Palace v Villa Post Match Hiding Place

[Small Rodent]

I was in the Palace end and it was very odd. I had two whole rows of seats to myself, plus loads more empty around me. It was though nobody wanted to buy season tickets in that area. Maybe a 7:30 kick off put some people off getting back from work.

Interesting number of local Polish fans.

[martyn ellis]

Funny game, football. The first 20 minutes I thought we were solid, inventive and the idea was obviously to contain them and then bring on our new fresh legs (Malen, Rashford, Asensio) in the second half. Tactically that looked OK to me. Added to that, Tielemans misdirected header, Ramsey's marginally mstimed run for his goal, the ridiculous Watkins offside decision, things could have been very different (although admittedly Palace missed some chances too. Second half subs, especially Martinez, were crucial and unfortunately unworkable - Malen left on the bench, Rashford and Asensio late on, Bailey at wing back; and then of course Saar and Mateta in majestic form. I was seething last night, but for the Beeb to say Villa were 'swept aside' by Palace is an overstatement.

[Chris Smith]

We played with control in the first half and were probably unlucky to be behind. Losing Emi knocked us off our stride due to the reluctance to play the slow cat and mouse game we have when he’s there and just looked vulnerable every time they attacked.

[OCD]

When I saw the lineup, I expected our formation to be more like

                     Martinez
Garcia       Konsa    Disasi     Digne
             Bogarde     McGinn
Rogers           Tielemans    Ramsey
                     Watkins

And I think it would have done better.

I thought he was doing this -

                    Martinez
Garcia       Konsa    Disasi     Digne

             Bogarde     Tielemans
             
             McGinn       Ramsey
             
             Rogers       
                               Watkins

[Chico Hamilton III]

Traffic for miles around was shocking last night, we were late and walking/ running to the pub at about 6.15 when the team bus went past us. That seems a bit late for a 7.30 KO? Not ideal preparation.

[Vegas]

Our problem this year is just that we don’t score loads but do concede loads. I think the very slow playing out from the back is less effective at both ends than it used to be. This has been compounded by injuries and certain players starting to believe the hype. And last night’s formation and team selection.

[Bosco81]

Playing 3 centre halves reduced how many players we could pass into, the main tactic was give it to McGinn and hope his big ass would get a free kick or get him out of traffic, Palace only had to nick it once or twice to make it a big problem for us.

We scored when Olsen played it into Watkins and he flicked on for Rogers, but I don't remember us trying it again.

It was odd that Garcia looked all at sea playing wing back, when he looked so good pushing Jones back last Wednesday as a regular right back.

[PaulTheVillan]

Given the two games previously, and the run of games we're having, making such a big change in shape with a lack of preparation time on the pitch felt like a huge gamble to me.

This is exactly what I thought. I expected Emery to be smarter than that

[JUAN PABLO]

We played with control in the first half and were probably unlucky to be behind. Losing Emi knocked us off our stride due to the reluctance to play the slow cat and mouse game we have when he’s there and just looked vulnerable every time they attacked.

I thought we did control it but created nothing and by the time we scored the VAR taken off goal , we should have been 3 down, I thought we was lucky to get to 1 1 at that time.

[Villa Lew]

We were playing one of the teams, who when they on song, going forward they are few teams in the league better, having said that it was still another woeful away display, in contrast to VP in the league, still unbeaten since the first match of the season.

If we win on Friday, hopefully the draw doesn't have us going to Selhurst Park again.

[JUAN PABLO]

Playing 3 centre halves reduced how many players we could pass into, the main tactic was give it to McGinn and hope his big ass would get a free kick or get him out of traffic, Palace only had to nick it once or twice to make it a big problem for us.

I thought the same , very predicitible , no width neither.

[Drummond]

Given the two games previously, and the run of games we're having, making such a big change in shape with a lack of preparation time on the pitch felt like a huge gamble to me.

This is exactly what I thought. I expected Emery to be smarter than that

Element of surprise I guess. Which is why we started more brightly and were the better side for the first half an hour at least. If we'd kept some discipline instead of conceding the first, and held the runs by a nanosecond for the offsides we'd all be celebrating a tactical masterclass and solid win.

Such are the margins.

[simon ward 50]

Out fought and out thought!

[Hookeysmith]

I heard on the UTV podcast that tackles / challenges were recorded as 8 for us and 32 for Palace

Certainly out fought

[markeeeebeeee2005]

The only word I can come up with is embarrassing.

We lost to another team in our division, away from home. What's embarrassing?

There is valid criticism, but some of you lot are beginning to sound like the kind of wanker Sky 6 fans that we always complain about.

I think having sat through it it was pretty miserable viewing. Sometimes you win sometimes not but getting thumped 4-1 to Crystal Palace it’s not really that surprising that the post match thread is focused on how poor the performance is and some of the responses are emotional.

I wouldn’t have called it embarrassing, but I would call it demoralising. But wouldn’t have a problem with anybody saying they found it embarrassing.

If people can’t wallow a bit in a post match thread straight after a thumping on an internet forum, then where can they?