On the face of it, this was really easy.
But that’s not strictly true, as what came out of this game, from what I saw/heard is that we played very open and quite simply took our chances.
Whereas Crewe possibly had more chances, but quite simply, didn’t take them.
No doubt one of of the stat sites will back me up or tell me I’m wrong, but that’s how it seemed.
It was very much a case of Dean Smith’s “you score 3, we’ll score 4” attitude, but it made the game somewhat misleading, in my opinion.
Which is all good when you’re playing lower level opposition, such as Crewe.
The worrying part, is that Crewe created a boatload of chances and a better quality side would probably have outscored us.
The fact that their solitary goal was scored by a player running past 4 defenders is worrying.
But not quite so worrying that we need to be concerned.
We’d taken such an early 2-0 lead, that the game seemed beyond Crewe and they never proved a real test.
For them, it was more a test of their defence and for us, it was more a test of the attacking side to our game.
Which is where we came out well, having proved very clinical, while Crewe wasted chances galore.
I’m not convinced we learned much from this game, but scoring six goals will surely add to the side’s confidence.
It was nice that Hourihane got two too, but I just get the impression that we have players who can easily cut it at the sort of level played tonight.
It’s whether they can demonstrate it in the Premier league.
Don’t get me wrong.
I’m not knocking tonight’s score in any way.
We whupped Crewe and that might have been a very tricky prospect, just a couple of seasons ago.
But we need to show even more if we’re to do well in the Prem.
Dean Smith will have seen plenty to moan about tonight.
Which is exactly how a Premier league side should be thinking.
We’ll have learned from this and will improve even more.
I’m quite confident of that.
4th Villa booking 🙁
43 minute they are pressing hard, free kick Palace
Bound to be a sending off here, too many silly yellows, they need to get a grip on this game and be more pro-active and less reactive.
Agreed, Guest.
We’re tending to panic, it seems.
45 minute , still in the game, 1 minute over time. In our hard attacking now , lost the ball half time
HT 0-0.
Tbh, I think we’re lucky that’s still the score.
Well all that was ugly…..
referee was as biased as i have ever seen. kevin friend should be forced to watch that game back and explain his decisions. shocking is a understatement on his performance. i love to go in to details but too many too and i wouldnt know where to begin.
other than the wanker trying to hinder us and help palace, the game has been less than the normal entertaining stuff we normally dish up. but the weather and referee have not helped.
smith needs to influence this game 2nd half as we have two fullbacks on yellows and a holding mid walking the green mile. tresguet has shown some decent touches and a few dribbles. all and all the game is all 100 mphs and not enough composer
True villaaway, we are to be honest not in control. It looks like we will be lucky to get a draw they are creating more moves than us.
Let’s hope it’s a game of two halves Bill….
Almost gave up when saw it was Friend in charge…still remember the night at Chelski when we lost 2-1…awful decisions……
Today he booked Luis for the same as he let their bloke off and same with Taylor when their bloke came in late and trod on his foot.
Want my opinion, Wesley is not the man to front our team, he looking like Kodja on a bad day.
It’s a red gone tregu
Trezuguet off.
Ridiculous and naive.
OFF…..foul all day …and on a booking.
I’m not watching. Should Smith have subbed Trez after the first one?
Probably a few who should have been subbed, so not really, Pat.
Wow, a Palace player booked!
Great athletic save from Heaton just before that.
Davis on for Jota.
To try and relieve some pressure, no doubt.
before the red I was saying if these are wingers we are in trouble …now both are off.
Louise off Hourihane on
Am I wrong in thinking take Wesley off and replace with a defender?
Maybe not Bill. We’re not getting the ball out at all.
Very negative though.
I can’t see them not scoring.
Hourihane on for Luiz, who I don’t think has had a good game at all.
Would love it if we we did to them what they did to Utd the other week.
It looked like soak it up and counter.
Big time wrong. Poor performance today.
Worst performance so far, awful tactics, Smith has to learn from this as do the team, we are playing like a side trying to avoid relegation, must do better.
1 nil….
Ayew scores, even though we had two defenders on him.
0-1
Goal palace
Not sure what the game plan was today to be honest.
To me this is going backwards, our Reliance is on two midfielders that to me being honest are not the greatest in the league, Grealish has found to be none creative and Mcginn is running around trying to get us going. The bubble has been broken.