Crystal Palace (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[TheBlueCat]

Tbh you guys are an embarrassment to yourselves. I have no issues with moaning about the team, wanting the manager sacked, players kicked out of the club. .. its the absolute flapping that you guys do. It used to be called shitting your knickers, nowadays it's called expressing an opinion. Nonetheless you guys shit your knickers every week. just basic flappers who can't cope with stuff.

Great post

 

[paulchapo]

I forgot to give a shout out to Rico Lewis who I thought had a very good game.

 

[Yue Wollongong]

 

[cleavers]

The two Palace goals were very slopping from our POV, but didn't fully reflect the first 20 minutes of the game either.

Even with the shite defending, it should have still been 2-2 by 30 minutes.

Some of the defending is a bit of a worry (has been all season), but overall we played as well as we have for most of the season, my biggest issue is consistency, which is where we have struggled most.

 

[Inca Roads Bert]

Fuck off with that bollocks that we was lucky not to go 3 nil down after 30 minutes, and it was a disaster, and the same tiresome flapping and knickers wetting.

What about we was unlucky not to lead 2 nil before 10 minutes. Or even equalise before 30 minutes.
Palace had only two shots on target, one of them from a corner.

Kevin hit the post, and could've scored a hat trick, so could young James and Marmoush.
Rico has improved and younger Nico is a already there. But the one that surprised me with a very fine display was Kovacic.

The lads weren't an embarrasing disaster for 30 minutes and suddenly world class beaters for 60+ minutes. Even if they were (which they were definitely not) a game lasts more than half an hour. 93:20 as exhibit A, and the Gundo comeback against Villa, B.

Come On!

 

[BillyShears]

Even with the shite defending, it should have still been 2-2 by 30 minutes.

Some of the defending is a bit of a worry (has been all season), but overall we played as well as we have for most of the season, my biggest issue is consistency, which is where we have struggled most.

We've had a right back issue all season. I'm not trying to hang Rico out to dry, but he's not got the recovery pace or athleticism to play right back in Pep's system long term. Playing him and Nico in both full back positions left us susceptible to counter attacks.

Having said that, as soon as our pressing improved we were a lot less exposed. I like Gvardiol at LCB btw. Which means we need to buy two full backs in the summer.

 

[Rammy Blue]

We've had a right back issue all season. I'm not trying to hang Rico out to dry, but he's not got the recovery pace or athleticism to play right back in Pep's system long term. Playing him and Nico in both full back positions left us susceptible to counter attacks.

Having said that, as soon as our pressing improved we were a lot less exposed. I like Gvardiol at LCB btw. Which means we need to buy two full backs in the summer.

Don’t go near the Rico thread, mate. You’re not allowed to say these things.

You are of course spot on, it was exactly why we struggled defensively early on in the game, neither of the young lads were capable against Eze and Sarr having so much room out wide.

 

[chesterbells]

I forgot to give a shout out to Rico Lewis who I thought had a very good game.

Haha

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Fuck off with that bollocks that we was lucky not to go 3 nil down after 30 minutes, and it was a disaster, and the same tiresome flapping and knickers wetting.

What about we was unlucky not to lead 2 nil before 10 minutes. Or even equalise before 30 minutes.
Palace had only two shots on target, one of them from a corner.

Kevin hit the post, and could've scored a hat trick, so could young James and Marmoush.
Rico has improved and younger Nico is a already there. But the one that surprised me with a very fine display was Kovacic.

The lads weren't an embarrasing disaster for 30 minutes and suddenly world class beaters for 60+ minutes. Even if they were (which they were definitely not) a game lasts more than half an hour. 93:20 as exhibit A, and the Gundo comeback against Villa, B.

Come On!

Well said sir

 

[noseve]

But the one that surprised me with a very fine display was Kovacic.

He's always been a completely different player when his teams are on the front foot.
Had this been a season like we've been used to watching lately, he'd have been a real favourite on here, I think.

 

[Marvin.]

Did Pep get lucky or did his tactical plan deserve success and might we see it again?

--------------Ederson
Rico----Dias---Gvardiol--O'Reilly
----------Nico--Kovacic
Macatee--Gundogan--KDB--Marmoush

I remember seeing the line up on the bus to the game and thinking oh no 3 OAPs in midfield again! Instead we played a variation of the 4-2-4 with two holding midfielders and 4 players pushed up of which only Marmoush was a recognised foorward. It allowed us to put Palace's defence under pressure but we were also exposed to attacks down the flanks. I don't think we'd have come back from 0-3 but perhaps the calculated gamble paid off.

I wonder whether we will play like this again? The problem might me that it's defensively high risk and some teams might be able to exploit City down the flanks. It does neutralise KDB's lack of running power though. It puts him by default into a dangerous area.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

Did Pep get lucky or did his tactical plan deserve success and might we see it again?

--------------Ederson
Rico----Dias---Gvardiol--O'Reilly
----------Nico--Kovacic
Macatee--Gundogan--KDB--Marmoush

I remember seeing the line up on the bus to the game and thinking oh no 3 OAPs in midfield again! Instead we played a variation of the 4-2-4 with two holding midfielders and 4 players pushed up of which only Marmoush was a recognised foorward. It allowed us to put Palace's defence under pressure but we were also exposed to attacks down the flanks. I don't think we'd have come back from 0-3 but perhaps the calculated gamble paid off.

I wonder whether we will play like this again? The problem might me that it's defensively high risk and some teams might be able to exploit City down the flanks. It does neutralise KDB's lack of running power though. It puts him by default into a dangerous area.

Element of luck because I am sure the game plan wasn't go two behind and be lucky it was only two and then switch it on. We turned it around very well, I believe Palace heads going down once the first went in did contribute to that though. If they played as they did that 30 mins then we don't walk the game. Maybe we stopped them playing that way, we deserve credit for it but going two down and being that open is not sustainable.

 

[Marvin.]

Element of luck because I am sure the game plan wasn't go two behind and be lucky it was only two and then switch it on. We turned it around very well, I believe Palace heads going down once the first went in did contribute to that though. If they played as they did that 30 mins then we don't walk the game. Maybe we stopped them playing that way, we deserve credit for it but going two down and being that open is not sustainable.

You could also argue that City started well and that Palace scored with their first attack. Their disallowed 3rd goal though looked very much like their 1st goal suggesting there is a weakness.

I think a big part of that game was psychological. From being 0-3 down, it was suddenly 1-2 and I think the expectation was City are going to win this. I think this system is high risk but I do like that we keep changing systems. It gives us an advantage I think. I don't know how City are going to play from game to game.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

You could also argue that City started well and that Palace scored with their first attack. Their disallowed 3rd goal though looked very much like their 1st goal suggesting there is a weakness.

I think a big part of that game was psychological. From being 0-3 down, it was suddenly 1-2 and I think the expectation was City are going to win this. I think this system is high risk but I do like that we keep changing systems. It gives us an advantage I think. I don't know how City are going to play from game to game.

They got in before they scored in a similar scenario to the first goal if I recall? There was a weakness as they tried that same type of attack a few times and with success. Agree on the psychological. Palace crumbled and we ramped it up. I am open to new ideas and style and it is something I have been critical over with Pep and repeating the same mistakes. There does need to be consistency too to gather momentum and players getting used to new formations and tactics.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Did Pep get lucky or did his tactical plan deserve success and might we see it again?

--------------Ederson
Rico----Dias---Gvardiol--O'Reilly
----------Nico--Kovacic
Macatee--Gundogan--KDB--Marmoush

I remember seeing the line up on the bus to the game and thinking oh no 3 OAPs in midfield again! Instead we played a variation of the 4-2-4 with two holding midfielders and 4 players pushed up of which only Marmoush was a recognised foorward. It allowed us to put Palace's defence under pressure but we were also exposed to attacks down the flanks. I don't think we'd have come back from 0-3 but perhaps the calculated gamble paid off.

I wonder whether we will play like this again? The problem might me that it's defensively high risk and some teams might be able to exploit City down the flanks. It does neutralise KDB's lack of running power though. It puts him by default into a dangerous area.

Very interesting post, Marvin. I shared tour reaction when I saw the City eleven at 11.15 and didn't think we'd cope with their pacey counters. I was not at all confident but hoped that we'd play as an eleven rather than as two quite separate units with an untenanted area in between. For the first ten or so minutes we did OK but then the fear for the "OAPs" seemed to come to fruition and the wide open acres out wide appeared and did for us. It was a goal we have been giving away all season, at Wolves, Bournemouth etc, etc. Their second was the cock up we have been prone to make at corners. Even leading up to it - a long ball from their keeper into the wide open spaces, win the corner and then put into a dangerous area which we struggle to defend. Then their disallowed third - goal 1, take two! Waiting for VAR I feared we'd simply go into damage limitation mode.

What impressed me is that we didn't. We seemed to remember who we were for the last 9 years. Gundogan discovered new energy, Kovacic surged forward and KdB showed that he is still a player of incomparable class. We remembered that if the other team don't have the ball they can't do damage and we kept the ball much better and pressed as a team rather than isolated players. I don't think Palace began to play worse so much as we deprived them of opportunity to play at all and the second half was virtually one way traffic. I don't think we were back to the days of trebles but it was reminiscent of the days when City throttled the life out of even excellent teams.

Can we do it again? For 6 games? God I hope so, but, at least we have shown it is still possible.