Palace - Post Match Thread

[blue b4 the moon]

Well done boys, Palace didn't want to play apart from clogging our midfield. We played well probably an early goal helped, the score didn't flatter us.

Fat Sam's sides seem to take a hammering from us on a regular basis wherever he's the manager. Can we play you every week?

Oliver was his usual spineless self and the liner near SS3 seemed to be a south London follower.

Job done Leicester will be harder.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Sane's getting angry. I like it.

It was proper passion when he started kicking off with the fourth official.

I like that in a player.

 

[WestGorton]

We are beautiful. We were today.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Kompany is fucking world class.

Had we had him fit all season and Hart in goal we'd have pissed this league.

Also have to say we've got a right player on our hands in Sane.

Going to be our Hazard.

 

[cleavers]

Great performance from all the team, the early goal helped obviously but without the save from Willy, its a very different game, they were threatening to get back in it before half time, and after a pretty ropey start, had started to defend well. If Benteke score we are deflated, and it could be a very different outcome.

Thought Otamendi was fantastic (a player I don't really rate), and I've no doubt that Kompany is helping greatly.

Since Silva went off at Wembley, and until he started again today, we have looked a bit lost, Yaya too, with those 2 playing we are a totally different side, how the hell we go about replacing them I've no idea, but I hope Pep does.

A word about Jesus, he appeared to be disappointed to be taken off, and on the face of it he may have appeared to not have had a major impact, but for me he brings something very different, his movement today dragged defenders out of their comfort zone all game, often without getting a touch, and it opened the game for Silva, Sterling, and Sane, and made us much more fluid, and sometimes more direct.

It was also nice to see more shots at goal, and a few from outside the box especially.

More of this please, but can we do it against the better sides next year. (Not a question - a plea.)

 

[Dribble]

Oh that was that golden period when we beat a Crystal Palace side in the cup who made 6 changes and Pep stated we could play much better, struggled to beat Swansea 2-1 requiring a last minute goal (From Jesus) and beat a West Han side for we had previously beaten 5-0.

I'm not knocking the lad, I think he is great but it's oversimplifying things to suggest he plays the team gets a result and it's because of that change. No different to those who used the goal scoring stats of Iheanacho and previously Balotelli to infer they are better players than they actually are.

Personally I would prefer the side to return to the form of the start of the season (9 on the bounce) or 2012 or 2014 when Aguero played and we were hitting 90/100 goals. So I very much doubt our poor form is significantly due to him as he has played in many successful sides.

To be honest over the last couple of weeks Aguero has been much more involved and linking the play than Jesus was today. We have a star on our hands but wishing Aguero away is madness as he is one of the very best in the business.

I'm a huge Aguero fan, but the stats with and without him gave me a shock as much as anyone. Several times since, I've paid specific attention to Aguero in and around the box and noticed that he'll go for goal himself above playing a killer pass for someone else in a better position to score.

Guardiola played Jesus ahead of him for that period and after our poor form coming up to that period, we picked up dramatically. You can read whatever you like into specific games in Jan/Feb when we did this or that, but Guardiola saw something and made a change which changed our fortunes. What did you read into Pep playing Jesus over Aguero during this period?

For example; at Barca Pep sold Ronaldhino, Deco & Eto'o before creating probably the best football side in history. With that in mind, I won't rule anything in or out. Losing Kun would kill me, but looking at the bigger picture, PG has already publicly said that Kun needs to adapt his game. Most pundits saw that as Aguero's work rate, but myself I saw it as Kun not fully syncing with the rest of the team in attack.

Yesterday PG mentioned our inability to score..... Aguero has passed 30 for this season so what could he be talking about? The rest of the team not scoring enough maybe? Well that's not going to happen if Aguero goes for goal every time he's within sight of the opposition keeper even if the better available option is the pass. Yes it gives him a fantastic personal scoring return, but have you considered this could be to the detriment of others scoring?

How do you interpret Pep's quotes regarding Aguero needing to adapt his game and our inability to score?

 

[The Riot Club]

It was proper passion when he started kicking off with the fourth official.

I like that in a player.

Definitely. We need that in a few of ours. Sané is fast turning into one of my favourite players, he gives us a bit extra.

 

[Dribble]

Great performance from all the team, the early goal helped obviously but without the save from Willy, its a very different game, they were threatening to get back in it before half time, and after a pretty ropey start, had started to defend well. If Benteke score we are deflated, and it could be a very different outcome.

Thought Otamendi was fantastic (a player I don't really rate), and I've no doubt that Kompany is helping greatly.

Since Silva went off at Wembley, and until he started again today, we have looked a bit lost, Yaya too, with those 2 playing we are a totally different side, how the hell we go about replacing them I've no idea, but I hope Pep does.

A word about Jesus, he appeared to be disappointed to be taken off, and on the face of it he may have appeared to not have had a major impact, but for me he brings something very different, his movement today dragged defenders out of their comfort zone all game, often without getting a touch, and it opened the game for Silva, Sterling, and Sane, and made us much more fluid, and sometimes more direct.

It was also nice to see more shots at goal, and a few from outside the box especially.

More of this please, but can we do it against the better sides next year. (Not a question - a plea.)

Spot on.

Jesus may not have scored, but his contribution today allowed others to score instead. With him in the team, we're a far more cohesive unit and more liable to score.

 

[Withnail]

Superb performance especially in the second half. Pleased for Vinny he deserves that after what he has been through.

Kev and Ottamendi were excellent. Need to ensure we continue this form into the next game

 

[talkativesprout]

I have not been more entertained since Bobby left.......though today row FF in tier 3 gave me a view of our football not seen by most.

The build up work in the first half from up there seemed almost artistic. The supporter experience starts and ends on the pitch and i felt happy paying over the odds for shit beer and a hotdog for the lad....who i might mention has done nothing but shit since we got home

 

[FantasyIreland]

Spot on.

Jesus may not have scored, but his contribution today allowed others to score instead. With him in the team, we're a far more cohesive unit and more liable to score.

I think more and more are realising that's the case,although some will understandably refuse to accept it.

 

[butlerkb]

Silva is god. Best player to ever wear the blue shirt. Not even debatable. Fucking love him. Surley has another 2-3 years left in him. Will be a sad sad day when he hangs his boots up. ;(

Hear hear, how will we replace him, we are a different team without him, yay a was immense too

 

[Proy]

I think more and more are realising that's the case,although some will understandably refuse to accept it.

The majority.

I see it. I've seen it for most of the season.

Pound for pound Sergio is the best striker on the planet, but not as part of this team. I think he disrupts the fluidity although he's improved since the rumoured chat.

He's scored a remarkable amount if goals, can't take that away from him.

It's really interesting that we are only a couple goals short of the league's top scorers because I don't think we've put away nearly what we could have. It ties into what pep was saying earlier, we create more chances than anyone in the division.

It's open to debate this but I'm guessing Pep may think Sergio is hindering us on occasion in this respect.

 

[citytilllidie]

Got to be Kompany's influence. It started against United and has continued, massively today. Real grit and commitment to tackle hard and get the ball back. That was missing for most of the season, when, we looked like a soft touch at the back. Everyone outstanding today against a very physical forward line

 

[2infinity&beyond]

Hear hear, how will we replace him, we are a different team without him, yay a was immense too

I think the owners will be well aware of the need to replace someone like Silva when the time comes. I guess they will be prepared to break the bank if thats what it will take.

 

[2infinity&beyond]

Brilliant performance but lets be fair we have dominated so many matches and just not finished, today we did finish and look at the result.

 

[Phil1]

I think more and more are realising that's the case,although some will understandably refuse to accept it.

Refuse to accept it? I think you mean disagree that it's a fact.

 

[roj]

Atmosphere was shite to be hinest

I'd argue it was one of the best 12:30's. Maybe I was in a good mood.

Edit: pissed

 

[Dribble]

I think more and more are realising that's the case,although some will understandably refuse to accept it.

Pep's SKYBLUEprint was there for all to see in Jan/Feb. He hasn't yet got the personnel to execute his plan and personally I think it will take him until the season after next before we're back on the right track.

As someone said today, how do we replace Silva, Yaya & Kompany? These are the things Pep has to do, but Sane and Jesus have shown Pep's intention. As for those who refuse to accept it, the plan will come together with or without their acceptation? I hoped for better this season, but in reality I didn't expect it because I always thought we were further behind when Pep arrived than many other reckoned.

The results may not be showing as we'd like them to, but the germination of a plan is there for the enlightened to see. Today Pep said City are the best team in the league which has had my Rag mates texting me taking the piss. The fact I just replied 'whatever' and all they could do was repeat their original crap spoke volumes.

YES we're fighting for 3rd/4th, BUT only once have I seen a team outplay us this season and the better team can lose purely because football games are decided on goals, not points for performances like boxing. I pointed this out to the Rag hoards & once they realised their barbs were having no effect on me, they ALL eventually agreed with Pepe albeit it through gritted teeth!

If our results were shit and I couldn't see a plan, I'd be worried, but I'm relaxed about our 'plight' (if you can call it that) because I can clearly see the way forward. We'll be OK, it will just take time because we're in the hardest, richest league in the world with Conte, Teeth, Maureen, Potty whatever, and Wenger managing our main opponents who have similar resources to us with the same aims and objectives for success.

This season was never gonna be the cakewalk many believed it to be, but we'll get there. We just need to be patient and concentrate on our performances for now and not our results, as they will begin to match our performances before too long. As long as we're still there or there abouts in 12 months time, I think season 18/19 is when we'll begin to see everything come to fruition.

 

[cleavers]

Today Pep said City are the best team in the league

We're not though, for much of the season a 'team' we have not been, we show flashes of it, but we're so inconsistent as a 'team'.

Some say we have the best squad, but a look at our bench today says bollox we do, we may have the best first team, but too often, we play too individually, we may even play the best football occasionally, but that's the issue, its only occasionally.

How we had the 'team' out at Middlesbrough last week is utterly bizarre, and one for Pep to answer, and though we did have injuries, I still can't fathom what that was about, and its not the first time.

I believe in what he'll eventually do, and we see glimpses of it now and again, but four of our players today won us the league 5 years ago, that's over 1/3 of today's team, and that is the reason we haven't pushed on, and that is not knocking those four in anyway.