Palace 2-0 Wolves: Verdict Thread

[Tony Towner]

If that's the issue then the answer isn't Adama instead of x, y, z, it's the CM we don't have. The best you could do is Donck for Trincao and go 352, assuming that 4 at the back isn't on the cards

 

[Johnny75]

If that's the issue then the answer isn't Adama instead of x, y, z, it's the CM we don't have. The best you could do is Donck for Trincao and go 352, assuming that 4 at the back isn't on the cards

I don't understand why he doesn't try a back 4 every now and again or at least change something in the formation.

I know it's Lage's first set of games but when he's set a problem by other managers he struggles to solve them.

 

[Carrotdude]

I can’t wait until we play 4 at the back tbh, it’s kind of ridiculous how we just can’t do it.

 

[The Bear]

Im surprised nobody has commented on Connor Gallagher controlling the ball with his arm for his goal.

---
Cue Elephant Pants coming on saying it hit his testicle.

I thought it was pretty clear even on a stream that he chested it.

 

[prawnking]

That's adult

You should never be so self-important that you can't take a bit of mild piss-taking.

Maybe next time massive conclusions shouldn't be drawn from one game

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Yesterday and the Everton game illustrated perfectly that how we play is very dependent how opponents set up. Everton didn’t press at all and let us have the ball up to the halfway line and that allowed us to dominate the game. As soon as they changed we dropped deeper and deeper and ended a game we could and should have won comfortably hanging on. Yesterday Palace gave us no time on the ball and we simply couldn’t cope. We never looked like scoring and barely troubled them all game. If opponents push our wingbacks back the front three get very isolated and they simply get outnumbered and lose the ball time after time.

Neves and Moutinho will always struggle in a midfield two against three and surely Lage could see that as well as we can? He needs to find a solution because otherwise doing the same thing repeatedly will bring similar outcomes. If he doesn’t yesterday’s 7th place at ko will prove to be a season’s high that will increasingly look unattainable again. (I would add I accept 7th is way beyond my expectations). It won’t be easy to find a solution given the way he was let down in the summer as the obvious option would be go to four at the back and it will be interesting to see if he tries to do so with the players he has available now.

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't understand why he doesn't try a back 4 every now and again or at least change something in the formation.

I know it's Lage's first set of games but when he's set a problem by other managers he struggles to solve them.

I wonder if Coady is the issue here, wants him in the side for his leadership/influence but not in a back 4? If as I've read he struggled against Benteke yesterday, which we know he does against that physical type would we be too exposed in a 4?

If that is the case he's got to cross that bridge sooner or later because if we do eventually sign another centre half and move to a 4 it'll be Kilman who deserves first chance to partner him.

 

[Carsy]

I thought it was pretty clear even on a stream that he chested it.

If it was handball it’s would’ve been picked up by VAR. these things are checked carefully tbf to them

 

[Johnny75]

I wonder if Coady is the issue here, wants him in the side for his leadership/influence but not in a back 4? If as I've read he struggled against Benteke yesterday, which we know he does against that physical type would we be too exposed in a 4?

If that is the case he's got to cross that bridge sooner or later because if we do eventually sign another centre half and move to a 4 it'll be Kilman who deserves first chance to partner him.

Coady had a very poor second half yesterday with and without the ball.

I don't think he particularly struggled with Benteke who was himself pretty poor but the back 3 and Coady in particular struggled with the off the ball reading of the game. Edouard and Gallagher would waltz through the defence and but for better passing Palace would've been in.

With a back 3 we shouldn't be opened up like that, we should be covering that off easily or what's the point of a back 3?

I'd switch to a 4 as I think Coady is dispensable.

 

[WolfMan]

As wonderful a man Coady is, he's just not a Premier League centre half. The whole team's style and formation has to change for him, and even then he's not exceptional in what he does, which he'd really have to be to justify it.

 

[AndyWolves]

FWIW the xG stat was pretty damning

Palace at 2.65 and wolves at 0.25

 

[Wilf Wolf]

FWIW the xG stat was pretty damning

Palace at 2.65 and wolves at 0.25

Not sure how we managed even 0.25!

 

[prawnking]

As wonderful a man Coady is, he's just not a Premier League centre half. The whole team's style and formation has to change for him, and even then he's not exceptional in what he does, which he'd really have to be to justify it.

A bit harsh. He's demonstrably a PL centre half as this is his fourth season as an ever-present in that position in generally a pretty successful team, which broke him into the England set up. I also think his personal qualities aren't a given in any replacement, or elsewhere in the team.

Having said that, I do agree that in games like yesterday playing 3 at the back does us no favours

 

[PuntsWolf]

The game followed the same pattern as Leeds, where the front 3 were uselsss and CM chasing shadows.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s nothing to do with Adama or Trincao. But the manager getting it wrong. Now both players put in dreadful performances in their respective games, but the manager got it wrong as well. The difference here was that Palace are actually decent and Leeds are full of championship players.

 

[Tony Towner]

Coady had a very poor second half yesterday with and without the ball.

I don't think he particularly struggled with Benteke who was himself pretty poor but the back 3 and Coady in particular struggled with the off the ball reading of the game. Edouard and Gallagher would waltz through the defence and but for better passing Palace would've been in.

With a back 3 we shouldn't be opened up like that, we should be covering that off easily or what's the point of a back 3?

I'd switch to a 4 as I think Coady is dispensable.

I don't think it's Coady the footballer they'd be worried about, it's the figurehead element. As an example Kilman refused to do an aftermatch interview for tv on Monday so he did it instead. Obviously it's not a reason to play, but I do think it's a consideration on squad equilibrium

 

[prawnking]

Everyone wants shot of Coady and Adama, but their respective merits are a red herring. There just aren't strong, consistent, permanent replacements in the squad currently, except in people's minds

 

[Quirkafleeg]

If it was handball it’s would’ve been picked up by VAR. these things are checked carefully tbf to them

Obviously it seems it wasnt but my eyes arent as good as they were. The limited Match of the day coverage of everything lacked any decent views.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Im surprised nobody has commented on Connor Gallagher controlling the ball with his arm for his goal.

---
Cue Elephant Pants coming on saying it hit his testicle.

How odd?

 

[sycophantia]

Everyone wants shot of Coady and Adama, but their respective merits are a red herring. There just aren't strong, consistent, permanent replacements in the squad currently, except in people's minds

No they don't

 

[AndyWolves]

These recent away games have been similar to when we first got promoted and were playing 343 and got a bit found out.

Teams know if they press us they force us back, we end up with 7 players (8 if you include the GK) in our defensive 3rd. Raul gets isolated as do the wingers.

The wingbacks get pushed back because they're still in defensive mode (this is where doc was key as he became a really effective aerial out ball) and we end up with a massive chasm between the forwards and everyone else.

I'd question the wisdom about taking goal kicks short when the team were playing are looking to press high.

We've either got to become better at evading the press, which seems hard to do with current players or find a system where we don't surrender the midfield.

Putting Donk in and playing 352 might have given us a better chance, but in reality I think we'd still end up playing 532 and losing out in midfield.

I reckon we probably have to go 4 ATB so we can put 5 in midfield. If we're going to stay with 3 ATB then we need to find a way to make the wide forwards more effective / influential.

Trincao isn't going to drop into midfield and help out and I don't think Adama would either.

The way palace played is currently our kryptonite.