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Glasner Hopes to Rally Jaded Palace as Revenge Versus Arsenal Awaits.
One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the idea that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was firmly dismissed by their manager.
"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we are defeated on purpose, the next day I'm no longer the manager anymore."
There is a marked contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had already been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.
That prior quarter-final match concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for payback against the present Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.
The Price of Success and Continental 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 has ushered in the rigors of European football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a break all term.
The manager fielded an completely different lineup, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his first-choice side, which looked extremely jaded as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he said.
The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas
For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title aspirations.
Arteta had made a number of changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.
Arsenal are on an eight-game winning streak versus Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.
"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."
Amid key players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive period intensifies.
Clarence Scott
Elara is a passionate esports journalist with over a decade of experience covering major gaming events and trends.
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