Crystal Palace (H) - Sat 27th Aug 15:00 | Pre-Match Thread

[citymad]

Got a bad feeling about this one, again the sort of team we'll find hard to contain on the break and they will punish us.

Team wise I'd go: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Gomez, Phillips, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Gundogan, Haaland

With that team it's hard to back against a City stroll. Think you've contradicted your first statement.

 

[OccupiedPalestineBlues]

What ball isn't already round?

Balls aren’t necessarily round . . as you’ll know from rugby and from doing your well man checks.

 

[Welsh]

I wonder if this might be the game for Phillips? Hard to drop any of the midfield currently though.

Would say we'd see the same team but given that Pep isn't one to stick, I'd say Mahrez comes in for Bernardo.

 

[The Black Shed]

Is Gallagher still there?

Back at Chelsea, played against Leeds on Sunday

 

[wolviedinho]

3-1 City. Haaland to have a field day. Probably get caught on the break at least once.

 

[Tangled up in blue.]

Back at Chelsea, played against Leeds on Sunday

Well that's a plus

 

[nijinsky]

Kyle needs to play RB Sat with Zaha, lets hope Pep learns from Barcode, good LW needs a RB not DM/midfield being pulled out of position

I don't know how much anyone was pulled out of position, They seemed to set up that way, walker took up some bizarre positions which coupled with Bernies apparent lack of support, left a quarter of the pitch for joelington and Maxim to play in. May be a question of adapting to having one less midfielder. The system usually prevails, but we have enough evidence this is a huge weakness against journeymen players like Maxim and Zaha nevermind Salah and Vinicious. It needs sorting now. You're only as strong as your weakest point.

 

[lionheart]

Will first need to see who returns unscathed from the ridiculous trip to Barcelona. Pep needs a new brain at times. What on earth was he thinking? if he wants us to donate to charity then simply write a bloody cheque rather than place our precious team in harm's way.

 

[tommybooth]

This is where big H scores 3.

 

[Shaffer92]

Liverpool more or less dominated them with 10 men. I expect a relatively straight forward win.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Interesting one for Pep as Palace will stay deep and compact like West Ham and Bournemouth did, but with the very dangerous out-ball to their in-form forward player that Newcastle had (and our other opponents so far this season have lacked)

We could get ourselves caught on the break again if we go with the 2-3-5 in possession, but equally we might struggle to break them down if we don't have De Bruyne and Gündy pushed up alongside Haaland

Looking forward to seeing what our solution is

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Interesting one for Pep as Palace will stay deep and compact like West Ham and Bournemouth did, but with the very dangerous out-ball to their in-form forward player that Newcastle had (and our other opponents so far this season have lacked)

We could get ourselves caught on the break again if we go with the 2-3-5 in possession, but equally we might struggle to break them down if we don't have De Bruyne and Gündy pushed up alongside Haaland

Looking forward to seeing what our solution is

More about stopping the out ball to there forwards keeping them pinned in.

 

[swinton blue]

For me walker plays as a straight forward right back up and down the line overlap etc and hopefully keeping Zaha pinned back slightly
And if he doesn’t track back we should get some joy down the right

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

For me walker plays as a straight forward right back up and down the line overlap etc and hopefully keeping Zaha pinned back slightly
And if he doesn’t track back we should get some joy down the right

At Anfield Vieira played Zaha more centrally rather than on the wing, so that we could keep him high up the pitch without sacrificing cover on the left wing (which someone else provided)

 

[swinton blue]

At Anfield Vieira played Zaha more centrally rather than on the wing, so that we could keep him high up the pitch without sacrificing cover on the left wing (which someone else provided)

I did see that with Zaha but with St maximus getting joy off the left might lead to Vieira playing him more wide

 

[MAG]

What team have Palace picked tonight against Oxford, anyone?

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

What team have Palace picked tonight against Oxford, anyone?

 

[NorthamptonBlue]

Will first need to see who returns unscathed from the ridiculous trip to Barcelona. Pep needs a new brain at times. What on earth was he thinking? if he wants us to donate to charity then simply write a bloody cheque rather than place our precious team in harm's way.

That really depends on the team he puts out. We’ve got a goalie who needs a game. The same for Alvarez and Gomez. Plenty of kids need game time too. Stones looked rusty on Sunday so 90 minutes might help.

 

[2infinity&beyond]

Anyone know what TV station this will be on if not Sky?

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Need to be less polite to fast forwards. Bring the bastards down a mile from the box with a Fernesque nudge, friendly smile and a gentlemanly hand up to avoid getting booked.

Are you forgetting Laporte in last season's game.