons for many years.
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An OBE perhaps, Ordinary, Boring and Enfeebled as we have been, or maybe a CBE, Confused, Blunted and Exhausted by the never ending changes to team selections, tactics and fight backs from a succession of early conceded goals. Our owners might pick up a KBE for the Kroenkes Banjaxing English football.
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I have advanced notice that our midfielders and defenders have shared a Lifetime Achievement Award for the highest number of backwards and square passes ever recorded in one season, while Willian has won a special mention for his Services To The Environment, as he has conserved more energy this season than the remainder of the entire squad put together. In addition to his energy conservation efforts, he has also managed to reduce his emissions to zero, and not produced one single drop of polluting sweat over the 36 games to date. The awarding panel, fortunately for him, decided not to consider unnecessary polluting air travel to Dubai, as it was not officially sanctioned by the club. Ahem! 
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So what can we hope for from this end of season, local dust up? We come into the game as the slightly better form side, having won our last three, while Palace have won two of their last three with a loss sandwiched between. Our last victory was as welcome as it was unexpected, away to Chelsea, with a very good, committed, defensive performance resulting in an old fashioned one – nil to the Arsenal. Palace\u2019s last outing, played four days later than ours, resulted in a 3-2 home win against Aston Villa.
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We currently sit in 9th place in the league, with Palace a mere four places below us in 13th. We have 11 points but only 10 goals more than they do. The big difference is in the goals against column – we have a third best in the league record of 38 against, while Palace have conceded 61. Those stats would encourage me, were I the manager, to throw the kitchen sink at them, and make those VAR boys really earn their ill gotten gains by having to pore over a proper hatful. However, I am not the manager and Mikel is not prone to throwing kitchen sinks. Better that though, than passing endlessly round the U-bend of doom and leaving us all with that kitchen sinking feeling.
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We can also apparently expect to see the team all decked out in next season\u2019s away colours – pretty much plain yellow (good), resplendent with the old cannon on the chest (also good), albeit with black Adidas detailing (not so good) rather than blue. They all have to, don\u2019t they? Overall it\u2019s quite nice but I struggle to see our old 1971 kits being bettered – home or away.
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What colours Palace will be wearing is anyone\u2019s guess. Red, blue, black, white, grey … they all form a part of the present whole…? Palace played in claret and light blue until 1973 when they underwent a Barcelona inspired change to dark blue and red. Their crest was also changed from a plain shield featuring the crystal palace, to a vaguely Spurs influenced eagle on a football on top of the crystal palace. The eagle was reportedly inspired by Benfica\u2019s version of the same bird and ball. What a hopeless lot of old copycats. Has it worked out well for them ? On balance they might say so, I guess.
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The Arsenal <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Luiz and Granit Xhaka appear to comprise our injury list, with Mikel Arteta saying that both are working hard on their rehabilitation and continue to be assessed ahead of the final two games of the season. Despite the hopes, there is no clarity on whether either will play any part as yet. Physioroom dot com have Hector Bellerin also listed as injured with a \u201cknock\u201d, no set return date but a 50% chance of being fit.
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I would expect Arteta to play the strongest possible eleven, given that there is still some remote possibility of making it into the Europa League. The team I would like to see given injuries, illness, end of season experimentation, rumours of players leaving etc., is: 
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Ryan <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chambers, Holding, Mari\/Gabriel, Tierney <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elneny, Partey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka, Smith-Rowe, Pepe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Crystal Palace<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roy Hodgson has a longer list of crocks to cope with. Nathaniel Clyne, Patrick van Aanholt and Luke Milivojevic are all rated 50% likely to be available after illness and family issues, while James McArthur, Connor Wickham, Nathan Ferguson and Mamadou Sakho are all ruled out.
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The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds seem to have settled around 6\/11 on an Arsenal away win, 18\/5 on the draw, and 29\/5 on a home win for Palace. So the bookies have decided we are going to win and you never see a bookie on a bike. If you don\u2019t fancy a win at around 1\/2 on, Paddy Power – other betting firms are available – will give you 10\/1 against either a 3-0 or a 3-1 win to the Arsenal.
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Kick off for this one is an unusual 19.00 UK time. TV is on BT Sport. Referee is Anthony Taylor. 
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Enjoy the game, Holics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you haven’t yet read ‘Fan Memories of the ’71 Double’ Part 1<\/a> or Part 2<\/a>, Clive’s ‘Personal Memories of the Road to the ’71 Cup Final<\/a>‘, or Ray’s ‘Personal Overview of the 1970-71 Season<\/a>‘, click on the links to catch up with these wonderful reminiscences. And be sure to watch both Episode 1<\/a> and Episode 2<\/a> of the video conversations with Bob Wilson and Pat Rice; Episode 2 is also linked below. Our auction of signed memorabilia is still open and about to enter its final week – check out the items below. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE CONVERSATION: EPISODE TWO<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

And again…the second part of the conversation, and the second part of our Double Celebration<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GHF.com are pleased to release this, especially considering the Arsenal events of these past few weeks. Lift your spirits<\/strong> by watching the second episode of two video conversations with Bob Wilson and Pat Rice about Arsenal’s 1970-71 Double year, on the 50th Anniversary of our FA Cup win over Liverpool at Wembley. Remember to donate to Willow<\/a>, or bid on the GHF.com Auction<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click on the image below (or on the Youtube link below that) to watch<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Episode Two: Double Glory — The 1971 FA Cup Run”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or, watch here: “Episode Two: Double Glory — The 1971 FA Cup Run<\/strong><\/a>“<\/strong> (on Youtube). This is especially helpful if you’re having any loading issues with the link to the one the site is serving above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us know what you think in the “drinks” section below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE AUCTION<\/strong>: NOW ACCEPTING BIDS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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We are also pleased to remind you that our auction of signed 1970-71 Double memorabilia is open for bids through 23 May!<\/strong> For full information, please visit The Double\/Willow Auction<\/a> tab above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a taste…the lots offered are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lot 1<\/span><\/strong>: A 1971 Cup Final replica shirt signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lot 2<\/span><\/strong>: A 1971 Cup Final programme signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lot 3<\/span><\/strong>: A second 1971 Cup Final programme signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lot 4<\/span><\/strong>: Bob Wilson’s autobiography, ‘Behind the Network’ signed by Bob Wilson & Ars\u00e8ne Wenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All proceeds from the auction go to the Willow Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This will be the last time in the author\u2019s chair for me this season as we consider that on Wednesday 19th May the team heads to Crystal Palace for the penultimate league game of this campaign.   Breaking News: before going any further, this late addition to wish Roy Hodgson all the very best in his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3436"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3436"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3443,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3436\/revisions\/3443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}