Crystal Palace (h) pre-match thread

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Ric

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Another relatively difficult game on paper, although Villa managed to beat them so it could be a good time to play them. Judging by Pellegrini's comments earlier in the week, I imagine we'll see some rotation. I'd like to see Iheanacho given another start, but can't see it happening.

I reckon we'll line up something like this:

Hart
Zabaleta
Otamendi
Demichelis
Kolarov
Fernandinho
Toure
Navas
Sterling
Silva
Aguero
 
Ric said:
Another relatively difficult game on paper, although Villa managed to beat them so it could be a good time to play them. Judging by Pellegrini's comments earlier in the week, I imagine we'll see some rotation. I'd like to see Iheanacho given another start, but can't see it happening.

I reckon we'll line up something like this:

Hart
Zabaleta
Otamendi
Demichelis
Kolarov
Fernandinho
Toure
Navas
Sterling
Silva
Aguero
Click to expand...

I'd go with that too except maybe Clichy instead of Kolarov due to Palace's pace on the counter. I'd also like to see Sagna have a go at CB. I'm not sure Demichelis is up to 3 games in a week, especially against the pace of Palace's forwards.
 
Yeah, on paper this game will be a tough test.

Crystal Palace's key strength, this season, has been the pace of their vertical play. Pardew's utilised the individual superiority of his wingers to by pass traditional ball circulation and away from home particularly, it's worked a treat. But more recently, it's not been dominant as it was back at the start of the campaign. They've failed to score in their last two away matches versus Aston Villa and Bournemouth, and they've not won in the last four prem games. This could be due to a number of reasons, but one solid peice of evidence has to be the absence of key man Bolasie. As such, Zaha will likely be their outlet for a similar game plan.

I think we should play Clichy again. We have the fortune of a weeks rest after this game, so Gael shouln't feel too hard done by, and he has the pace and defensive nous to deal with Zaha, who can play on both flans but seems to live mostly on the Palace right. England is not the best country in the world to see good, modern pressing games, but Aston Villa's bold set up to apply consistent pressure seemed to work well stopping Palace's offensive plans, so I would take advice from that and play an energetic midfield that includes one or both of Delph and Dinho. And then there's Iheanacho who must SOOO have a place for Crystal Palace in his heart. He scored in his first professional 5 minutes on the pitch against them. Plus he scored a couple of beauties against them in the League Cup, (one of which was wrongly disallowed.) Play this kid on Saturday please!

All in all, I'm confident (as usual haha I need my head examined.) We've beaten them twice this season and, like everyone else, they've hit a crucial point in the season (a crossroads of sorts) where, in Palace's case, they have to pluck up the know-how and courage to maintain the success of their campaign. We're hosting them in the league at the right time.

Hart
Clichy
Mangala
Otamendi
Zabaleta
Delph
Fernandinho
Navas
Silva
Iheanacho
Aguero

With us getting a weeks rest after this game, I'd be tempted not to give Sagna, Sterling and Toure a rest, but it's not a bad call either way, I don't think
 
We've shot ourselves in the foot regarding the fullbacks for this game. Should be Sagna and Clichy however as they played last night it'll be the slightly slower pairing of Zab and Kolarov.
 
Blue Smarties said:
We've shot ourselves in the foot regarding the fullbacks for this game. Should be Sagna and Clichy however as they played last night it'll be the slightly slower pairing of Zab and Kolarov.
Click to expand...

On our left side, I think Clichy should be fine to play again. Like I said, we've got a weeks rest after this game. Also, Clichy gas tank over the long term is strong as he's not played a great deal this season, so I think he can handle it.

Also, it was a good decision to play Clichy yesterday as that Delafeou can be a tricky get, and it would've only taken one slip up from our left back to be punished. I prefer Kolarov overall, but Clichy was the right man for that job.
 
Eccles Blue said:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Mr Pellegrini play ZABALETTA. Sorry to shout folks but I am beginning to think Mr P needs a hearing aid!! :-) (& I am one of his admirers!)
Click to expand...

2134pd0.jpg
 
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