Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Duncan Shaw]

The poor Crystals, they'll catch their death in this weather.......

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

The players are giving everything at the moment. This was a hard fought and ugly win, for that I'm delighted. The team just isn't set up right though. Our midfield three last night [once Sanchez came on] were flat and deep. Weimann and Gabby should be 15 yards further up the pitch, they look like second full-backs at times.

As a result when the ball breaks, we don't have an option other than a long straight ball. Cleverley and Westwood shouldn't be in the same team, they are too similar, very sideways and have a phobia of the box. At least Sanchez for all his flaws looks forward and tries to take responsibility [lovely run and ball leading to a Benteke shot in the first half].

I just think if we had a more forward thinking manager, who tried to get us further up the pitch and utilise the players, we'd be comfortably mid-table. At the moment you can't see anything other than the same re-run in the forthcoming games. Very low-scoring with not too much created. I hope this win gives them all the boost to be more positive and attack minded.

Couldn't agree more lukey - astute observations and a good post mate!

[mattjpa]

^This is the thing for me. Last night, I saw a team of talented, decent premiership footballers giving their all for the shirt. But I saw no shape, no attacking intent, no desire to keep the ball, no passing and moving, no real decent build up play. 2 out of our last 3 goals have come from individual abilities ie Gabbys pace and Bentekes well...beastishness. Neither Westley nor any of the other Lambo drum bangers could currently convince me lambert is getting the best out of this squad, we are much better than the fayre we are producing. He wont be going anytime soon so again, im happy to be proved wrong, but there have been so many false dawns that one smash and grab at Selhurst Park has done little to change my mind.
 

[The Left Side]

Claret shorts and win!

[brontebilly]

^This is the thing for me. Last night, I saw a team of talented, decent premiership footballers giving their all for the shirt. But I saw no shape, no attacking intent, no desire to keep the ball, no passing and moving, no real decent build up play. 2 out of our last 3 goals have come from individual abilities ie Gabbys pace and Bentekes well...beastishness. Neither Westley nor any of the other Lambo drum bangers could currently convince me lambert is getting the best out of this squad, we are much better than the fayre we are producing. He wont be going anytime soon so again, im happy to be proved wrong, but there have been so many false dawns that one smash and grab at Selhurst Park has done little to change my mind.

To be honest I think Mourinho would struggle to improve the likes of Cissokho, Westwood, Gabby and Weimann. Maybe a bit harsh on Westwood but typically for the other three, their second touch is a tackle. Sanchez and Cleverley should improve but wouldnt have much faith in the other four.

Thought we kept the ball pretty well in the second quarter but apart from that it was hit and hope in Benteke's general direction. But I can understand why we defended deeper in the second half to contain the threat of their widemen.

To be fair, Lambert has tried every formation going and nearly every player has been given a chance so far this season, Bacuna aside.

I think we are guilty of over rating the players in our squad. Take our back four last night for example. In the summer, Clark, Cissokho and Hutton's careers were in no mans land while Okore was recovering from serious injury. As a unit they have been relatively solid recently and that is to the manager's credit to be fair. I'm not sure how many different centre back partnerships we have had this year so Lambert has had a lot to deal with there.

Its going forward that is where the issue is. 8 EPL goals is a shocking statistic at this stage of the season. We need to rectify that with attacking quality in Jan and reduce the dependency on the likes of Gabby and Weimann to be first team regulars. Also with Delph back Id like to see a midfield trio of Sanchez, Cleverley and Delph given a few games. Think there is potential there for a decent midfield trio.

[exigo]

Maybe if Weimann wasn't being asked to play in a deep-right-lying midfield role, he'd score more goals. As for Gabby, it's time to start bringing him off the bench on 70.

[Walmley_Villa]

Weimann is a striker and after the Beast the best finisher at the club. A bit old fashioned but I'd like to see him and Benteke in a 2 up front or even with Andy in the no 10 position as they have linked up very well in the past.

On Sunday no doubt CNZ will unfortunately be in for Andy - I keep hoping he will prove me wrong and that there is a footballer there but Charles lets me down each every time...

[brontebilly]

Weimann is a striker and after the Beast the best finisher at the club. A bit old fashioned but I'd like to see him and Benteke in a 2 up front or even with Andy in the no 10 position as they have linked up very well in the past.

On Sunday no doubt CNZ will unfortunately be in for Andy - I keep hoping he will prove me wrong and that there is a footballer there but Charles lets me down each every time...

where is the evidence to support that? He isnt a particularly sure striker of the ball and butchered his chance v Southampton and last night too. Was he prolific as youth level? He gets in good positions I'll give him that but really lacks technical ability imo

[pauliewalnuts]

Weimann is a striker and after the Beast the best finisher at the club. A bit old fashioned but I'd like to see him and Benteke in a 2 up front or even with Andy in the no 10 position as they have linked up very well in the past.

On Sunday no doubt CNZ will unfortunately be in for Andy - I keep hoping he will prove me wrong and that there is a footballer there but Charles lets me down each every time...

where is the evidence to support that? He isnt a particularly sure striker of the ball and butchered his chance v Southampton and last night too. Was he prolific as youth level? He gets in good positions I'll give him that but really lacks technical ability imo

Isn't it the case that, with us not having many good finishers at the club, it doesn't really mean that much ;-)

He has shown good finishing at times. His goal against Man United last season, his goal against Sunderland was taken very well.

[Quiet Lion]

The Crystals were actually all quite fit, usually there are some uggos in any cheer leading group - but all of them met with my approval.

As for the game that was the worst performance that has ended with a win since Saints last year

[tom jennings III]

They've got bloody good fans at Selhurst these days but having cheerleaders at football is just weird.

[glasses]

Weimann is a striker and after the Beast the best finisher at the club. A bit old fashioned but I'd like to see him and Benteke in a 2 up front or even with Andy in the no 10 position as they have linked up very well in the past.

On Sunday no doubt CNZ will unfortunately be in for Andy - I keep hoping he will prove me wrong and that there is a footballer there but Charles lets me down each every time...

where is the evidence to support that? He isnt a particularly sure striker of the ball and butchered his chance v Southampton and last night too. Was he prolific as youth level? He gets in good positions I'll give him that but really lacks technical ability imo

I happen to agree that he is the second best finisher, and the chance against Saints you refer to, Borontebilly, was one that I remember thinking at the time that of all the players on the pitch, he was the one i was glad it fell to. My opinion granted.

I said though at the time that that miss cost us the three points, but found it hard to criticise Weimann. It was poor technically, granted, but it was also the mark of a player who had spent 70 odd minutes chasing shadows around a pitch. He ran his loblocks off all night, and did a job in that wide position. I wonder if he wasn't so knackered tracking the opposition full back for most of the game when chances come his way, he'd finish more of them. I would say similar for Gabby. Up top alongside Benteke I think would see both benefit.

[Ads]

His finish against Spurs was pretty instinctive. I like Weimann, but he is a striker being flogged out wide at the moment.

[Witton Warrior]

The Guardian did a preview of how they expected teams to set up and play.
Villa's said we had one way of playing and if that didn't work we didn't win.
We have played exactly the same every game I have watched and sometimes we win, sometimes we lose and sometimes we draw.
But it has always been horrible to watch. Last night we won.

I did thoroughly enjoy CB's goal however - how I have longed for us to score a real quality goal worthy of note and comment.
Well done to the defence again and Man of the Season so far Alan Hutton

Can you please sort the midfield and front runners now Lambo...

[Dave Cooper please]

Thanks for that, had been unable to find the goal myself.

Much like our strikers for most of the season so far.