Crystal Palace (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

Just watched it on record after getting back from watching Matilda in the west end (daughters mate is in it and I was ready to sacrifice my ticket until VAR ruined Sunday). Avoided all coms on the result and just finished watching it. Great effort and squad management by the great bald man. Great performance and we keep it alive and provided we win our two remaining fixtures, any slip from Arsenal likely crowns us champions on GD and especially goals scored which is now basically an extra GD. Couldn’t have gone better, well maybe a 4th if I’m being greedy!
 
Marvin. said:
The bonus tonight was Phil. He's back. And in time for critical games.

I am more confident for that critical Bournemouth game because we will have either a fresh Foden or Cherki available for that game.

I think there are a fair number of rags on this forum trying to pour cold water on our title chances but the fans I talked to tonight all think we can do it if we beat Bournemouth. See Forever Blue. Cheesy interviewed loads of blues coming out of it, and most match-going City fans still believe we can win it. Obviously Arsenal are favourites at the moment but if we beat Bournemouth, it's going to look doable.
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Well if they are rags, congratulations on finishing behind City for the 13th consecutive season.

Not sure they are rags though, we had some moaning on here after we'd beaten Liverpool 4-0 (and that after beating Arsenal in the Carabau). Even if we win the treble there will be some saying it's not good enough and we have to improve next season. It's depressing.

I've always believed, no point otherwise, anything can happen yet and if we take it to the last day nerves could easily kick in for them at Palace. Not an easy place to go, not an easy team to break down and I'll say it again, Palace will have some players playing for their Euro final place and nobody there will want to see Arsenal celebrating the title at their place.

I'd rather have Villa at home than Palace away.
 
RayCTID said:
The issue of chasing more goals is we could have easily ended up with us having our very Crystalbul moment. Although sporadic Palace had a couple of chances. One sniff and it would have been a more nervy night than it should be.
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Our GD at 3-0 is completely where you want it. They have to drop anyway so one of their games is flat. We have scored a fair few more so goals scored is almost certainly not going to factor. Giving us a +2 GD, so basically if they slip up I fancy us on GD. MASSIVELY.
 
Frankie lad said:
Agree 100% with what you say.
We have been amazing and recent results are making up for slack performances in games earlier in the season when leading and bossing games we went away with just a point.
Transition or not we are a game or so away from another title and goal difference could be it.If we lose it by a goal you may then look back at the kickabout in the second half tonight.
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Won't bother me, we could have pushed on, picked up a couple of key injuries or got caught on the break and lost a goal or two like at Everton. I think it was about protecting the 3 points and making sure that didn't happen tonight, to win 3-0 was a bonus for me. Had it been 4 we would have wanted 5, and so on.

I suspect Pep's line of thinking was that Arsenal are probably not likely to slip up now so we might as well make sure we have the first XI ready for the cup final.
 
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Mr. Shush said:
I would have liked to have seen more goals. At least one. Two would have been super solid and made Arsenal really have to come out and all out attack Burnley. But key players got rest. Pep prioritizing FA Cup Final.

As far as Burnley goes - its certainly possible. Depends on what Burnley wants to do? Just drop back and say, "score if you can". Or do they try and play them. I'm thinking low block. I would also hope, perhaps its just a fantasy. But i would also hope that - after all the controversy surrounding the goal disallowed in the West Ham game, that the refs would do right to be careful with all the goalie blocking crap and not give Arse a free one. The soccer gods demand a sacrifice. Perhaps we will get one on Monday.
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If it comes to GD. Villa will be hung over from their Europa league final (regardless of the result) with nothing to play for and at ours, away. Couldn’t ask for a more forgiving game to win and win comfortably (if it comes down to that).
 
Marvin. said:
The bonus tonight was Phil. He's back. And in time for critical games.

I am more confident for that critical Bournemouth game because we will have either a fresh Foden or Cherki available for that game.

I think there are a fair number of rags on this forum trying to pour cold water on our title chances but the fans I talked to tonight all think we can do it if we beat Bournemouth. See Forever Blue. Cheesy interviewed loads of blues coming out of it, and most match-going City fans still believe we can win it. Obviously Arsenal are favourites at the moment but if we beat Bournemouth, it's going to look doable.
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Burnley are getting a draw next Monday. They are called bottlers because they have the last 22 years.
 
Great result last night. If I'm being picky, I wanted 1 more, however all we can do is win and keep the pressure on! I would expect Arsenal to win their last 2 games, however imagine what it will be like at Selhurst Park on the last day of the season. It will be rammed and the atmosphere will be electric. It's the last league match of the season but also a farewell match to the team before they head off to their Euro final. Add to that, it's Glasners final match (their greatest manager?). The place should be rocking, and if they can put in a performance to match, maybe, just maybe Arsenal will crumble!
 
I said before last night's game that we needed to win well last night and to my consternation some people questioned that, but to get to within 2 points of Arsenal on the final day requires us to beat Bournemouth. That produces at least a + 2 goal difference. And then if Arsenal draw, and City win on the final day, it goes to +3. Therefore, Arsenal need to beat Burnley 4-0. That sadly is possible. However, what if Rodri, Cherki and Foden are available for the final day, and Haaland is available with Doku and Marmoush!

Alarm bells should now be ringing at HQ.of the Premier League's VAR cheats. One of the biggest collapses in sport is unlikely but not impossible.

I salute Pep's bottle for playing and trusting in his squad in advance of the Cup Final. What a piece of judgement. He must have known Foden was up for this and that on around Cherki could come on and take the game away from Palace.
 
Beanhead said:
If it comes to GD. Villa will be hung over from their Europa league final (regardless of the result) with nothing to play for and at ours, away. Couldn’t ask for a more forgiving game to win and win comfortably (if it comes down to that).
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Villa, and Emery, even in those circumstances should not be taken likely. A better way of putting it is that there is no better time to play Villa. However, we should not forget that we have arguably one of the most difficult league games of the season ahead at Bournemouth. There is a good chance that 6th is going to get Champions League football. That makes Bournemouth away difficult. And more importantly, we go there 3 days after the FA Cup Final.

Right now, I would be confident if I was an Arsenal fan. If City beat Bournemouth, I'd start to wobble.
 
coolcity said:
Don't have a problem with that, id rather be like that then whinging all the time like some on here, even after a win. Can't figure out how some of them get any enjoyment out of it at all.

Can't speak for anybody else but I've had the time off my life for the past 15 years, but I also accept we can't win everything every season.
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Clappermongering!
 
Great to see Phil enjoying himself and getting his mojo back.

As for the title, Palace created chances against us. Who's to say they won't do the same vs Arsenal and, with a bit of luck, take a couple of them?
 
Good win for us last night and wonderful to see Phil Foden's return to form and gametime. The club has rightly respected his privacy through what has been a difficult period even if you consider the pitch as the only feature of a footballer's life. An incredible cameo from Cherki, and good performances too from Khusanov, Savinho, and Semenyo.

I find British commentary peculiar: we had 80% possession and something like 60 touches in the attacking area of the pitch at one point yet the commentary was critical of City rather than a Palace team whose average position for all eleven players was behind the half-way line. I don't blame Palace for setting up in the usual way that teams do to counter City's possession game, and nor do I personally criticise teams for doing so, but let's call it for what it is: get every member behind the ball to restrict and hope for a counter-attack. Any pedestrianism in the game is surely to be directed to the team that is trying to stifle attacking play. Naturally, I hope they are far more successful in their efforts in their final game of the season than they were last night.

Last night's selection rested some players in preparation for the cup final at the weekend. We will go into the game as favourites, but single games are a lottery and though I believe that we are the better side we cannot be complacent.

Our next league game is a real toughie: Bournemouth are on a great run and so well coached. There is a real chance of dropping points in that game, just as I thought we might against Everton away. I don't think that Arsenal will have a similar challenge against Burnley, but strange things happen at sea.
 
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