Crystal Palace vs. Millwall match thread

MrRobbo said:
Is that the 4 yard ball through to Munoz for the JPM chance? Interesting that you classify that as a simple 4 yard pass. And demonstrates why he can never do any good in your eyes.

He'll play 40 games this season and start pretty much all of them, at some point you need to wake up and stop being so negative. Glasner doesn't suffer fools.
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He can do good, but he was s***. He's had about 3 decent games for us against a backdrop of garbage. And you are trying to convince us that Esse has been given the same chance.

Who are you? His mum?
 
Palacesince64 said:
Seems like this thread has morphed into an Esse/Kamada discussion albeit the latter is in large part due to one poster’s negative view of him. I think we can all agree young Esse had a shocker. He has talented feet and can do a few tricks but so far we’ve not seen evidence of the footballing brain to go with the talent or the work rate required at this level. He was caught on the ball too often, didn’t get his head up enough to see a pass and on the few occasions when he did he fluffed his lines. By halftime he looked broken and bereft of confidence so that subbing him was a kindness.
As for Kamada he will always be marmite perhaps due to his indifferent start. Personally, I see him as a mature footballer who is always positioning himself cleverly whether that be when we have the ball or without it. He finds space when attacking and covers space when we’re defending. He sees a pass as well as Hughes although neither is as good as Wharton at seeing and executing one. He has a decent shot and is a threat in the box, but is also capable of winning the ball back defensively. As I say he started badly last season but by the end was and continues to be one of our most effective players. Perhaps young Esse can take note and improve his game to the same extent.
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Nice summing up, mate, in my opinion.

My heart bled for Esse; he just looked like his confidence was shot to pieces. It's a shame because I sense that there is a real talent there. It may be that a loan may help to rebuild him and allow him to learn the game a little more. He looks like he needs an arm around his shoulder. I hope the squad and staff rally round and support him.

Kamada is an effective player to have in the squad, I think. Positionally, he's quite flexible since he can get forward but also does get a challenge in to break up play. Last season, in just one game, he played in front of the back line as a protector and I thought that he'd found his niche. Mustard. These days he's more forward and looking to create as well as defend. Generally, I think he's a savvy, experienced and skilful player and an asset to the squad.
 
Casual said:
Im not having Kamada , on the games ive watched , hes been decent in maybe 1 in 6.
No where near Hughsie for me, but we won the Fa Cup with him, so not all bad.
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If all our players were fit, and I was selecting the team, my midfield pairing would be Wharton and Hughes.

This is not a criticism of Kamada but more an observation that the team's passing rhythms are better when Hughes and Wharton play, they combine better and seem to have an implicit understanding where each other is on the field.
We seem to have more control of periods of the game and of course Hughes offers a competitive presence which I think we miss when he doesn't play.

Kamada is a good player, has a great engine and is more likely to get into better attacking positions and of course played an important role is the significant victories of last season.
I have no problem if he plays, but just think the overall balance of the team is slightly better if Hughes plays alongside Wharton.

Of course it doesn't matter what I think and I recall Glasner saying last season that he prefers having one right footer and one left footer as his midfield combination.
I'm sure that's not his only criteria though.
 
PatrickA said:
If all our players were fit, and I was selecting the team, my midfield pairing would be Wharton and Hughes.

This is not a criticism of Kamada but more an observation that the team's passing rhythms are better when Hughes and Wharton play, they combine better and seem to have an implicit understanding where each other is on the field.
We seem to have more control of periods of the game and of course Hughes offers a competitive presence which I think we miss when he doesn't play.

Kamada is a good player, has a great engine and is more likely to get into better attacking positions and of course played an important role is the significant victories of last season.
I have no problem if he plays, but just think the overall balance of the team is slightly better if Hughes plays alongside Wharton.

Of course it doesn't matter what I think and I recall Glasner saying last season that he prefers having one right footer and one left footer as his midfield combination.
I'm sure that's not his only criteria though.
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That's a fair enough summation.
For me there's an element of disappointment with Kamada since he was apparently OG's choice and as a player he knew and had worked with I, for one, was hoping for, even half expecting, some sort of hidden gem who would have an instant impact, and score a few goals as well. He's shown in parts that he can play but has taken a long time to settle - still, OG trusts him and I trust the manager so there's still hope.
Eze was often described as a luxury player but the luxuries he provided were much more obvious and, so far, effective.
 
PatrickA said:
If all our players were fit, and I was selecting the team, my midfield pairing would be Wharton and Hughes.

This is not a criticism of Kamada but more an observation that the team's passing rhythms are better when Hughes and Wharton play, they combine better and seem to have an implicit understanding where each other is on the field.
We seem to have more control of periods of the game and of course Hughes offers a competitive presence which I think we miss when he doesn't play.

Kamada is a good player, has a great engine and is more likely to get into better attacking positions and of course played an important role is the significant victories of last season.
I have no problem if he plays, but just think the overall balance of the team is slightly better if Hughes plays alongside Wharton.

Of course it doesn't matter what I think and I recall Glasner saying last season that he prefers having one right footer and one left footer as his midfield combination.
I'm sure that's not his only criteria though.
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Opinions of course, but I disagree, and could cite the same reason. I think the passing is miles better with Wharton and Hughes. So think Kamada and Wharton are out best partnersip.

Both can take the ball on the half turn, both can take the ball under pressure, and both can turn defence into attack.

The competitive presence, is a really interesting one. And Ive often looked at stats to prove one way or another. I think the best I can get to is 'optics'. Hughes is definitely busier, and looks it. Kamada looks a little more lethargic, and blocks passing lanes (some will view that as not marking anyone), or starts to initiate contact and then drops back.

Fact of the matter is that in an average game, there are not actually many tackles. The below has Kamada above Hughes in tackles per 90, but they both average under 2 a game. So the thought that Hughes is running around tackling everyone just isn't true.

FotMob

FotMob is the essential app for matchday. Get live scores, fixtures, tables, match stats, and personalised news from over 500 football leagues around the world.
www.fotmob.com www.fotmob.com
 
MrRobbo said:
Opinions of course, but I disagree, and could cite the same reason. I think the passing is miles better with Wharton and Hughes. So think Kamada and Wharton are out best partnersip.

Both can take the ball on the half turn, both can take the ball under pressure, and both can turn defence into attack.

The competitive presence, is a really interesting one. And Ive often looked at stats to prove one way or another. I think the best I can get to is 'optics'. Hughes is definitely busier, and looks it. Kamada looks a little more lethargic, and blocks passing lanes (some will view that as not marking anyone), or starts to initiate contact and then drops back.

Fact of the matter is that in an average game, there are not actually many tackles. The below has Kamada above Hughes in tackles per 90, but they both average under 2 a game. So the thought that Hughes is running around tackling everyone just isn't true.

FotMob

FotMob is the essential app for matchday. Get live scores, fixtures, tables, match stats, and personalised news from over 500 football leagues around the world.
www.fotmob.com www.fotmob.com
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Stats, I know but, really, my eyes tell me that Hughsie gets in there and tackles.

Do my eyes deceive me?
 
Glazier#1 said:
Stats, I know but, really, my eyes tell me that Hughsie gets in there and tackles.

Do my eyes deceive me?
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From the 2024‑25 Premier League:
From FotMob (2024‑25):
  • Tackles won: 36 FotMob
  • Tackle success rate: ~54.5% FotMob
  • Duels won: 121 (duels win % ~44.2%) FotMob
  • Aerial duels: 19 won (~51.4%) FotMob
  • Interceptions: 22 FotMob
From xGstatsPredict (2024‑25):
This season :
Will Hughes has 5 tackles in the 2025-26 season as of September 19, 2025, which is an average of
0.8 tackles per 90 minutes
 
Glazier#1 said:
Stats, I know but, really, my eyes tell me that Hughsie gets in there and tackles.

Do my eyes deceive me?
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I think they do!

But I'd 100% agree that he looks busy.

The modern game is very different, even good tackles get cards. So players dont do a huge amount of it mostly its a bit of jockeying or pressure to get them to pass it on/pass back.
 
Glasner talked up Kamada at today's press conference and gave an indication that Wharton was ready to start.
I think it will be Hughes and Wharton in central midfield tomorrow with Kamada and Pino in advanced positions either side of Mateta.
There would always be the option to drop Kamada into midfield during the game and use Uche in the advanced role too.
I could see Nketiah being given some minutes too.
The squad is looking less stretched, but to use Glasner's favourite word, it will come down to our 'efficiency ' when chances come our way.
 
As shown in the semi final, final and community shield Wharton and Kamada are our first choice midfield. Hughes I believe is seen as a finisher coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes or so to close the match out. In the press conference today Glasner referred to the foundations, this I think is the key difference between Kamada and Esse. Glasner knows that on a bad day Kamada will match the minimum requirements with Esse he cannot be sure.
 
ex hibitionist said:
his first 30 games were pretty dire, if you look at the last 15 or so he's been great
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Yeah, this.

I’m a big fan of Wharton, Hughes and Kamada tbh - they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I trust the manager to select which games to pick each for because that’s what he did for the cup final and none of us will ever forget how that worked out 😊
 
Team of the (20)80s said:
Yeah, this.

I’m a big fan of Wharton, Hughes and Kamada tbh - they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I trust the manager to select which games to pick each for because that’s what he did for the cup final and none of us will ever forget how that worked out 😊
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Agreed. We’re in a good place with them and Devenny and Lerma as decent squad players too.
 
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