Crystal Palace vs. Zirinjski Mostar match thread

[MrRobbo]

Wasn't a classic, but wasn't dire.

We were pretty positive in the first 20 mins, not much sideways passing, and was instead trying to get the ball forward quicker.

Then then killed the rest of the first half with about 5 dives and subsequent injury breaks. Not great to watch, but 'professional' from their perspective.

Havent seen their offside goal again, but if we had taken some of our chances it might have been 5-0.

2 questions remain for me:

3 CBs - In a game like last night, Munoz and Mitchel have no space to run into so are pretty effectively, and the oppo aren't really attaching. Surely there is a case for getting one of them off and sticking Pino in the traditional 10 role?

Arial crosses - we've spent quite a lot of money on a lad who is quite good in the air. There might have been more, but the only arial cross I can actually remember was Sarr's missed header. Surely we should be trying to get 10/15 crosses in a game and give the lad something to try to get on the end off? And especially in a game where teams low block, surely crossing from deep is a pretty easy, low risk option

 

[eaglesdare]

Wasn't a classic, but wasn't dire.

We were pretty positive in the first 20 mins, not much sideways passing, and was instead trying to get the ball forward quicker.

Then then killed the rest of the first half with about 5 dives and subsequent injury breaks. Not great to watch, but 'professional' from their perspective.

Havent seen their offside goal again, but if we had taken some of our chances it might have been 5-0.

2 questions remain for me:

3 CBs - In a game like last night, Munoz and Mitchel have no space to run into so are pretty effectively, and the oppo aren't really attaching. Surely there is a case for getting one of them off and sticking Pino in the traditional 10 role?

Arial crosses - we've spent quite a lot of money on a lad who is quite good in the air. There might have been more, but the only arial cross I can actually remember was Sarr's missed header. Surely we should be trying to get 10/15 crosses in a game and give the lad something to try to get on the end off? And especially in a game where teams low block, surely crossing from deep is a pretty easy, low risk option

I couldn't believe we only started making those crosses when we took strand Larsen off 😅

 

[Phil’s Barber]

Since he has returned from injury Munoz has not reached his best form yet. Doing the basic's fine but the maveric stuff that set's him aside from most players has not been on show. I feel this maybe down to team orders but it is not helping the supply line to the front players. The victory though was deserved - patient and unspectacular and the game only got going in the last 10-15 when Zirinjski tried to get the goal back.

We’ve not seen Munoz in the left wing position once since he’s returned from injury. When we do we’ll know he’s getting his mojo back!

 

[PatrickA]

Of course we advanced into the next round, but I was not enamoured by a performance against a limited team. Ponderous build-up, passing the ball from side to side amongst our central defenders, wing-backs offering no threat whatsoever and they are supposed to deliver the width in the system. All very uninspiring and soporific.

I agree with your take.
I will go further and say that Larsen will not flourish with this method of playing.
Chances will not be created for him with this laboured sideways approach play.
Apparently our squad last night is valued at around £400 million, whereas theirs is valued at £7million.
A win is a win, but it was no triumph against such a poor team.
As to the apparent tactic of asking Munoz and Mitchell to sit deeper to negate the threat of conceding in transition why not just play a back 4 ?
The whole idea of wing backs is to enable them to provide width and stretch the play.
I couldn't believe how narrowly we played yesterday and even when players took up wide positions the tendency was to knock it 5-10 yards back to a teammate rather than cross the ball.

 

[Willo]

I agree with your take.
I will go further and say that Larsen will not flourish with this method of playing.
Chances will not be created for him with this laboured sideways approach play.
Apparently our squad last night is valued at around £400 million, whereas theirs is valued at £7million.
A win is a win, but it was no triumph against such a poor team.
As to the apparent tactic of asking Munoz and Mitchell to sit deeper to negate the threat of conceding in transition why not just play a back 4 ?
The whole idea of wing backs is to enable them to provide width and stretch the play.
I couldn't believe how narrowly we played yesterday and even when players took up wide positions the tendency was to knock it 5-10 yards back to a teammate rather than cross the ball.

I concur with these sentiments, rooted in sound judgement.

 

[mtp1958]

Of course we advanced into the next round, but I was not enamoured by a performance against a limited team. Ponderous build-up, passing the ball from side to side amongst our central defenders, wing-backs offering no threat whatsoever and they are supposed to deliver the width in the system. All very uninspiring and soporific.

You lost me we lose find fault we draw find fault we win find fault , you can only pass forward if players are available blind passing causes us more problems ,

We did get through them we did score and if sarr had put his 2 clear chances away it was job well done , instead of looking for faults look for positives , we are doing nothing different than other teams when looking for openings , we don't have a Eze , we used what we had and got the job done ,

 

[Willo]

You lost me we lose find fault we draw find fault we win find fault , you can only pass forward if players are available blind passing causes us more problems ,

We did get through them we did score and if sarr had put his 2 clear chances away it was job well done , instead of looking for faults look for positives , we are doing nothing different than other teams when looking for openings , we don't have a Eze , we used what we had and got the job done ,

The positives were the win and a clean sheet, however the overall performance against a limited team was uninspiring for the reasons I have documented.

 

[eaglesdare]

A wins a win. Even our earlier Fa cup games in the lead up to the cup win were not great to watch.

Our good play / purple patch end of season run is starting to thaw!

 

[Lanzo-Ad]

I agree with your take.
I will go further and say that Larsen will not flourish with this method of playing.
Chances will not be created for him with this laboured sideways approach play.
Apparently our squad last night is valued at around £400 million, whereas theirs is valued at £7million.
A win is a win, but it was no triumph against such a poor team.
As to the apparent tactic of asking Munoz and Mitchell to sit deeper to negate the threat of conceding in transition why not just play a back 4 ?
The whole idea of wing backs is to enable them to provide width and stretch the play.
I couldn't believe how narrowly we played yesterday and even when players took up wide positions the tendency was to knock it 5-10 yards back to a teammate rather than cross the ball.

You are 100% correct, most fans can see this, not all, but unfortunately the manager doesn't.

 

[OneStevePerrin]

I’ve been very critical of our team in last few months. However, I’m slightly more positive now. We would have lost these last two matches a few weeks back, so there is an improvement in my opinion. Yes, we still don’t look comfortable or confident at times but last night we could easily have won that match by 4 or 5 goals. Sarr missed a couple of sitters plus we were playing a side defending deaply giving us a lot of the ball. We won 2:0 and perhaps we should be more grateful and positive in our comments than those I’ve read on this thread. Tough couple of away games coming up and just perhaps we will see a more defensive side to our game and the odd breakaway getting us results like we had before the big slump. Not saying we are back to our best as in 2025 but I’m feeling better than I was 🙂

 

[Lanzo-Ad]

A wins a win. Even our earlier Fa cup games in the lead up to the cup win were not great to watch.

Our good play / purple patch end of season run is starting to thaw!

The Final was poor, great goal, great defending, great ref, great day, we won that's all that mattered on that day, it isn't happening very often now

 

[eaglesdare]

The Final was poor, great goal, great defending, great ref, great day, we won that's all that mattered on that day, it isn't happening very often now

You are right. I think only the QF and SF were games I remember enjoying.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

The positives were the win and a clean sheet, however the overall performance against a limited team was uninspiring for the reasons I have documented.

They were limited but they were quite efficient and well versed in some of the shadier arts. When they opened up a bit they found a bit of space which they didn't, or couldn't, capitalise on. In both games they created good shooting opportunities which were then skied.
Pleased with the result and we should have got at least another one but they weren't pushovers when we've been a bit short on confidence.
If the ref in the first game had followed VARs advice and given the dodgy penalty last night would have been a lot nervier.

 

[chris123]

Canvot 110 passes completed. Most ever by an English club player in the 3 European leagues in any one game. At a minimum, this game should, I hope, really help him settle. Confidence can do wonders for a 19yo.

Agree completely, plus 90% passing accuracy and 75% tackles won, excellent.

 

[eaglerik1]

I think Glasner said after the game that he has our wing backs sitting deeper in the last few games so we don't get caught in turnovers etc... it would explain why Munoz isint getting as far up as he once did.

a good call considering the disruption to the back 3 since Marc left

 

[Lanzo-Ad]

You are right. I think only the QF and SF were games I remember enjoying.

Yes, the semi final and the Charity shield were the best we have played under Glasner, but those tactics were far different from the one we deplore now

 

[mtp1958]

The positives were the win and a clean sheet, however the overall performance against a limited team was uninspiring for the reasons I have documented.

Mmm no , positives we done less bad passes than we have for awhile , we was defending in there half not ours , we actually got some good crosses in one gave us a goal ,
Canvot showing progress , Larsen causing problems , Guessand getting himself involved in midfield and defence picking the ball up , Wharton done some good passes , all of the above has been missing , so for once I felt more confident of the result earlier into the match ,

As I have said before we got spoilt and expect more , truth is we needed to consolidate and regroup , then move forward we didn't we went for silly passes that caused goals against , we forgot how to play football , last night was the closest we have been as footballers for weeks 👍🏻🏆

 

[JHB]

A win is a win and I thought we were a bit better than recently. Certainly better than at their place and against Wolves. Wharton played well which was nice to see after some indifferent form. We got some crosses in. JSL continues to show much more mobility and energy than JPM was. Guessand did well. I think Johnson has looked much more lively in his last two sub appearances than up to this point. I know that’s still a low bar for a player we paid so much for but still. It wasn’t great by any means but if Sarr had not had a shocker it could easily have been 3 or 4 nil.

All in all we did the job required and it was progress all be it still a long way short of what we’d like to see

 

[dreamwaverider]

Since he has returned from injury Munoz has not reached his best form yet. Doing the basic's fine but the maveric stuff that set's him aside from most players has not been on show. I feel this maybe down to team orders but it is not helping the supply line to the front players. The victory though was deserved - patient and unspectacular and the game only got going in the last 10-15 when Zirinjski tried to get the goal back.

Give him time.

 

[dreamwaverider]

Canvot 110 passes completed. Most ever by an English club player in the 3 European leagues in any one game. At a minimum, this game should, I hope, really help him settle. Confidence can do wonders for a 19yo.

My MoM