Match Report: Crystal Palace 1vs2 Arsenal

SUMMARY
Arsenal are up and running in the Premier
League thanks to a deserved win at Crystal
Palace.
The visitors showed glimpses of their fluent best
in the first half and capped their domination with
a delicious strike from Olivier Giroud, the
Frenchman volleying Mesut Ozil 's cross into the
bottom corner.
Palace could have been out of the game by the
half-hour mark but they levelled against the run
of play through Joel Ward's fine effort, and
Connor Wickham hit the post shortly after the
restart.
But Arsenal always had that extra bit of quality
and they restored their advantage when Damien
Delaney diverted Alexis ' header past his own
goalkeeper.
It was a scrappy goal to win a compelling game
but this was just what Arsenal needed after last
weekend's false start against West Ham United.
It's taken a week longer than planned, but Arsène
Wenger's side have points on the board.
SETTING THE SCENE
Wenger made two changes for Arsenal's second
game of the campaign.
Alexis , who the manager admitted would be
"difficult to stop" once he returned from his
summer break, was promoted from the bench in
place of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain . Hector
Bellerin , back from injury, got the nod over
Mathieu Debuchy .
Perhaps of more significance was a positional
tweak that saw Santi Cazorla return to central
midfield to reprise his partnership with Francis
Coquelin. Aaron Ramsey started on the right -
although he would regularly drift inside in a fluid
Arsenal formation.
The Gunners' defeat to West Ham - a
performance at odds with their scintillating pre-
season form - saw them go into a third straight
London derby with an early point to prove and
some catching up to do.
And this looked a tricky test against an
upwardly-mobile, pacy Palace side that has
added genuine quality over the summer and saw
off Norwich City in their season opener.
FIRST HALF
Arsenal's rather listless display against West
Ham was soon a fading memory as Wenger's
side attacked with pace and penetration from the
off.
Ramsey was regularly the spare man, coming
inside from the right and making runs beyond
the Palace defence. His first burst into the box
ended with a cut-back that Giroud couldn't quite
convert.
Alexis was next to go close after a quicksilver
Arsenal break. The Chilean collected Mesut Ozil 's
pass but delayed his shot, eventually seeing his
first effort blocked. Alexis was first to the loose
ball and beat goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, only for
James McArthur to clear off the line.
Ramsey and Alexis tested McCarthy again as
Arsenal poured forward and it was no surprise
when the visitors took the lead.
The goal was a spectacular one, Ozil crossing
from the left and Giroud adjusting his body
brilliantly to volley into the bottom corner. It was
the Frenchman's third goal in five appearances
against Palace - all scored at Selhurst Park.
Arsenal hunted for more. Alexis , popping up all
over the front line, stretched McCarthy with a low
shot that was tipped away before Ward hacked
clear.
Ward then intervened at the other end, conjuring
up an equaliser against the run of play. There
seemed little danger when he lined up a shot
from 25 yards but Ward hit it superbly, fizzing
the ball past Petr Cech .
Arsenal were rocked but regrouped quickly, and
soon enough the chances began to flow again.
Ramsey flicked the best of them at McCarthy and
Cazorla scooped a shot over the bar as the
visitors ended the half strongly.
SECOND HALF
Palace were first to show in the second half and
were inches away from the lead when Wickham
volleyed Wilfried Zaha's cross against the post
with Cech beaten.
Arsenal needed to dig in but they re-exerted
some control with a flowing move that saw
Alexis find Ramsey and the Welshman try to pick
out Giroud at the back post. His attempted pass
was diverted behind for a corner.
Ramsey, still getting into scoring positions
himself, tried his luck with a left-footed shot
from Cazorla's short pass.
In the end a Palace defender did Arsenal's job for
them. Alexis was the catalyst, showing huge
desire to win a header that was drifting just wide
of goal before Delaney stuck out a leg to divert
the ball past McCarthy.
Jason Puncheon stole a march on Bellerin to test
Cech with a low effort while Ramsey's venomous
shot on the turn whistled just over following a
deft, lofted pass from Ozil.
Coquelin had been a signficant influence but - on
a yellow card and in the heat of the battle - he
made way for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Mikel Arteta
then replaced Alexis as Wenger looked for some
insurance.
Palace had their chances to snatch a point,
substitutes Jordon Mutch and Chung-yong Lee
getting into good positions. But their best chance
fell to Ward, whose firm header was gratefully
held by Cech.

Source: arsenal.com