Crystal Palace (A) | Post Match Thread

[remember arthur mann]

First time checking site after last night. Noticed from the stands pep having a long chat with their goalkeeper. Was this caught on camera? Pep literally walked from the dug out straight to the Palace goal on the full time whistle. Can only assume he was having a go at him regarding the time wasting.

Although Pep patted him on the back at the end, they certainly weren't exchanging pleasantries or talking an upcoming deal.

 

[Blue Eyed Dick]

I appreciate everything that Pep does for the club but there has to be a Plan B in matches like this when the other team puts 10 behind the ball on a small pitch. Similarly the players need a different mentality. 95th minute, last attack, a throw in on the left side, ball launched into the box, no one there to receive! Even clubs at the other end of the table would have thrown players forward.

 

[dobingsdobber]

Anyone counting on Arsenal is living in dream land.

Not much point playing the fixture then?

 

[Norman kneejerk]

I appreciate everything that Pep does for the club but there has to be a Plan B in matches like this when the other team puts 10 behind the ball on a small pitch. Similarly the players need a different mentality. 95th minute, last attack, a throw in on the left side, ball launched into the box, no one there to receive! Even clubs at the other end of the table would have thrown players forward.

Might be something in that. Of 3 teams who have given us trouble this year, Southampton, Palace, Spurs, they have all done it twice suggesting we don't change if it's not working.

 

[Vester]

You’re talking like we were 14 points ahead on the same games.

We’ve dropped 7 points in that time so if it was a true 14 points ahead, we’d still be 7 points in front of them. But they’ve had two games in hand. The most important thing in this sentence is in bold; we were 14 points ahead but they had two games in hand.

Besides, gaps at previous times in the season don’t matter because we haven’t played everyone. Another way to look at it is that we were two points behind Liverpool before our easier run of fixtures that ended 2021, and Liverpool are coming out of their easier run of fixtures between 1-4 points behind us. Look who both have played in 2022 (* = top half sides):

City:
Arsenal a*
Chelsea h*
Southampton a*
Brentford h
Norwich a
Spurs h*
Everton a
United h*
Palace a

Liverpool:
Chelsea a*
Brentford h
Palace a
Leicester h
Burnley a
Norwich h
Leeds h
West Ham h*
Brighton a

We’ve played five top half teams to their two. If they didn’t make up some points with that run of games, plus having two games in hand, there’d be something wrong! Plus the last tough fixture they had, back in the first week in January, they dropped points.

You’re taking like we’ve crumbled and lost points or games consecutively. Yet these dropped points have been sandwiched between our best performances of the season (Chelsea h, Norwich a, United h) and we’ve only lost 1 game in that run.

There’s still ages to go in this title race. It may be a case that Liverpool start to drop points as their tougher run of fixtures starts up, we may go toe-to-toe to the end, or we might be the ones to fall away as having no striker is impossible to win the league without two seasons running.

I specifically said 14 points WITH them having 2 games in hand which is 100% true. If I would have said we have dropped 14 points, I wouldn't have mentioned that they had 2 games in hand would I? Maybe I should have specified "2 games in hand means the distance could go down to 8 points if/when they win their games in hand", but I since I already specified we had played 2 games more I didnt think it was necessary. I assumed most forum members could figure that out by themselves since its basic mathematics.

Yes we had tougher games than them since then. That doesnt mean I expected us to drop 7 points already, or dont think its worrying we got 2 pts out of 9 against Southampton, Spurs & Palace in a short space of time. If you expected us to drop 7 pts the last 7 games and think thats a great result, then congratulations you were right. I didnt and think our performances lately is worrying (worrying, not a complete disaster), and us winning against the worst team in the league and Norwich with a few goals in between doesnt change that for me. That doesnt mean I think the title race is over, or that its now Liverpools to lose, we are still favorites in my opinion. I just think that if we dont start playing better than what we currently are (which I think/hope we will), we will lose this title race. Maybe its the City pessimist in me talking, and you are free to disagree, but thats what I believe or perhaps fear.

For me its simple. When my favorite team wins it makes me happy, and when we dont, it makes me disappointed, which will lead to me complaining about it. Thats just who I am, it doesnt matter if we are in a relegation battle or in a title race. Maybe you being positive about dropping points to Palace in the middle of a title race makes you a better fan than me. In my world I dont see how you can be happy with dropping 7 points in 7 games to the team closest below you in the table (assuming Liverpool wins their game against Arsenal, which is not a certainty), regardless if you are 1st or 16th.

With all this said, we can all agree on that we hope Arsenal win against Liverpool tomorrow, and that we then smash Liverpool at home in a couple of weeks! We all hope City will win, the differences in how confident we are about us doing so doesnt change that. And even if we dont win anything, we go again next year!

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Yes we thrashed United, and might still win the Premier League, but we struggle when the opposition don’t need to win, and we don’t score an early goal.

Palace had obviously watered the pitch, and on reflection, it probably disrupted their breakaways as much as it slowed our dribbling through the lines, particularly for Mahrez and Grealish. However, there are wider concerns and we desperately need a change in momentum.

Aside from Diaz and Gundogen that was our strongest lineup, as essentially Sterling, Fernandinho, Jesus, Ake, and Zinchenko are all a step down, and will form the nucleus of our FA Cup team at Southampton. It’s also a worryingly disjointed formation with Cancelo and Walker wandering all over the place, and when we lose the ball, the space behind them is frightening.

However, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one pining for a traditional central striker, particularly when Silva missed the late chance.

 

[Grassland Blue]

Agree but Raz & Jesus should be on at 75 mins for me. We had nothing to lose in my opinion. 3 points were vital tonight not 1

1 point is ok.
If the dippers win their game in hand (and it's a big if) they are still a point behind.
So we win the league by 1pt or 3pts it's still the same trophy.

 

[Coatigan]

you can't question Pep on here mate .
there are more sheep than an Australian sheep convention.

I love Pep as much as the next blue. And will happily 'defend' wherever I think he is the fucking man.

But I have no issue saying what frustrates me, when it does. And the persistence in not changing things up when deaperately needing changed even in the last 10 minutes, is one that keeps coming up.

Drawing/losing games happens. Part of football. Sometimes you try everything, and it hust doesn't go your way. Nothing you can do about it.

Last night, he didn't try everything. If he'd thrown on Jesus/Sterling, heck Zinchenko up front, and they did nothing, then I'd be totally fine with it. One of those, move on. But to watch the same passing round the box in the 94th minute, after seeing it come to nothing in the 93 minutea prior, I'm sorry, I am allowed to be annoyed by that.

Doesn't surprise me, seen it loads of times since his Barcelona side did the exact same againdt Inter in the second leg with a CL final at stake. Including our own CL final, when he could have brought Aguero on much earlier.

He will always do it. On balance, he will win plenty doing it, and I will celebrate it. And I will get annoyed the games he does it, and it comes out to nothing. I'm aware that is somewhat fickle. But it is how it is.

 

[swinton blue]

First time checking site after last night. Noticed from the stands pep having a long chat with their goalkeeper. Was this caught on camera? Pep literally walked from the dug out straight to the Palace goal on the full time whistle. Can only assume he was having a go at him regarding the time wasting.

Yes think it was
Ederson is the only keeper who gets booked for time wasting

 

[mcfcbill91]

Hard to pick fault with a majority of the performance last night. Reduced Palace to one shot on target and minimised the counter threat well. Certainly avoided the mistakes of the game from October by constantly working them and not playing into the traps they leave. They want you to play into those central areas and try risky passes early etc so they can nick the ball and run off up the other end.

Pitch was a dried out & scruffy mess with the ball bouncing around. Usual ridiculous 30-40 seconds stoppage each time the ball went out and any concerted pressure ended up with one of their players 'injured' for 2-3 minutes. We did well to stay focussed and create the chances we did.

However, the finishing was a big disappointment. We've created 3-4 absolute golden chances which have to be scored - this will be the difference between 1st/2nd & any other trophies we remain in.

Compared to Southampton, Spurs & Everton maybe, I felt the performance was there.


I'd suggest reviewing the PL fixtures played by City & Liverpool since the start of January. Hard to imagine a team playing a softer run of games given opponent's placing & form.

There's a long way to go and the margins are fine.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

Nothing wrong with the intensity or mentality, looked to be one of those games as the chances came and went.

Said at the weekend it was a tough game and same will be said for Leeds, West Ham, Burnley and Wolves.

We are currently paying the price because of a shit first half at Southampton and a very late goal against Spurs, as we lost our margin for error.

It could yet be a very big point and still affords us the cushion of a draw at home to Liverpool, if we are to be perfect elsewhere.

My only gripe is the correlation between our dropped points this season coming against the same teams.

To lose 15 points to just Spurs, Palace and Southampton takes some swallowing.

I expect Liverpool to win at Arsenal but our team has been down this road before.

Our 4 aways will probably decide it. Burnley will be a bit like last night, they’ll sit deep but play it long, pitch will be a bit bumpy. They’ll be waiting in the long grass as they don’t play again until April. Hopefully the international break doesn’t mess us up.

Leeds could be a bit of a bear pit so we need to rob the crowd of any belief, they’ll play deeper against us than Bielsa did.

Wolves will be immensely difficult as they’re defensively excellent, one of those games a bit of magic from KDB, Foden or Mahrez makes the difference.

West Ham will have a go and will create chances but will give up some as well, it will come down to who takes their chances.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Not that this will change anyones mind but…

City have scored 68 goals and were expected to score 69 from the positions we shot from.

Liverpool have scored 73 goals and were expected to score 74 from the positions they shot from.

Both teams have exactly the same level of being “clinical”

Yesterday is just fresh in the mind.

 

[B\connellblue]

Not that this will change anyones mind but…

City have scored 68 goals and were expected to score 69 from the positions we shot from.

Liverpool have scored 73 goals and were expected to score 74 from the positions they shot from.

Both teams have exactly the same level of being “clinical”

Yesterday is just fresh in the mind.

It depends what your "expectations" are
I'd expect a top footballer to be either able to head it Or kick it into the fucking net from 3 yards out

 

[Xhavenjoe]

It depends what your "expectations" are
I'd expect a top footballer to be either able to head it Or kick it into the fucking net from 3 yards out

Agree.
I can flick my socks further than that.
Last night they were like lads kicking a balloon.

 

[exiled-blue]

Interesting, worth a complaint as I heard the Palace fans very loud all game, I thought it was maybe due to where the mic was placed.
I wasn’t there so hard to complain about atmosphere but my mate said fans were very quiet last night. We’ll need to bring it for Burnley and intimidate the scouse scum at the Etihad, perhaps we should organise a bus welcoming

I was in the main Palace end last night and I hardly heard our fans.
To be fair though, much as I hate that fuckinng drum, the Palace fans were very good and all sides of the ground were up singing. And our players did nothing to dampen that by regularly gifting them opportunities.

 

[Bill]

I love Pep as much as the next blue. And will happily 'defend' wherever I think he is the fucking man.

But I have no issue saying what frustrates me, when it does. And the persistence in not changing things up when deaperately needing changed even in the last 10 minutes, is one that keeps coming up.

Drawing/losing games happens. Part of football. Sometimes you try everything, and it hust doesn't go your way. Nothing you can do about it.

Last night, he didn't try everything. If he'd thrown on Jesus/Sterling, heck Zinchenko up front, and they did nothing, then I'd be totally fine with it. One of those, move on. But to watch the same passing round the box in the 94th minute, after seeing it come to nothing in the 93 minutea prior, I'm sorry, I am allowed to be annoyed by that.

Doesn't surprise me, seen it loads of times since his Barcelona side did the exact same againdt Inter in the second leg with a CL final at stake. Including our own CL final, when he could have brought Aguero on much earlier.

He will always do it. On balance, he will win plenty doing it, and I will celebrate it. And I will get annoyed the games he does it, and it comes out to nothing. I'm aware that is somewhat fickle. But it is how it is.

every word spot on.

 

[dadnlad]

Might be something in that. Of 3 teams who have given us trouble this year, Southampton, Palace, Spurs, they have all done it twice suggesting we don't change if it's not working.

the golf chips came out again last night in second half

 

[Bobby the blue]

I appreciate everything that Pep does for the club but there has to be a Plan B in matches like this when the other team puts 10 behind the ball on a small pitch. Similarly the players need a different mentality. 95th minute, last attack, a throw in on the left side, ball launched into the box, no one there to receive! Even clubs at the other end of the table would have thrown players forward.

But what would plan b consist of. Knocking it long for a knock down or such sort. Plan A was working ok. We carved out very good chances against a stubborn side.
we are a technical side and lobbing it up top rarely works. Keep moving the defence about. Keep probing and continue stretching there back line works for us.
Listen I’m just as frustrated we didn’t win of course I am but today seems very knee jerk. I still think there will be twists and turns to come and we need to keep the faith. God wills it as is often said on this fine platform.

 

[shemnel]

But what would plan b consist of. Knocking it long for a knock down or such sort. Plan A was working ok. We carved out very good chances against a stubborn side.
we are a technical side and lobbing it up top rarely works. Keep moving the defence about. Keep probing and continue stretching there back line works for us.
Listen I’m just as frustrated we didn’t win of course I am but today seems very knee jerk. I still think there will be twists and turns to come and we need to keep the faith. God wills it as is often said on this fine platform.

I think the best thing we could have done for the last 20 was to introduce Sterling on the right and shift Foden left and try and beat a full back. I thought their full backs did well and our wings looked stale by 70 mins, but the best moments came when we knocked the ball past them and they clearly didnt enjoy running backwards with the ball goalside of them (as most full backs dont). I think 20 mins of trying to beat them a bit on the outside might have yielded something, but then again they were sat so deep and we'll never know!

 

[Mr Blue Moon]

Played on a shit surface. Mr Viera if the best you can come up with is to get your players to adopt shit house tactics (criminal time wasting without any yellows and feigned injuries to break up the flow of the game) please don’t send your CV to City if you’re thinking about a future coaching role.
That said we had enough chances to win comfortably on most days.
Anyway let’s move forward
P.s come on the Gunners!