Palace were fortunate but I always think, as the home side, if you don’t seize the initiative in the game then you deserve what you get. A 1-1 draw would have been a fair result but, like last week, we were on the wrong end of a borderline offside call.
The penalty was the key moment. I think, having got 1-0 up, had that not happened we would have gone on to win that 2-0. It was unfortunate for Rice but he has to realise he can’t have his arm up there in the box. You are asking for trouble.
We didn’t go on after that 1-0 moment to really dictate the game & that is what you have to start doing if you have any ambitions of being a top six side. Having said that, we still could have scored 3 goals on another day.
Hopefully we can bounce back. It’s not disastrous & we have still made a good start but that was a disappointing moment when, yet again, we had a chance to jump to a high league place & we blew it.
There’s also not a lot off the bench at the moment. Their bench was better than ours. Really it’s Wilshere & Ajeti. Pretty much it.
I agree that the bench is a big problem - OK for shoring up a game we are winning but useless for turning a match we are losing. No Antonio and no Diangana means no pace or direct running when we might need it. We must spend in the transfer window on a couple of speedy wide players to influence games late on, or we're doomed to mid/lower table mediocrity yet again.
I must admit, I was well annoyed at full time. We should have been out of sight by half time. Our attackers not clinical with finishing. As PLF said they mugged us at the end. The coach/players should know by now, no game is given, you have to merit the 3 points. Some of our players seemed off the pace IMO Also agree we are missing Antonio's presence and pace. Still a long way to go yet. COYI
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The penalty was the key moment. I think, having got 1-0 up, had that not happened we would have gone on to win that 2-0. It was unfortunate for Rice but he has to realise he can’t have his arm up there in the box. You are asking for trouble.
We didn’t go on after that 1-0 moment to really dictate the game & that is what you have to start doing if you have any ambitions of being a top six side. Having said that, we still could have scored 3 goals on another day.
Hopefully we can bounce back. It’s not disastrous & we have still made a good start but that was a disappointing moment when, yet again, we had a chance to jump to a high league place & we blew it.
There’s also not a lot off the bench at the moment. Their bench was better than ours. Really it’s Wilshere & Ajeti. Pretty much it.
If we think he can make a difference from the start, fair enough. Play him.
But not much use imo having him to come on late in the game.
Also agree we are missing Antonio's presence and pace.
Still a long way to go yet.
COYI