Glasner Hopes to Rally Weary Palace as Revenge Against The Gunners Awaits.
You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the idea that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was firmly dismissed by their boss.
"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm not the manager anymore."
There exists a stark difference in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup competitions versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.
That previous quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.
The Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue
Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the challenges of European football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with some weary players, many of whom have hardly had a rest all season.
The manager fielded an entirely changed lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his first-choice team, which looked decidedly jaded as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.
The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas
On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title hopes.
Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup tie but was forced to bring on his "key players" following the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.
Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.
"We're accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the only full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."
With important players coming back from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule ramps up.
