We continue our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 8 write-ups with analysis of Arsenal v Crystal Palace.
For a shorter summary of all of Saturday’s action, click here, while you can read up on Sunday’s two Premier League fixtures here and here.
ARSENAL 2-2 CRYSTAL PALACE
- Goals: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.9m), Alexandre Lacazette (£8.3m) | Christian Benteke (£6.3m), Odsonne Edouard (£6.5m)
- Assists Nicolas Pepe (£7.1m), Gabriel Martinelli (£5.2m) | Jordan Ayew (£5.9m), Michael Olise (£5.4m)
- Bonus: Aubameyang x3, Benteke x3, Edouard x1
PALACE IMPRESS DESPITE LATE SETBACK
A 95th-minute equaliser from Alexandre Lacazette (£8.3m) saw Arsenal rescue a draw at the Emirates Stadium tonight.
However, that aside, it was a match full of positives for Crystal Palace, who carried a real threat going forward and probably deserved all three points.
“It was so close but we have been saying that a little bit too often. We have to learn from the games we played previously. I am really disappointed because the way the team came back in the second half, they deserved to win the game.
I am frustrated for them, they were brave and showed character and to concede a goal like that I am disappointed for my players.
We conceded those goals on set pieces on the second phases and we need to work on that. We have to put our sleeves up and put our bodies on the line. We were really unlucky today, it is the way it is but I believe there is more to come from the team to challenge even better.” – Patrick Vieira
ZAHA LATEST
Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m) missed out tonight though illness, having felt unwell since returning from international duty last week.
As a result, he hadn’t trained, and sat out his first Premier League match of the current campaign.
“The plan is for him to do some light training tomorrow and he will be joining the team on Wednesday morning.” – Patrick Vieira on Wilfried Zaha
With Zaha out, Odsonne Edouard (£6.5m) took up a wider role on the left (no. 22 below), with Christian Benteke (£6.3m) leading the line in Patrick Vieira’s 4-3-3 formation.
Crystal Palace’s average position map v Arsenal in Gameweek 8
As for Conor Gallagher (£5.7m) – who is owned by 7.8% of FPL managers – he carried plenty of attacking threat on the night, and despite serving up his third blank in the last four Gameweeks, ended the match with three shots and was also involved in the buildup to Palace’s second goal.
With Newcastle United up next at Selhurst Park, owners will surely be content to hold another week, but with champions Manchester City to follow, he will need to return soon to keep ticking over.
AUBAMEYANG ON TARGET
Since Gameweek 4, which coincided with Arsenal’s fixtures easing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.9m) has now registered three goals and 29 FPL points.
During that time, he ranks fifth in his position for expected goal involvement (xGI), and top amongst team-mates for goal attempts and shots in the box.
Admittedly, he is difficult to accommodate in our squads right now, but with Aston Villa, Watford and Newcastle United up next at the Emirates, he certainly has the platform to keep on delivering.
As for the Gunners, there were few positives on the night, with their 43% possession total in the opening half clearly not enough for a side who wants to take the initiative in front of their own fans.
Despite going five games unbeaten now in the Premier League, that suggests that they will need improve to improve ahead of Villa (h) and Leicester City (a), especially defensively, having suffered several shaky moments at the back tonight.
“A strange game. We started really well, we were dominant and we scored the goal. After that we lacked composure to manage the game. We didn’t have a sequence of passes and then the team was stretched.
After half time we changed a couple of things and we got better but we gave the ball away in areas you can’t and after that we have a mountain to climb.
Credit they didn’t give up, we had some big chances and then got the goal in the end.
My perception was we were trying to protect something instead of going for the second one. We were not comfortable.” – Mikel Arteta
Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) was withdrawn at half-time, following a heavy challenge from James McArthur (£4.5m) just before the break, and later appeared on the bench with a heavily strapped calf muscle.
“Obviously, he couldn’t continue and he’s a boy that’s pretty tough and wants to keep playing, but he could not carry on and we have a quick turnaround for the next game, so we will see how he evolves.” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey (Martinelli 81), Odegaard (Lacazette 67), Smith Rowe, Pepe, Saka (Sambi Lokonga 45), Aubameyang
C Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Milivojevic (Kouyate 67), McArthur, Gallagher, Ayew (Olise 71), Edouard (Tomkins 82), Benteke
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM GAMEWEEK 8
