Wasn't happy with the starting line up. I don't like it when both milner and Henderson play in the midfield. I'd have liked to have seen either lallana or Ox in for one of them.
First half was poor. We had a lot of posession but looked toothless in the final third. The midfield was so slow in moving the ball. I lost count how many times hendo lost posession as well. I really can't stand him and I honestly don't know what some people see in him. It's like they ignore the 10 passes he gives away all because he makes one half decent one at some point in the game.
Their goal/pen came against the run of play though. One long ball that we don't deal with, trents positioning was poor, a bit of a daft decision by Karius to come flying out and clatter zaha and there we have it...1-0 down. Luckily for us we still had plenty of time left on the clock to put things right.
I've no idea why hendo was marking benteke alone when we have two tall centre halves on the pitch. It's common sense to have one cb jump with benteke (with hendo infront) and have the other CB drop off sweeping. It's just simple school boy stuff. Benteke is their aerial threat so we have to make it difficult for him, which we didn't on this occssion.
Trent showed his inexperience by switching off and letting zaha get goal side of him. I thought Trent was targeted a few times on Saturday and I've said for several weeks now that right back is a big concern for us.
In hindsight we can sit here and say Karius should have stayed on his line but if he had, and zaha finished, we'd all be yelling saying why didn't he come out. So I won't be too harsh on Karius. I've been very impressed with him of late and moments before the penalty he came rushing out and saved a shot from zaha with his chest that I thought was flying in. It was a great save.
Nothing else to say about the first half other than we were denied a clear pen on mane. I don't know how the debate turned into mane delaying his fall or being dramatic about it. It's completely irrelevant in my opinion. The palace player kicked his leg, therefore contact was made, and he didn't touch the ball. So who cares what mane does? He can do 1000 rolls towards the corner flag if he wanted, it's still a pen. I don't often talk about officials and I hate it when people focus on them or blame them, but I thought the ref was garbage all game on sat.
Second half kicks off and we look like we have a lot more purpose about us. We were more crisp and we were moving the ball much quicker. We got back into the game with a great equalising goal from Mane. Karma for not being given the pen.
Then mane has a moment of madness and should have seen a second yellow and been sent off. You're taught at school boy age to play to the whistle so I've no idea what he was thinking grabbing hold of the ball. The ref, who was having a sh*te game, bottled the red card because he knew full well he got the pen wrong and mane shouldn't have been on a yellow anyway. So I suppose it evened itself out.
Palace (or shall I say benteke) then missed two glorious chances which they should have bagged. We just completely switched off at the back and fell asleep. It was a moment of madness from us.
It looked like it would be a draw until our mo pops up last minute with a moment of genius. A cool, calm, composed finish when we needed it most. It wasnt pretty but it was a very much welcome and a very much needed three points.
Motm salah for his winning goal but special mention to Robbo who was brilliant once again.
Looking ahead now to wednesdays game, I think it's essential that we play milner at right back who will do a job on sane. I really fear for Trent if he's put in. He's a great kid with a big future but he's not at this level just yet.
I want to see Ox in the middle too to give us bit of energy and pace. We saw against Everton that you can't give their midfield any time or space on the ball or they'll destroy you. We need lots of pace, energy and work rate. It'll be suicide playing milner in the middle with Trent right back in my opinion.
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