Crystal Palace (A) | Post Match Thread

[Bill Walker]

I think our lack of centre forward/goal poacher was blaringly obvious tonight.

I get a tad frustrated when Pep makes no changes at 60 minutes.

I'm praying that Arteta does Pep and us a huge favour Wednesday.

 

[citydad]

Just got back from the match so not read any previous discussion but all I know is that we are in control and will win the league as well as the other two. Don't worry ok.

 

[br88]

We dropped two points and the pressure is now really on us. The most important thing now is to get behind the team and not start criticising the players and manager. Let's support the team like never before over the final nine games...come on City!!.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I’d predicted a draw pre-match simply because I watch a lot of Palace and have seen them get more and more organized defensively and faster on the break as the season has progressed — two helpful tools against sides like us (or any side). Still, we had our opportunities and on another night it’s 3 or 4, so in reality we had more good chances than I expected. Still believe Vieira could be next in line after Pep.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Played well overall. Bit too much overthinking inside 25 yds, but made enough good chances to win that game 5 or 6 times!

Hit the post twice, missed three sitters inside the 6 yard box, keeper made some decent saves, esp that cheeky volley with the outside of KDB’s right foot…just didn’t feel like it was going to go in tonight!

Bernardo’s normally reliable touch deserted him, Cancelo’s shot outshone his defending by a factor of 10, Walker got caught faffing about numerous times, and both of them got caught out of position repeatedly on the break.

Laporte missed two sitters from 12 yards total! Foden & Grealish were kept to scraps around the edge of the box, and, even though Stones & Cancelo showed the best chance of a breakthrough might have been a shot from the edge of the box, we seem to prefer overcomplications inside the 18 yard box filled with 18-20 players!

Sadly, it’s the same old story when we don’t take our chances!

This could have been a 6-0 for us or a sneaky 1-0 for them, but after those 90 minutes it is almost unfathomable to believe we didn’t score once.

We move on…ahead on points regardless of what happens on Wednesday and it’s in our own hands. I’ll take that.

 

[Footba11 Guy]

I voted lose in the pre-match poll so I'll take a point, could be a very valuable one. Palace just have our number not sure why or how but they do, I'm glad to get out of there with something as it keeps us ahead and in control.

 

[Keeper!]

Hard to say. They're susceptible to pace behind their full backs, Liverpool have just been grinding out results of late so they aren't setting the world on fire, they're just getting wins. Arsenal will push them with their pace out wide.

The run home is equally as tough for us and them. There's no easy games, we should've won but didn't, it happens

It's not all room & gloom, it's still in our hands, and that's all we can ask for at this stage of the season.

Grinding results is what this time of year is all about and who does it best will be champions.

We have lost a lot of urgency and focus since a brilliant December, unless we get that back we may struggle to retain the title.

 

[roy.or.r]

What aren’t you getting about that? If we’d have made a change, I don’t think we’d have created the chances in the first place, so the call Pep had to make was what was more likely, players start finishing the chances (some of which were on a plate) or risk making a change that might mean not even making the chance in the first place.

Sterling wouldn’t have helped as there was no space for him. Jesus instead of Foden maybe but then he was still creating space for others. The only change I thought really worth thinking about was Gundogan for Bernardo but given he was getting into the right positions, better to keep him on and he should have scored that chance he got in the last ten mins.

Change the question and ask yourself given what you think about it, why did pep not make a change? As he’ll be making his decision based on a lot more knowledge than you or I.

If Pep was always right, we would have won the champs league last year.

 

[Sir peace frog]

Can't fault the lads, effort application and desire all in abundance, a bit sloppy with our passing and finishing, one of those day's

 

[adam.marrett]

Grinding results is what this time of year is all about and who does it best will be champions.

We have lost a lot of urgency and focus since a brilliant December, unless we get that back we may struggle to retain the title.

Of course it is. We've done it before during title run homes and I'm confident we will do it again.

I'll back our players and Pep in over the run home.

If Liverpool jump us then my confidence may waver, but it's still in our hands and that gives me the confidence we'll see it through.

I'll add it's not the Liverpool game that worries me most on our run home, it's the West Ham & Wolves away that worry me more. We've tended this season to take points off the big clubs, it's been Spurs, Palace & Southampton twice outside of the Anfield game we should've won where we've dropped costly points.