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.
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.
Sakho on for Kelly (groin).
lansbury on for Wesley.
Benteke on for Ayew.
That should have happened before they scored, what’s the point having a centre forward standing up field waiting and waiting when we are under the hammer.we lost a defender put on rd back on.
Can’t disagree Bill.
I think the plan was that we were supposed to get the ball up to him, but it just hasn’t happened.
Badger it stands for common sense , they beat us with wingers, and an ex Villa man determine to play football, now we have two ex players on giving us a lessons in how to play. Langsbury I don t believe this a free kick and not a pen .
Villa net, but Grealish booked for diving.
Where’s the VAR?
WTF?
THe ref never even chose to look at it?
Palace Friend 1 villa nil
I’ve never witnessed such a terrible ref in my entire life