Crystal Palace post match 2-2.

[Bossman Blessed It]

4 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

I know Leo showed some rustiness but he wasn't helped by some over-zealous whistle blowing whenever he touched one of their defenders. Considering he's barely kicked a ball for us in months, I thought some of his touches and link up play was steady. Albrighton and Riyad didn't have the best of games and Wilf was a bit lazy for their first, but in general it's a good point.

 

A couple of months ago we'd have been out of sight having not threatened their goal in that, let alone bemoaning the fact we didn't win after bagging two goals despite not playing well in a game sandwiched between two huge ties.

 

Yeah the ref was incredibly unhelpful in that he blew the whistle every time Leo tried to get up for a header, yet when Benteke used Benny as a human climbing frame he obviously felt that was fine. Premier league survival is pretty much guaranteed now given the results - absolutely no idea how we'll fare on Tuesday of course. 

[An Away Move]

Albrighton is getting a little bit of stick on this thread. The couple of wasted howlers aside I thought he was good today. I thought Mahrez was pretty ineffectual.

[Ric Flair]

We know where the net is at the minute in the league but away from home we aren't anywhere near as convincing. But I'm more than happy with a point overall and great that Vardy has scored again, he really is back to his best. Very clinical. 

[Mark_w]

12 minutes ago, Legend_in_blue said:

Swansea need 3 wins and a draw from 5 games.

 

Not possible.

[Gerard]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Doesn't stop you resting people, we chose in both league games to play people we didn't have to. In return we got just one point.

 

I agree with this, I think for Everton and Palace we had a big enough point gap between ourselves and the bottom four to take a calculated risk in giving 100% focus on Atletico and the two league games could have been made up by the rest of the squad.

 

Maybe I'm wrong and the Sports Scientists have told Shaky that the players can still play at optimal energy levels for Atletico and play the league matches? Against West Ham that wasn't the case as the players were running on empty after the hour mark. I'll be fuming if the players do the same against Atletico on Tuesday. I feel the players have earned the right to be 100% prepared against Atletico and we can focus on survival as when we have to if the bottom four get closer.

[TJB-fox]

No wonder we look shattered we only have 14/5 players that we actually trust/are fit to play. Thank god we have enough points in the board so far or we could be in trouble. If in the summer we bought 3 players, a winger and attacker and a defender that were actually good enough instead of musa Hernandez kapustka we'd look far stronger depth wise right now!

[Ric Flair]

Vardy had a right easy game today. The ones looking jaded were Albrighton and Simpson, and Benny looked a touch delicate. Drinkwater rested nicely and Ndidi didn't get out of 1st gear. I think Gray could be the unpredictable shot in the arm for us on Tuesday. I'd start him 100%.

[Mease]

12 million for Schlupp 

[harpendenfox]

I have little doubt that energy levels will be fine on Tuesday as the adrenaline cuts in. We may not necessarily be good enough to win the tie, but it won't be for a lack of energy 

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, harpendenfox said:

I have little doubt that energy levels will be fine on Tuesday as the adrenaline cuts in. We may not necessarily be good enough to win the tie, but it won't be for a lack of energy 

Don't forget we don't play at the weekend either so we can throw everything we've got at them. It's not the biggest issue for me, it's not having Huth and potentially Morgan and no option of Slimani should be need to go launching missiles.

[Manwell Pablo]

Just now, theessexfox said:

Good day for our PL survival, bad day for our CL progression.

I dunno, few of them played like they had an eye on Tuesday (although others were at full pelt)  for me plus you'd think Ulloa king will be rotated out and plus obv huth. Plus you know, much as I'd like to rest the entire first xi keeping a good feeling a momentum going is important as well. 

 

I like to think he knows his players given what he's achieved so far with 8 days rest after he obviously feels they'll have enough and can tell them to leave everything on the pitch. So won't call it a bad decision until I see if the players are struggling physically on Tuesday.

[Vacamion]

14 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

Albrighton is getting a little bit of stick on this thread. The couple of wasted howlers aside I thought he was good today. I thought Mahrez was pretty ineffectual.

 

Agree.

 

The amount of ground he covered, it's maybe understandable that his legs and feet didn't obey instructions from his brain near the end.

 

[Mease]

We just give em what we have. Can do

no more than that.

 

'shit or bust'

 

 

[Gerard]

8 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Vardy had a right easy game today. The ones looking jaded were Albrighton and Simpson, and Benny looked a touch delicate. Drinkwater rested nicely and Ndidi didn't get out of 1st gear. I think Gray could be the unpredictable shot in the arm for us on Tuesday. I'd start him 100%.

 

Just thinking of team selection for Atletico and we might go 4-1-4-1 again that was effective in the second half. We need to win but going in 0-0 at half time is fine but for extra attacking threat in a 4-1-4-1 it could be this?

 

             Vardy

Gray King Drinkwater Mahrez

             Ndidi  

[HoustonFox]

17 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

Albrighton is getting a little bit of stick on this thread. The couple of wasted howlers aside I thought he was good today. I thought Mahrez was pretty ineffectual.

 

1 minute ago, Vacamion said:

 

Agree.

 

The amount of ground he covered, it's maybe understandable that his legs and feet didn't obey instructions from his brain near the end.

 

Agree with both of you. Marc ran around like a nutter and put 100% in as usual. Less than optimum delivery was definitely through fatigue. 

 

I think Demmy should have come on way earlier. Shame the other two subs were down to injury 

[UPinCarolina]

7 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Don't forget we don't play at the weekend either so we can throw everything we've got at them. It's not the biggest issue for me, it's not having Huth and potentially Morgan and no option of Slimani should be need to go launching missiles.

If it's solely missile launching we need, Ulloa can do a job.

[Johnthefoxrayner]

1 hour ago, kingfox said:

Palace been in decent form but can't help but feel disappointed after that.

IMO good point away from home 

[HoustonFox]

1 minute ago, Gerard said:

 

Just thinking of team selection for Atletico and we might go 4-1-4-1 again that was effective in the second half. We need to win but going in 0-0 at half time is fine but for extra attacking threat in a 4-1-4-1 it could be this?

 

             Vardy

Gray King Drinkwater Mahrez

             Ndidi  

Albrighton' gotta start 

[Gerard]

1 minute ago, HoustonFox said:

Albrighton' gotta start 

 

No doubt he would be used at some point but if we were to play 4-1-4-1 then Gray offers more of an attacking threat in what is already a defensive formation.

[HoustonFox]

2 minutes ago, Gerard said:

 

No doubt he would be used at some point but if we were to play 4-1-4-1 then Gray offers more of an attacking threat in what is already a defensive formation.

Think I would drop Riyad before Marc. He's offered more attacking threat recently and is more mobile. See your logic about packing midfield more. Kingy's gotta do more than crab though. 

[Manwell Pablo]

8 minutes ago, UPinCarolina said:

If it's solely missile launching we need, Ulloa can do a job.

 If we resort to missile launching at that back four we are in trouble full stop. We are shit at it at the best of times never mind against one of the miserly back fours in world football. 

 

We need a repeat of sevilla really,they won't try to defend one goal for 90 and will seak the killer away goal early on even if it is on the break and look to defend later on if the situation remains the same, so an early goal to invite them on and play in a way unfamiliar to them on the road is crucial if we are going to pull this off.

[Devonfox1884]

Has to be the same team as Wednesday. Gray/Slim/Amartey are good options to bring on depending on the situation.

[KFS]

How shit was Jeff  cheers for that second goal, Jeffrey- no you can't have a refund Palace!

[Milo]

2 hours ago, bennytwohats said:

Cant believe more hasn't been made of the foul on Benny for their equaliser - it's blatant, should have never been a goal.

Yep, would've been called as a foul if it had been Huth and not Benteke that scored...

[Bazly]

CP appear to be made of sterner stuff these days, was an excellent comback that could have easily seen them win 3-2. But we finished strongly so a draw was probably the best and fairest result for the day.

 

I worry for the back line in next weeks game. Benny and Simpson took knocks and Huth is barred and its looking like Morgan wont make it back from his sick leave. With neither preferred central defender its hard to see how Athletico wont score more than they need to go through.

 

There is a lot of new buying needed for Leicester. King is no decent sub for drinkwater who is way off the pace himself. Albrighton has had some good games this season but returned to his usual stadard today. Then there is a complete overhaul of the back line. I recon there needs to be at least 4 first team signings this summer and we only managed one this season, in Ndidi.

 

Already feeling next season could be a slog.