We finally took all 3 points from a game and yet when that final whistle blew, I was shaking with anger.
From start to finish this game should have been all for Crystal Palace and if they was more composed up front, it would have been. I literally have no idea how they did not take the full points which they thoroughly deserved.
I’m going to start with the positives of the game to get them out of the way quickly…
- Benteke is back and he scored! It was a great individual effort that he set up himself and took superbly.
- Clark was on form and really is showing his inner Lion. The defence was not rock solid, but they should be applauded for holding their own.
Those are the positives and now for what I really thought.
The game was a disgrace and yet it will surely nudge Lambert that little bit closer to job safe. I despise the man. His one dimensional approach to the game has ruined a team that could be a fairly decent side if played and encouraged correctly but he always seems to do the polar opposite. Let’s break this down…
FORMATION
We started with a 4-3-3 and this alone was enough to make my blood boil because it seemed that Lambert was reverting back to his already proven ineffective tactic which on paper looks well and gone but on the pitch… well on the pitch it just doesn’t work. It literally is all about getting the ball upfront and hoping that either gabby or Wiemann can get the ball to Bentekes feet where he can do the rest. It is uninspiring, unchallenging and typical Lambert. The worst part about this is that we will probably play the exact same formation again next week.
LINE UP
We all predicted it and yet everyone of us wanted something different. For me personally, the most exciting part of the line up was getting to see Cole link up with Benteke but unfortunately, this came to a swift close in the very early minutes and Lambert’s one creative decision was ruled out.
Gabby and Wiemann may just have played their worst game yet, but again, they will probably be played again next week. We had 3 strikers on the pitch and yet we only recorded 3 shots. If players aren’t playing how they should be playing, better yet, if players aren’t playing how they are being paid to play, drop them and put in a new player that wants to prove themselves. I don’t think both will be dropped at the same time, but I do want to see one of them dropped and replaced by either Grealish or Robinson. It would be good to see how they start the game, and what does Lambert and all the nay sayers have to lose? Take out one none scoring player, and put in an enthusiastic and eager youngster sounds like a good idea and if it doesn’t work, then we’ve tried and tested it haven’t we.
The midfield literally did nothing all game and this cause too much pressure on the defence and no action up front; this needs to change! The midfield should be scoring goals, setting goals up and easing the pressure from the defence. Ours didn’t do any of that today.
SUBSTITUTIONS
This is probably the single thing that angered me the most. Lambert was determined to sit on a 1 nil in the hope that we could see the game out and take the points. We was playing awful all game and it was obvious, yet Lambert only made a ‘tactical'(if it can be called that) change in the remaining minutes of the game and that was for Richardson! You know what kind of a game you are in for when Lambert brings Richardson on!
I was expecting either a change at half time or 60 minutes in and if the man had any sense, he would have taken Westwood off for Grealish and Wiemann off for Robinson. But what do I know? I’m just a fan and Lambert scraped 3 points so he must have made the right decisions……
VERDICT
We took 3 points which have placed us 12th in the league and that is what counts, but the way we got those points was diabolical and surely will not happen again because other teams will not be as unlucky.
There is no point calling for Lambert to go because I can’t see it happening and that saddens me deeply. I want him to actually think about the team that we have and change the way we play to accommodate those players. Yes, Benteke is our only true goal scorer, but it is your job to ensure that others are scoring as well because we can not afford to become the one man team we already are. It is now time to drop some of the regulars and give the younger lads a shot.
Next game I would like to see a 4-4-2 formation
Guzan
Hutton-Okore-Clark-Cissohko
Bacuna-Cole-Sanchez-Grealish
Robinson-Benteke
Of course, this is provided that Cole is ok to play.
