Crystal Palace Match Thread

[Stevie Lynex on the wing]

IMO for what it's worth to you lot I thought that todays performance was a great spectacle even though the scoreline didn't represent it.
We actually played football the way it should be played and every player in blue and white huffed and puffed for 90 minutes and if we had taken our chances we could have easily bagged the 3 points instead of 1.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Good performance today, we were definately the better side, the energy and commitment levels were excellent. In truth we probably just lacked that little bit of quality that would have won the game.

All in all a positive display, especially when you take into account the number of first teamers missing through injury then it does suggest that this squad is actually quite strong.

I agree with Brauny, RK is doing a very good job at proving us doubters wrong and long may it continue.

 

[Steven]

..... RK is doing a very good job at proving us doubters wrong and long may it continue.

I am a doubter and I think maybe RK is a doubter as well but having said that I hope he will improve as a Manager and he is giving me more confidence than CL did after a similar period of time.

 

[Ox Fox]

But RK's tactics and organisation of the formation still leave a lot to be desired.

1. Why play two wide men in Low and Welsh and have them so narrow they are running level with the edge of the centre circle? Surely if they stay wide(ish) they pull the defender over and create space for players to run into.

2. We are so slow getting the ball forward it is pitiful, however through a lot of practice we are getting quite good at going sideways or backwards. The only option to move the ball with any pace yesterday was the good old ball over the top. Don't the current players have the necessary skill levels to play one touch football (Hughes in particular)?

3. Goal kicks - for 2/3rds of the game it was exactly the same tactic, big hoof to Low on the right, and he can't really head the ball very well. How about a tiny bit a variation?

4. Elvis looked pretty knackered after 70 minutes, surely O'Grady would be worth had been worth a try, at least it would have given Logan a fresh target for his kicks.

 

[OldGit]

Thought it was good to see the obvious growth in confidence of so many players since earlier in the season.

Thought Tiatto was excellent (apart from that run back half the length of the pitch that nearly got us into trouble). Sylla was a revelation when he came on - if we could get 90 minutes of that every week it would be a huge gain for the team. Welsh looked better than last time he was here, though he faded later - probably needs more match fitness.

Elvis was great - I would love to see him with both Hume and Fryatt, when he could concentrate on what he is best at - getting the ball into the danger area, and worry less about what he's not good at - shooting.

Logan continues to improve - but his sense of direction with his kicks still need some work!

 

[The Voice From Above]

IMO for what it's worth to you lot I thought that todays performance was a great spectacle even though the scoreline didn't represent it.
We actually played football the way it should be played and every player in blue and white huffed and puffed for 90 minutes and if we had taken our chances we could have easily bagged the 3 points instead of 1.

I agree with everything you say Stevie. Top post

 

[The Voice From Above]

But RK's tactics and organisation of the formation still leave a lot to be desired.

1. Why play two wide men in Low and Welsh and have them so narrow they are running level with the edge of the centre circle? Surely if they stay wide(ish) they pull the defender over and create space for players to run into.

I didn't notice this OF. Then again I had a seat low to the pitch which wasn't my choice. Still they seemed to play pretty wide to me.

2. We are so slow getting the ball forward it is pitiful, however through a lot of practice we are getting quite good at going sideways or backwards. The only option to move the ball with any pace yesterday was the good old ball over the top. Don't the current players have the necessary skill levels to play one touch football (Hughes in particular)?

Half the problem is the muppets in the crowd. The players are scared to make that killer pass in case it doesn't come off and the muppets drone with despair. Tiatto is the exception. He doesn't give a feck what the crowd response is. I admire him for this.

3. Goal kicks - for 2/3rds of the game it was exactly the same tactic, big hoof to Low on the right, and he can't really head the ball very well. How about a tiny bit a variation?

Like what? Punt the ball up to the mighty Hume, Hammond or Welsh? . When you have short players in attacking positions then it limits your options. He could roll the ball out to the defenders i guess.

4. Elvis looked pretty knackered after 70 minutes, surely O'Grady would be worth had been worth a try, at least it would have given Logan a fresh target for his kicks.

I take your point regarding Logans target but Elvis was a threat with his pace and i'm not sure O'Grady would have offered anything more than a bigger taget to lump the ball at

 

[No.6 Muzzy Izzet...]

But RK's tactics and organisation of the formation still leave a lot to be desired.

1. Why play two wide men in Low and Welsh and have them so narrow they are running level with the edge of the centre circle? Surely if they stay wide(ish) they pull the defender over and create space for players to run into.

2. We are so slow getting the ball forward it is pitiful, however through a lot of practice we are getting quite good at going sideways or backwards. The only option to move the ball with any pace yesterday was the good old ball over the top. Don't the current players have the necessary skill levels to play one touch football (Hughes in particular)?

3. Goal kicks - for 2/3rds of the game it was exactly the same tactic, big hoof to Low on the right, and he can't really head the ball very well. How about a tiny bit a variation?

4. Elvis looked pretty knackered after 70 minutes, surely O'Grady would be worth had been worth a try, at least it would have given Logan a fresh target for his kicks.

To be honest, i think these are relatively minor concerns. And to criticise RK on this basis would seem very harsh.

 

[highland fox]

RK and the Team are doing well are currently doing well,I don't think anyone could argue that.I hope it continues

 

[NN Fox]

IMO for what it's worth to you lot I thought that todays performance was a great spectacle even though the scoreline didn't represent it.
We actually played football the way it should be played and every player in blue and white huffed and puffed for 90 minutes and if we had taken our chances we could have easily bagged the 3 points instead of 1.

I too thought we played well but the same old problems persist.

Right Midfield.....Low doesn't seem to be able to hack it at this level, which is what my Northampton Town friends told me when he signed. Sylla looked a better bet but can he be relied on to play with that level of committment week in week out? I don't think so.

Cente Midfield........Gareth Williams is our only really creative player. Hughes yesterday flitted in and out of the game and his first instinct seems to be to lay the ball off short and too often sideways or backwards. Gives possession away too often for my liking. Tiatto or Weso both play well in CM but are too alike to play together. Havn't seen AJ play but reports are not too exciting.

Left Midfield........Welsh or Porter seem to provide a decent option here but need a pacier Left Back behind them.

The problems yesterday were that;
Hume was having to drop too deep to get the ball,
Low was unable to beat his full back either on the ground or in the air,
We persisted in pumping the ball to Low from goalkicks when he wasn't winning any of the headers and seemed unable to change a tactic that wasn't working.
Hughes wasn't getting up in support of the strikers often or quickly enough.
Too many long balls which we weren't going to win, we need to be playing the ball on the ground.

I hope this doesn't sound too negative because it isn't meant to be. I think we have the nucleus of a decent team who yesterday gave a wholehearted performance, but the midfield in particular needs to be strengthened.

 

[Stevie Lynex on the wing]

I too thought we played well but the same old problems persist.

Right Midfield.....Low doesn't seem to be able to hack it at this level, which is what my Northampton Town friends told me when he signed. Sylla looked a better bet but can he be relied on to play with that level of committment week in week out? I don't think so.

Cente Midfield........Gareth Williams is our only really creative player. Hughes yesterday flitted in and out of the game and his first instinct seems to be to lay the ball off short and too often sideways or backwards. Gives possession away too often for my liking. Tiatto or Weso both play well in CM but are too alike to play together. Havn't seen AJ play but reports are not too exciting.

Left Midfield........Welsh or Porter seem to provide a decent option here but need a pacier Left Back behind them.

The problems yesterday were that;
Hume was having to drop too deep to get the ball,
Low was unable to beat his full back either on the ground or in the air,
We persisted in pumping the ball to Low from goalkicks when he wasn't winning any of the headers and seemed unable to change a tactic that wasn't working.
Hughes wasn't getting up in support of the strikers often or quickly enough.
Too many long balls which we weren't going to win, we need to be playing the ball on the ground.
I hope this doesn't sound too negative because it isn't meant to be. I think we have the nucleus of a decent team who yesterday gave a wholehearted performance, but the midfield in particular needs to be strengthened.

This has been a problem with us for quite some time now.
Good post NN but disagree about Williams as I think he is as inconsistent as Hughes is, I actually thought Hughes was an improvement yesterday but like you say he needs to to be a bit quicker getting up to support the strikers.
Hammond worked his socks off in the last couple of games, all he needs to do now is to start scoring on a regular basis.

 

[NN Fox]

Hammond worked his socks off in the last couple of games, all he needs to do now is to start scoring on a regular basis.

I thought he was tremendous yesterday, nearly got my MOTM, but too often was on his own with little support. I think the scoring thing is confidence, he perhaps needs a bit of luck, deflection or something.

 

[Willlow]

I thought we played well when you consider that we had a makeshift centre midfield in Tiatto and Hughes. I know some people have a problem with his work ethic but IMO we missed Williams

 

[Feriol]

hi all. I know this thread is somewhat out of date, but i have a few thoughts.

first. personally i think the goal kicks to low acheived what we wanted them to, while low didn't win the headers, i think everytime we ended up with possesion in a more attacking area, either from a throw, or us winning the second ball. i think this worked well.

For me Hammond was MoTM, held the ball up really well, ball control looked good, and worked hard all game, its a shame we dont use his pace more with through balls in dangerous posistions, but his runs into channels were effective.

I thought Low worked hard, and on a number of occasions he did create enough enough time and space for a cross but it was his crossing that was woefull. i wasn't impressed with Welsh's crossing either.

Sylla seemed slow to me, i know he has a bit of pace, but didn't see it this game, maybe match fitness rather than effort though.

Central midfield is the big problem, Tiatto did his job well, but hughes was a waste of space IMO.

very impressed with the defence.


Villa will find it hard to beat us, but i doubt we will be able to create anything against a premiership defence.