Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

[robbieh]

When Bayern got handed their arses by Madrid and Barca in consecutive seasons they had Neur,Lahm, Boating, Bernat, Alaba, Alonso etc al.

It's not the personnel. It's the system.

We will continue defending like this until we get a different manager.

 

[SVP]

You mean like the loyalty the rags are showing to one of their former players who won them the CL? Loyalty doesn't come into it I'm afraid. As one of the world's leading teams, we need to keep moving forward and if that involves questioning Pep then that's what we need to do.

Pep why are you living in Manchester when you could live somewhere that has daylight - did you not speak to Nolito?

 

[hilts]

Steve McLaren is available.

Dutch subtitles in the dressing room?

 

[vin]

Just watched the highlights. Doesn’t look great for Stones with that second goal. Running away from the player like he always does. What is he actually doing on the training field? He’s no better now than when we signed him

 

[stan bowles]

Wonder if Jesus will get any credit for the assist for Aguero's first goal like KDB normally gets ? Doubtful even though it was a thing of beauty.

 

[butlerkb]

Just watched the game on Sky's game of the day. That second Palace goal came from our goal-kick. Normally Ederson would have Stones and Fern in the area and play it to one of those two, retaining possession. Yet instead he hoofed it upfield and it was headed straight back by a Palace player. At that point everyone bar Fernandinho is in the Palace half. When De Bruyne fails in a feeble attempt to win the ball and it's played to Zaha, Cancelo & Stones are ahead of him instead of double-teaming him.

I don't care what stick I get but someone should be ripping a new arsehole in whoever decided that was a good way to protect a hard-won lead in the last few minutes of the game. That might not have been Pep but it neatly underlines my point about what the hell has he been telling them about how to manage these situations? Not that they, among some of the best players in the world, should need telling. It was fucking criminal.

So right probably that’s where a true leader or captain like vinnie could bark out a few orders and martial the defence... just scary to go up against Real Madrid with such a vulnerable defence. Not peps fault though he can’t play for them

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

Dutch subtitles in the dressing room?

Yes. Could be a great move

 

[cookster]

You mean like the loyalty the rags are showing to one of their former players who won them the CL? Loyalty doesn't come into it I'm afraid. As one of the world's leading teams, we need to keep moving forward and if that involves questioning Pep then that's what we need to do.

Where the fuck did I say we shouldn't question Pep? I'm just not ready to stick the knife in his back like so many two-faced mardarses on here. Where were they all when we tore the Rags apart 2 weeks ago or Villa a week ago?

Your comments on the Rags actually proves my point about the direction of our fanbase.

 

[paulchapo]

Like others I have just watched it on Sky's match of the day again. It is crazy we only drew that game and until the last ten minutes looked like losing it.

I can see why Pep rotated as we play again on Tuesday but it failed miserably. Palace were content to just sit back and even allow crosses into the box because on the whole they only had Aguero to mark. Sterling was totally ineffective as he has been for months, I have no idea what has happened to him. Once Jesus came on we looked more threatening. We scored two quality goals but as usual conceded two terrible ones.

Again like others I have no idea why Ederson went long with the goal kick as due to our lack of height it was bound to come straight back at us. Between them Stones and Cancello should have blocked the cross. The first goal was just weak defending, Cahill easily beating Stones and two men left at the back post. Funnily enough watching it again Stones had a decent game but he was probably culpable for both goals. This is his problem a lot, plays well on the whole but weak defending costs us time and time again.

It's going to be a strange second half of the season in the league. Everyone knows the title has gone and unless we totally implode we should be okay for the top four. Pep now has to try and win the three cup competitions but I see no chance of the champions league with our defense. I'm even worried the rags could turn around the second leg of the semi final. We had the chance to finish it and didn't and I'm sure they'll fancy their chances. Anyway it is what it is this season, let's hope we recruit well in the summer.

 

[Cotswold Knight]

Just watched the highlights. Doesn’t look great for Stones with that second goal. Running away from the player like he always does. What is he actually doing on the training field? He’s no better now than when we signed him

Probably the one player that Pep hasn’t made better