Match Threads Crystal Palace vs Spurs - FA Cup Match Thread

[Ghost Hardware]

Thing is when you are ravished by injury you look to your "top" players to step up and keep the side going. Lamela and Moura have both failed miserably in this regard and i can't wait until we have our better players back and they take their place on the bench.

I get that, but both are only just getting back from injury themselves and I feel like any AM would really, really struggle with the complete lack of movement ahead of them. Make no mistake, Llorente is the death of our attacking play. It's not his fault, we just don't suit his style of play. He's slow and cumbersome, he doesn't create space by clever runs and can't pass the ball creatively. He isnt dangerous from outside the box and only needs to be man marked when the ball goes out for a cross. He is so easy to stop and means all teams need to do is swarm the box and we are fucked. Kane might not be fast but he's clever and can playmake. He can also turn his man which Llorente can not.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Trippier - tries to be too smart. Thinks he’s better than he is. Over complicated on set pieces.

I generally agree with this - I hate when he pushes Eriksen off goal-scoring opportunities.

But, the free kick he took, that GKN muffed - was a quality opportunity. And Trippier is one of our better pen-takers, he just hit a poor shot today.

 

[ajspurs]

I'm actually not too bothered personally, I had most things other than the league a bit if a write off considering our lack of squad options but it is another unfortunate tick on the list of negative moments regarding us in recent weeks.

Funnily enough I thought we actually did enough or at least got into good enough positions to get something from the game but when the only players those chances fall to aren't of the greatest quality you're going to struggle. Thought Llorente, Lamela, N'Koudou and Tripper all got into positions to get something more but no one took their chance.

It's just not surprising to me, I think there is always a fair danger of losing a game when neither Son or Kane are on the pitch to at least lead the line.

 

[Gb160]

...an absolute shafting from BVB left to play for

With the state of our squad atm, this terrifies me.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

Deep down does Poch really care about this competition with the predicament we find ourselves in?

Doubt it.

Time to get our heads on for Weds.

We need 3 points to steady ourselves, a chairman to do his job and buy and sell some players and get some players back from injury.

Fingers crossed we can limp over the top 4 line and retain at least one of the many integral parts of the squad that we are at risk of losing.

This was totally avoidable despite the poor luck with injuries.

This^^. And I can live with it. Top 4 is a must with the new stadium and keeping players. It’s shit but this season I wouldn’t trade the FA Cup for top 4. That’s hard to say but we are down to bare bones and need to prioritise.

 

[Phomesy]

How many of our first 11 played today?

 

[SugarRay]

Could be toxic if we don’t beat Watford and no signings

I think plenty will stay away from Wembley once Dortmund put us out.

I just want us in our new gaff ASAP. That’s the thing to look forward to for me now. I can’t wait

 

[Dennism]

Poch has confirmed he is not interested in the FA Cup. His substitutions and team selection make that blatantly obvious. Walker-Peters had one horror moment but otherwise looks to be the best right back at the club. Foyth looks increasingly impressive. Nkoudou and Llorente confirmed they are not up to it. Trippier was a disgrace and I cannot believe he cannot be improved on. Such a disappointing performance.

 

[thecook]

Tbh top 4 is a big ask now, especially with some of hideous games we have left. Hope Levy will be pleased at the end of the season that his stubborn policy of not bringing in players will be rewarded with the Europa League being played at the new stadium.

'The only place to watch the UEFA Europe League in London'

 

[lis spur]

Positives ,Foyth , Gazzanigga and 4 less games to play.

 

[Davo99]

How many of our first 11 played today?

How many should have played though?

 

[poc]

Tbh top 4 is a big ask now, especially with some of hideous games we have left. Hope Levy will be pleased at the end of the season that his stubborn policy of not bringing in players will be rewarded with the Europa League being played at the new stadium.

This is the worry if we miss CL we will have a big problem next year this is why the mismanagement and lack of foresight and frankly bollocks is criminal. What's happening is all so fucking predictable.

 

[mil1lion]

We're making a habit of being shit in the first half and playing out of our skin to try and make up for it in the second half

 

[St José Dominguez]

Foyth's performance was one of the few positives. A few more like that and I'd be putting him ahead of Sanchez in the pecking order.

Think people forget Sanchez (22) is only a year older than Foyth (21). They both have things they need to improve but are so young for CBs. Sanchez has had World Cup and injuries meaning he’s been a bit in and out this season and has affected his performance slightly.
I think they have the potential to be a future CB pairing for us, they compliment each other quite well but both of them need patience from fans.

 

[amathews3416]

Disgraceful that we're now approaching 4 days of the January window left open and all we hear from Poch is that "we'll try but we will only act if we find someone that can improve the squad" - what a load of shit - right about any decent player would improve on this lot out on the field today. The likes of Grealish, Bowen and any other decent Championship player would be a certain addition. Not even starting to think about the likes of Ndombele, Rabiot, Berge etc - players we SHOULD be able to afford considering the size of this club. Pathetic that it's come to this.

Here is the deal though, go out and buy 2-3 "squad" players that aren't going to improve us immensely. We just used our transfer kitty and than next transfer window we'll here "can't bring anyone in until we move some out". Well, we never move them out because Daniel Levy is impossible to work with and we just end up stuck never bringing any in or out.

Any player we bring in going forward needs to be first team starter quality. Those are expensive players but its the only way we are going to advance this "project" at the current moment.

 

[dondo]

Are people really suggesting Pochettino should be sacked?

I don’t think anyone is suggesting this ( I’m certainly not) but he has made a massive mistake prioritising Watford at home in the league vs palace away in the cup.
Football is about glory winning things being adventurous not finishing 4 in the league

 

[SpursDave88]

Whatever the result I'm still fucking proud of this team. What an effort we've seen this second half considering the circumstances, we really are on the cusp of something special.

People will say we are trophyless again but that's just because they're jealous of what we've achieved.

This must be a joke...

 

[mpickard2087]

What can you say, damage was done first half. Two soft goals, we missed our chances to get back into the game.

Second half we had a lot of the ball, mostly ended with Moura or Lamela disappearing up their own backside with it. Not that others didn't give the ball away, a lot, but that was usually the end point via those two.

I would probably have selected 10 of the 11 Poch did to start, but the shape/formation he went with and the roles he gave players just screamed alarm bells from the start for being an impotent display. That wasn't the best use of them. I'm the biggest advocate for possession football there is, but sometimes it's got to be less tippy tappy and trying to shoehorn your philosophy onto players who it doesn't suit. Get some width either side, be a bit more direct and go at them, get some men in the box, deliver.

I have to wonder as well about the attitude. As I said I agree with rotating the squad, it was needed here, and some players have not taken their chance, but when you are for instance taking off an undercooked Dier for an even more sluggish Wanyama it doesn't suggest you really care about the game. I wonder how much of that mindset seeps through to the players?

 

[Rout-Ledge]

Depressing state of affairs currently.

I wish I could be more optimistic but it just seems as if we’re on the verge of losing some of our best players, and have no capability to replace with equal or better quality. New stadium will be great but it will be half empty most weeks unless we make some very serious changes.

Going out of the cup today is because we have a paper thin squad, hopefully it’s not a sign of things to come.

 

[Bobbins]

If Poch says we don't need anyone this window he may be isn't the one we need.

Poch knows the score. He is playing a role he has been asked to play until we get into the new stadium.