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FA Cup semi final

PatrickA said:
It's a tricky one.

Against a not particularly good Chelsea side in the semi final, Vieira opted to play a back 5 slotting Kouyate into a back 5 with Ward as an uncharacteristic right wing back.
We barely laid a glove on them and went out to a tame defeat.

This is a very good Villa team, full of pace and verve, and a different proposition to the team we faced earlier in the season.
Press them high, and I think they will be merciless on the break.
Defend team and we may not get many opportunities to score.

It's a conundrum , and it's one of those games where I'd be quite happy to remain 0-0 at half time and then manage a breakaway or set piece goal late on to win the game.
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Well, yeah.

But OG for Vieira.

And they are pretty much the same team we thumped not long ago.

Villa are playing out of their skins to grab another chance at the ECL. All we have is the Cup.

It's a throw of the dice for us but of secondary concern for them, even if they kid themselves It's not.

We'll be battered midweek but win on Saturday.
 
silvertop said:
Well, yeah.

But OG for Vieira.

And they are pretty much the same team we thumped not long ago.

Villa are playing out of their skins to grab another chance at the ECL. All we have is the Cup.

It's a throw of the dice for us but of secondary concern for them, even if they kid themselves It's not.

We'll be battered midweek but win on Saturday.
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I wasn't comparing them as managers, merely pointing out that Vieira elected to play very defensively meaning that we didn't lay a glove on Chelsea i.e it didn't work.
I don't see Glasner playing that way.

Villa are a much better side than Chelsea though, and I don't see us pressing high.
We haven't done this consistently since that very good spell at the end of last season.

We are sitting deeper this season and seeking to hit teams on the break during transitions.
We pick our moments.
We are also far more effective at set pieces - one of the best in the Premier League this season.
 
becky said:
To me, the biggest problems are going to be having had to play 2 matches a week for the last 3 weeks and then go out and play on that bigger pitch, with longer grass (they always leave it longer at Wembley for some unknown reason) which always take a bigger toll on players legs in particular and fitness in general..... then we worry about formation.
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Why do you think we have been playing at half pace?
 
PatrickA said:
No can do !

Villa have, to my mind, the strongest squad in the Premier League in attacking and midfield positions.
Eight top quality options in those positions full of experienced internationals ,with no untried youngster like Eze, Franca and Devenny in sight.
They have a serial trophy winner as manager.

The only consolation I can draw is that it’s one off game where anything can happen and maybe being underdogs will suit us.
I just can’t see us keeping a clean sheet against their vast range of attacking options though.
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If we have lady luck as our 12th man on Saturday think we have a good chance. That might well be the factor for both sides. Hopefully we can make a good go of it as I don't wish us to go out like we did against Chelski with a whimper. COYP !!
 
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silvertop said:
That's the spirit.

Bollox obvs but I am wholly on side.

Btw Villa are supernaturally good at home but have only scraped one draw against us in 3 attempts. Even with that amazing attack.

Another hammering midweek and then a barely recognisable Palace on Saturday will see off the Villains.

Fear not. A team that topped the form table a couple of weeks ago doesn't suddenly become crap. They focus their resources on what's important.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1914009785831477464
Liverpool are winning the league on Wednesday
 
I'd be more confident if Villa had beaten PSG - on current form we have little chance, but we have been saving ourselves for this so hopefully Ollie has something in mind to stop us getting over-run in midfield and stop them playing deep and wide behind our wing backs. They play a high line so hopefully we can use our wing backs and pace to get in behind them and JPM gets back to his exceptional hold up play to allow us to go direct to bypass their midfield. They'll take the game to us - in our three games against them this season we've scored first each time, and we'll need to do so again or play a lot better in possession than we have the last few weeks - we really pinged it about when we beat them 4-1, if we can dig out our A-game we have a chance and I'm sure we'll put in our best performance since the quarter final.
 
Whatever happens - just looking forward to a great day on Saturday. If this is your first visit watching Palace at Wembley - you are in for a real treat.

The atmosphere in the Palace end will be ‘electric’ - and I can assure you, the players will be fully focused and give it their best shot!

I really hope OG rests as many first team players as possible against Arsenal. He mentioned in yesterday’s interview he was giving this matter great thought.

Also, our recent results could also reinforce the fact that the players themselves really want to be in the team for Saturday, and perhaps not giving 100% at the moment.

Anyway, you should feel confident - because we are Crystal Palace - and anything is possible!!!
 
I watched that match. The scoreline suggests that, as people keep saying, Villa "destroyed" or "deconstructed" Newcastle. I wouldn't agree and certainly in the first half it could have gone either way.

It's going to be a great match. Villa have a point to prove after being knocked out of the CL and we do after taking our eye off the prize for a couple of games.
 
crvenaeagle said:
I watched that match. The scoreline suggests that, as people keep saying, Villa "destroyed" or "deconstructed" Newcastle. I wouldn't agree and certainly in the first half it could have gone either way.

It's going to be a great match. Villa have a point to prove after being knocked out of the CL and we do after taking our eye off the prize for a couple of games.
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After the highly suspicious draw in 1990, I was there at Villa Park on a glorious, freezing spring morning to see the lunchtime kickoff between an injury ravaged Palace against the mighty Liverpool. Nobody gave us a chance especially as Ian Wright was injured. But……just when you thought it was safe to expect the inevitable Palace stunned the world.

My last visit to the Arse of London was to see Judas kissing his blood red shirt with gun motif which relegated us. I will be there on Wednesday when I hope to see a completely dysfunctional Palace play incomprehensible football to confuse both the Arsenal and the watching Villan Unai “Dick” Emery. Then off to Wembilee!

Now if Citee could nobble Rashford tomorrow…….
 
silvertop said:
Well, yeah.

But OG for Vieira.

And they are pretty much the same team we thumped not long ago.

Villa are playing out of their skins to grab another chance at the ECL. All we have is the Cup.

It's a throw of the dice for us but of secondary concern for them, even if they kid themselves It's not.

We'll be battered midweek but win on Saturday.
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I very much hope you are right! I'm usually an optimist when it comes to Palace but form going into a game like this is so important. Ours has fallen off a cliff, Villa's has cranked up a gear.
I expect us to give Villa a real game but I also expect Villa to turn up!
 
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