Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Smart rotation is still rotation

Arsenal’s match against Crystal Palace is a chance to breathe, but that doesn’t mean the foot comes all the way off the gas.

Arsenal may feel that Crystal Palace is a bit of a let-off, and to be fair, it kind of is, meaning that rotation can and should be used. But that doesn’t mean we’re throwing a bunch of youth products out there and trusting them to get the job done.

There hasn’t been a lot of praise for the depth of the club, or Unai Emery’s ability to navigate a tight fixture list, but this match against Crystal Palace will be another chance for him to showcase what smart rotation is all about, because we really need some here.

The danger in this match is that it is a prime example of the kind of fixture where the Gunners would let off and “take it easy,” thus running the risk of being upset in a major fashion. In order to ensure that doesn’t happen, while still keeping key players fresh for the upcoming fixture against Wolves, there are a few smart, sensible changes to be made to the home formula.

For starters, let Matteo Guendouzi back into the starting XI. Yes, he was terrible against Everton, but he was really a victim of circumstance. Paired with Mohamed Elneny, he had far too much to handle on his own and this left him painfully exposed.

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But we should still trust him, and he can absolutely get the job done against Crystal Palace in the spirit of giving Lucas Torreira a needed rest so that his energy and enthusiasm can be at full capacity for the trip to Wolverhampton.

Elsewhere, now that we know that Konstantinos Mavropanos is back, it’s time to get him actually back. I was so elated to see him in the XI against Watford, albeit shocked. If he’s good enough to start on the road against Watford, then he’s good enough to start at home against Crystal Palace, even if there are more options available against Palace than there were against Watford.

That’s what smart rotation looks like. In starting two young guys that you should be learning to trust, you are giving Torreira and Laurent Koscielny a breather. Three guys that will be crucial to taking massive road points against Wolverhampton.

And the best part is, we know that this rotation does not jeopardize our ability to get the job done against Palace.