2025 FA Cup Final thread

[viveasheagle]

I think Glasner got the tactics spot on as he did with the team selection. For me it was a case of how much Eze and Sarr would be asked to track back to cover their full backs as they caused us all sorts of problems when we lost 5-2. I was quietly very happy when from the start they both tracked their full backs and this ultimately led to their wide players having a lot of the ball with not much space to work in. JP and Nketiah also did a lot of chasing to stop easy balls getting played into midfield.
We rode our luck a bit at times as City created chances but not many clear ones. We also had our moments and might have had another goal.
In my pre game prediction i was wondering if Haaland would start and i think it was a good thing he did as to me he looked liked a player rushed back for the occasion and was somewhat off the pace.
It felt like it might be our day before hand and so it transpired. Not sure how everyone else has gone but from the message's i've got from long friends world wide the Palace win was well received from the footballing community.

 

[shortbutt]

Did anyone at Wembley know what the red card VAR was for whilst it was happening? No one did where I was sitting - although we didn’t have a clear view of the screens. From their post match interviews, I genuinely don’t think Henderson or Glasner knew he’d even handled the ball outside the area.

 

[FinchleyEagle]

Well, it's all been said. Incredible day. never hugged so many random strangers, never yelled 'we've won the FA CUP - `FOREVER' at so many people (sorry, not sorry)'.

Was in some cracking pub with a beer garden at Wembley Central until about 10pm talking to some brilliant Palace lads, we've all got our story to share, wonderful.

But my trip there, oh my days. Set off at 11 for a 1.30pm arrival and pre-game beers.

Bus broke down, blocking road. Trains all cancelled out of Bristol - points failure. Joe Giveafvck, station staff, said go to Bristol (in the other direction) for different route. Platform changed twice at Bristol. Train went right back where i'd been an hour earlier.

I'm wound tight as a fvcking drum by now. Then some p!ssed t***, a Palace fan sadly kept trying to nick my hat on the tube, saying 'its gotta go' leading to us squaring up like dickheads. Finally got to Wembley 2 hrs later than planned. Thought that was that, but same lad caught me up on Wembley way, just walking next to me, laughing. Fvcks sake. Met my mate by now and he helped calm me down, good lad that he is.

Necked 2 stellas in 10 mins before the game, felt better.

Then, City going pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass

Us going pass, cross, shoot, GOAL. BOOM! Scenes.

Thought no way Haaland would miss pen, no idea why he gave it up.

No idea what VAR was about till some bloke showed the video at half time. 2 more stellas in 10 mins.

2-0. LIMBS!! Oh no, offside...

Geezer next to me can't watch in extra time. I told him it would be alright, we were gonna win.

And then the whistle went. Delirium. Disbelief. Joy.

City fans outside were class. Can't be easy to say well played after losing a final, even if you win them all the time.

Still don't have my voice back. What a day.

 

[silvertop]

A handball offence is judged by the position of the ball when it's touched by the hand, so even though Henderson was stood inside the area, he touched the ball when it was outside. The assistant didn't spot that the ball was outside the area, so there was no free kick given, and the VAR cannot intervene just on this basis alone.

A goalkeeper handling outside the area isn't in itself a sanctionable offence. Whether there should be a yellow or red card, or no action, is determined by the impact on the attacking team. You don't get sent off for handball, but for the effect.

In VAR terms, Gillett can only get involved if he thinks there should be a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
It was decided that as the ball was going away from goal, there was only the possibility of a scoring chance rather than it being obvious.

Thanks, I get it now.

Thus, all the pundits were wrong.

 

[silvertop]

We had Sun Jihai before you, with Fan Zhiyi. First Chinese players in UK football.

Pedant alert!

Did we not get one from Scotland, thus first the Chinese players in English football.

BTW seem to recall a lunchtime kick off (v Blades?) in the Championship with both playing where we had a worldwide TV audience of c.1billion!

 

[Spindle]

So hopefully a return to Wembley next year,I would like to play clueless Citeh again and perhaps a top six finish.

I would too but our squad now needs quality in depth. Every Summer is massive, this one seems bigger than ever

 

[Spindle]

Pedant alert!

Did we not get one from Scotland, thus first the Chinese players in English football.

BTW seem to recall a lunchtime kick off (v Blades?) in the Championship with both playing where we had a worldwide TV audience of c.1billion!

Now I do recall that it was a championship game broadcast in Shanghai province with a 20m audience. A billion is a bit of a stretch

 

[silvertop]

Now I do recall that it was a championship game broadcast in Shanghai province with a 20m audience. A billion is a bit of a stretch

That's what is said in the Sun.

🙂

 

[Plumpton eagle]

Again, after watching the 100minutes on playback, I've got to mention Sarr. If you'd asked me straight after the game, I would have said "he was quiet though he nearly scored". Actually, he worked his socks off and what a team player!

No attacking player can like tracking back but he did it in spades. Very rarely did Doku get to go one on one with Munoz. Ismaila was there backing him up virtually every single time. Glasner's tactics needed that. If Sarr had got bored or lost concentration then the plan would have failed and it could have been a different result.

It really was a day when what we did off the ball, particularly after we scored, was even more important than what we did on it.

To be fair JP, and Eze as forwards also put a defensive shift in but I think Sarr was absolutely outstanding.

 

[eaglesdare]

Listening to talksport this morning on the way back to gatwick and a palace fan rang in who was waiting outside the hospital for his wife I'm in tears.

I think his name was Steve. We are all with you Steve! ❤️ (Sorry if got the name wrong)

 

[silvertop]

Again, after watching the 100minutes on playback, I've got to mention Sarr. If you'd asked me straight after the game, I would have said "he was quiet though he nearly scored". Actually, he worked his socks off and what a team player!

No attacking player can like tracking back but he did it in spades. Very rarely did Doku get to go one on one with Munoz. Ismaila was there backing him up virtually every single time. Glasner's tactics needed that. If Sarr had got bored or lost concentration then the plan would have failed and it could have been a different result.

It really was a day when what we did off the ball, particularly after we scored, was even more important than what we did on it.

To be fair JP, and Eze as forwards also put a defensive shift in but I think Sarr was absolutely outstanding.

Perhaps that was what Glasner was alluding to when he said, in post match interview, "no winger likes to go back". Sarr and Eze spent most of the game doing nothing but.

 

[Goal Machine]

A truly amazing day we'll never forgot. Glasner's warriors. We were under pressure for almost the entire game and scrapped for every ball. We just wanted it more and left it all out there.

Have watched the full game about 3/4 times, and the Palace fans we're incredible throughout. We were really the twelfth man and helped push the lads over the line. There can't be many fans who were at the game who are able to speak today, I certainly can't. We can all feel we played our part.

A huge credit has to go the HF for their organising and commitment to creating the atmosphere. We are all enthusiastic on the day, but Wembley is not easy to get anything orchestrated but they do it so well. Reading the Man City forums, they were simply drowned out and couldn't get anything going. The same happened to Villa (and Man Utd and Watford in previous seasons). They have their bad moments, but they deserve recognition. They're the envy of many clubs and we're lucky to have them.

Couldn't be prouder to be a Palace fan. Now we have Europe to look forward to. It's a dream come true.

 

[Holmesdale 1989]

Still buzzing. COYP!!

 

[Pete53]

Yes, but what about the big question - Did he perform with aplomb?😕

No, it was with a whistle.

 

[Talvlad]

Not much left to say on this. Everything still has a dreamlike quality to it. I don't have any of the amazing stories many of you have, but very proud to have been able to be in attendance with my lad, for whom it will undoubtedly be a memory of a lifetime... and whilst the FA Cup Final should be the last game of the season... I can't wait for Tuesday...

I love the way Glasner has gone about his business.
Speaking of dreams, part of me wonders if this is how the last couple of weeks have gone:

After Semi-final
OG 'No-one is to talk about the final. Not players, not staff, we just concentrate on the next game'

After each Premier league game
OG 'We play the way we play, we can't change style overnight, and we would not want to'

Before the Tottenham game
OG 'It's about keeping in rhythm'

Monday 11th May - 2am, while dreaming
Voice of RH 'playing 3 in midfield vs Man City is the answer you are looking for not. Search for the ancient texts you must. Serve you well they will.'

Monday 12th May - 8am @ Copers Cope
OG 'Paddy, do we have any of Roy's old flip charts knocking around?'
PM 'Yes, boss, in the store cupboard over there'
OG 'Good. I think they might just come in handy this week'

 

[TooEzeCPFC]

I know there’s little chance he’ll see this but I wonder if this legend sat next to me (black hat) is on here, made the game an even better experience than it already was kept me going, proper gent, we took a picture together at the end of the game but was on his phone so probs won’t ever see it. Was block 236 row 7. Anyway thanks to all of you lot what a f***ing day up the palace

 

[peterg]

I wrote this report for Inside Croydon. Hope I did justice to the occasion.
A question for everyone: was this the greatest Palace match you saw (live or on tv)?
Was this the greatest Palace match every?

A dream becomes reality: Wembley shook and it was beautiful

2025 FA CUP FINAL: Inside Croydon’s PETER GILLMAN was among the accredited media at Wembley for a historic day which captured the imagination of the nation and fulfilled the dreams of footbal…

insidecroydon.com

 

[MLXVIEagle]

What an amazing day! Still absolutely buzzing from it. Now the hangover has ever so slightly subsided, I've looked through the pics I took on Sat. Came across this gem and thought it was too good not to share. Might be someone on here's lad...

 

[glazedallover]

I wrote this report for Inside Croydon. Hope I did justice to the occasion.
A question for everyone: was this the greatest Palace match you saw (live or on tv)?
Was this the greatest Palace match every?

A dream becomes reality: Wembley shook and it was beautiful

2025 FA CUP FINAL: Inside Croydon’s PETER GILLMAN was among the accredited media at Wembley for a historic day which captured the imagination of the nation and fulfilled the dreams of footbal…

insidecroydon.com

I'm no doubt extremely biased because I couldn't be there this time, but although we were underdogs in both matches , somehow I just about rate the Liverpool semi final win ever so slightly higher.

<Sorry

 

[Part Time James]

I'm no doubt extremely biased because I couldn't be there this time, but although we were underdogs in both matches , somehow I just about rate the Liverpool semi final win ever so slightly higher.

<Sorry

In terms of football spectacles, no one has ever played a more exciting game of football than that semi final against Liverpool. However biased that is, I'm dying on that hill.