Originally posted by spartakev2
I agree with many of the posts on here. I have the greatest respect for Roy Hodgson, but if I found myself sitting next to him on train, I would ask him the following questions :

a) Why do we need to play three defensive midfielders at home against a bottom-six team? We know that they will come to defend, so why not sacrifice one of those defensive midfield players for a creative midfielder who can move the ball forward through the lines. We have that player : Max Meyer

b) Why do we persist with the same corner routine when it does not seem to have any success. It must be worth trying a short corner to Zaha every now and again to let him run at defenders just outside the box.

c) Once Benteke comes on to the field as a substitute, why not just try something different and bombard their area with high balls in the hope of getting something from a knock-down. However poor Benteke’s confidence is at the moment, he has a really impressive sets of statistics for winning headed duels.

d) We assume that our players spend time studying their opponents before games. Most people watching that game knew that Knockaert would have wanted to cut inside and shoot with his left foot. How on earth can PVA give him so much room to do just what he wanted?

e) To echo the previous poster : why are our attacking players so static? They seem to be on their heels waiting for the ball to come to them. It seems clear from the stands that they should be constantly on the move, encouraging their team mates to find them with a pass. We see this done so often and so effectively every week by other Premiership teams. Why are our players not instructed to make these runs?

It would help if one or two of those players actually moved and tried to loose their marker instead of just standing there waiting for the ball to come to them.

Originally posted by Willo

Townsend has been somewhat abject recently and was only sub for the Burnley game. Why on earth did Hodgson not go with the side that started at Burnley? He went back to the same players who have failed to deliver at home game on game and us poor supporters had to endure more predictable dross.

Both the Southampton and Newcastle managers made decisions which turned the game around for their teams but Hodgson is loathe to really deviate from a poor ‘Plan A’.

Originally posted by Stirlingsays

I don't support those calling for Hodgson being replaced but I will say this about Palace.

110 home league fixtures since coming back into the Premiership winning just 36 of them. losing 54 of them and drawing 20 of them.

Season tickets aren't cheap. I think the average Palace home fan hasn't been served very well and can rightly feel a little miffed.

Every season we are looking over our shoulders at relegation while teams like Wolves come straight up and compete with the big boys.

Edited by Stirlingsays (11 Mar 2019 9.45am)

Originally posted by batcountry

I don’t know why we don’t play to our strengths which maybe means if we play role a dope then so be it.
I find that some of our best moments are when Zaha, Meyer and Schlupp / McArthur use their quick feet in a triangle in or near the opponents penalty area and this only occurs with a quick break from deep so we’re not outnumbered by defenders. Too much possession doesn’t help us at all.

Originally posted by RyWa

Its very frustrating, 15 home games this season, 3 wins and 11 goals, a few of which are penalties.
Away from home i get that we play defensive and hit on the break, but at home where we have to take the game to the opposition (minus top 6 teams) we need to play the attack minded players.

Why Meyer doesn't get a game at home is beyond me.. Jimmy Mac was absolutely terrible on Saturday, yet he lasted the majority of the game while Max was made to watch on until towards the end.

Townsend has arguably been our player of the season, yet he's the first player hooked off.. for Benteke!?
Benteke's career at palace is over, hes rapidly becoming a laughing stock, and has to be carried when he plays.

When Max did come on, we played him on the opposite side to Wilf, even though he and wilf link up together superbly in tight spots in and around the area.

Our set piece routines are clearly not worked on as we seem to have no clue with corners or crossed free kicks.
I recall the days under Pulis and Pardew where we were a real threat from corners, whats happened?

PVA clearly has played himself out of form and needs some time on the bench to realise hes not un-droppable.

Its clear we miss Sakho, he so often starts our attacks with a clever pass, or carries the ball into their half. Our current pairing are less competent footballers and rely more on long ball upto Batshuyai whos not a target man.

Im not going to go on as my venting is probably very boring, but theres so many factors that need addressing.