Crystal Palace vs. AEK Larnaka match thread

[Uphill]

We seem to panic in the area and we have no striker who can shoot. It was a mess not improved by the introduction of Kamada who reverted to his early arrival. Munoz had a poor game for him and Pino was just not controlling the ball and was lucky not to get a yellow/red.
Can't blame it on one disastrous pass by Canvot - we are supposed to be a Premier League team but played worst than an 8th tier side. To lose to the 5th best team in Cyprus? Ignominy!

Question: does anybody think we'd have lost had we either Eze or Zaha up front?

 

[becky]

If we want more scoring opportunities converted into goals, then JP needs to stop treating every chance as an audition for Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition and focus more on simply putting the ball into the net - a 'soft' goal will count just as much as a 'smash the net' one........


*puts on tin hat & retires to the kitchen*

 

[Hrolf The Ganger]

Not a traditional centre-half but has been deployed briefly in a back-three.
I had taken by positivity medication and predicted 1-0 to us, in contrast to those who believed we would win more comfortably. After last night's shock result I shall return to normal service !

Realistically, teams go in and out of form for whatever reason.

We have a team that relies on key players to be effective. Wharton, Munoz and Mateta going forward with a solid back five.
Lately, we have not been taking chances and have got a little sloppy at the back.

With only a small squad of top class players, we will suffer playing in 4 competitions.

Personally, although I hate losing, I think that an early exit for the domestic cups would be helpful.
Our only aims this season should be Premier League improvement and winning the Conference Cup.

That means continued European football.

We would have to be very optimistic to think that we can qualify for Europe via the League.

 

[Willo]

We seem to panic in the area and we have no striker who can shoot. It was a mess not improved by the introduction of Kamada who reverted to his early arrival. Munoz had a poor game for him and Pino was just not controlling the ball and was lucky not to get a yellow/red.
Can't blame it on one disastrous pass by Canvot - we are supposed to be a Premier League team but played worst than an 8th tier side. To lose to the 5th best team in Cyprus? Ignominy!

Question: does anybody think we'd have lost had we either Eze or Zaha up front?

He is no stranger to Yellows - He collected 12 last season and in the previous campaign 6 in 11 appearances.

 

[doombear]

But outside of Canvot and not starting Wharton....it was basically our strongest side. Hardly weakened.
That's what's worrying!

Sorry, Sprites but the Hughes/Lerma partnership in midfield was devoid of any real spark. There's a reason Glasner starts the PL games with Kamada and not Hughes alongside Wharton. Hughes is a great workhorse but he lacks guile and speed of thought. He's ideal to come on after 65-70 minutes to bolster the defensive side. We needed Wharton and Kamada on from the start.

 

[grumpymort]

Sorry, Sprites but the Hughes/Lerma partnership in midfield was devoid of any real spark. There's a reason Glasner starts the PL games with Kamada and not Hughes alongside Wharton. Hughes is a great workhorse but he lacks guile and speed of thought. He's ideal to come on after 65-70 minutes to bolster the defensive side. We needed Wharton and Kamada on from the start.

Hughes/Lerma part correct but the bit after is nonsense.

Go and watch the games when Wharton and Hughes partner up far better.

Hughes has shown numerous times he has no problem going forward or getting moves started.

Karmada does no such thing almost all of what he does which is why his stats look good is short passes going backwards or if going forward to players right near him plus his tackling is terrible (He can run around all day it's only good thing about him)

 

[Hrolf The Ganger]

Hughes/Lerma part correct but the bit after is nonsense.

Go and watch the games when Wharton and Hughes partner up far better.

Hughes has shown numerous times he has no problem going forward or getting moves started.

Karmada does no such thing almost all of what he does which is why his stats look good is short passes going backwards or if going forward to players right near him plus his tackling is terrible (He can run around all day it's only good thing about him)

He is better in a more advanced position.

 

[Willo]

He is better in a more advanced position.

I have spoken to some people apropos Kamada and the prevalent view is that his skillset in terms of being a playmaker is where he really excels, not just in terms of being a strong dribbler or an accomplished passer but in his reading of the game.

 

[Hrolf The Ganger]

I have spoken to some people apropos Kamada and the prevalent view is that his skillset in terms of being a playmaker is where he really excels, not just in terms of being a strong dribbler or an accomplished passer but in his reading of the game.

A No.10.

 

[Willo]

Apropos Uche who came on last night :

Crystal Palace transfer disaster not going unnoticed - Agreed clause keeps changing

Christantus Uche’s move to Crystal Palace this summer is now being questioned in Spain, as he struggles to make an impact at Selhurst Park. Estadio Deportivo and Marca both cover the player today. And there’s questions being asked about the move. Estadio kick things off, reporting that Uche is...

sportwitness.co.uk

Last season Uche played in 40 games but only netted 4 times. He collected more yellows than he scored goals, 8 in total. He also collected 2 reds.

 

[ASCPFC]

Added time was woefully inadequate. As was the refereeing. UEFA directive no doubt. It directly affected the result.

What was that siren by the way? Was it an away fan or emergency services?

 

[Willo]

Added time was woefully inadequate. As was the refereeing. UEFA directive no doubt. It directly affected the result.

What was that siren by the way? Was it an away fan or emergency services?

Had we been playing until midnight we still would not have scored.
The final whistle put us out of our misery.

 

[ASCPFC]

Had we been playing until midnight we still would not have scored.
The final whistle put us out of our misery.

Hard to know when we should have had ten more minutes. We were all over them largely.

 

[Phil’s Barber]

I rarely wake up after a defeat and feel deflated…but I did today. It really was poor and a combination of not trying hard enough, not wanting it enough, some questionable squad rotation and Mateta being s*** again in front of goal caused us a total and unnecessary f*** up!

I love Glasner but he made a mistake yesterday not starting one of Kamada or Wharton. Playing Lerma & Hughes together against a defensive team killed us.

Canvot looked off the pace and nothing like the player in his debut against Millwall. His mistake was what gifted them the goal but it was certainly a well taken finish and we just couldn’t unlock them in the final third. It seemed to be one of those games where we were just destined not to score.

 

[Willo]

I rarely wake up after a defeat and feel deflated…but I did today. It really was poor and a combination of not trying hard enough, not wanting it enough, some questionable squad rotation and Mateta being s*** again in front of goal caused us a total and unnecessary f*** up!

I love Glasner but he made a mistake yesterday not starting one of Kamada or Wharton. Playing Lerma & Hughes together against a defensive team killed us.

Canvot looked off the pace and nothing like the player in his debut against Millwall. His mistake was what gifted them the goal but it was certainly a well taken finish and we just couldn’t unlock them in the final third. It seemed to be one of those games where we were just destined not to score.

Lerma has not started in a succession of games, accordingly I can understand why Glasner decided to give him a run from the opening whistle.
Unfortunately both our No 10s in front of Lerma and Hughes were ineffective.

 

[Phil’s Barber]

Hard to know when we should have had ten more minutes. We were all over them largely.

The ‘time added on’ matter was bizarre.

Liverpool will be awarded a minimum of 8 minutes when they are in need of a goal, without there being any real cause. Yesterday I had recorded the game on TNT and watched the first half again when I got home;

The injury to their No.18 - game paused for 4 mins 40 seconds.
The injury to their keeper requiring treatment - game paused for 1 min 30 seconds
Substitution to bring on their No.9 - 30 seconds.
General time wasting by their keeper (Something UEFA are meant to be clamping down on) - 60 seconds

A minimum there of 7 mins 40 seconds, yet the referee added only 5 minutes for the first half. Totally bizarre!

I haven’t yet got to the second half but will subject myself to that later 🥴

 

[DANGERCLOSE]

Realistically, teams go in and out of form for whatever reason.

We have a team that relies on key players to be effective. Wharton, Munoz and Mateta going forward with a solid back five.
Lately, we have not been taking chances and have got a little sloppy at the back.

With only a small squad of top class players, we will suffer playing in 4 competitions.

Personally, although I hate losing, I think that an early exit for the domestic cups would be helpful.
Our only aims this season should be Premier League improvement and winning the Conference Cup.

That means continued European football.

We would have to be very optimistic to think that we can qualify for Europe via the League.

Totally agreed.

It was just a bad day at the office and don't forget its the beauty of cups where small clubs get the chance to shine as we have done in the past.

 

[Eaglecoops]

The ‘time added on’ matter was bizarre.

Liverpool will be awarded a minimum of 8 minutes when they are in need of a goal, without there being any real cause. Yesterday I had recorded the game on TNT and watched the first half again when I got home;

The injury to their No.18 - game paused for 4 mins 40 seconds.
The injury to their keeper requiring treatment - game paused for 1 min 30 seconds
Substitution to bring on their No.9 - 30 seconds.
General time wasting by their keeper (Something UEFA are meant to be clamping down on) - 60 seconds

A minimum there of 7 mins 40 seconds, yet the referee added only 5 minutes for the first half. Totally bizarre!

I haven’t yet got to the second half but will subject myself to that later 🥴

Interesting analysis, I do advise going to the pub and drinking heavily however rather than putting yourself through that again.

 

[Rainforest]

Yes, I was thinking this myself: why don't our midfielders time their appearances on the edge of the box to pick up the occasional shooting opportunity? And it is as you say, the system isn't built for them to do this.

Or one waiting near the far post for corner kicks.
The other thing about sitters. They only need simple modest power tapins. Too much power would only result in the ball over the bar.
On crosses, I feel low crossings from inside the box close to the byline have better goal chances than those from outside for our heads to do the job.

 

[ASCPFC]

The ‘time added on’ matter was bizarre.

Liverpool will be awarded a minimum of 8 minutes when they are in need of a goal, without there being any real cause. Yesterday I had recorded the game on TNT and watched the first half again when I got home;

The injury to their No.18 - game paused for 4 mins 40 seconds.
The injury to their keeper requiring treatment - game paused for 1 min 30 seconds
Substitution to bring on their No.9 - 30 seconds.
General time wasting by their keeper (Something UEFA are meant to be clamping down on) - 60 seconds

A minimum there of 7 mins 40 seconds, yet the referee added only 5 minutes for the first half. Totally bizarre!

I haven’t yet got to the second half but will subject myself to that later 🥴

You'll find similar or more there. 15 minutes or so would have been the minimum. It's so obvious and blatant that it absolutely stinks.