This week’s match report comes from #cpfc season ticket holder and part of #TheEaglesBeak team @P_Eagles_P (aka Paul).
The result and performance against Chelsea was just awesome for the club and the fans but it would potentially mean very little if we did not build on the result and confidence taken from this game and take it forward into our next encounter.
After a long week waiting for the next game, Palace made their way down to Cardiff City. The game against Cardiff was not really “must win” and was more “must not lose” given the positioning of the clubs in the bottom of the #epl table.
If either team were to lose this game then this really could have been another blow either teams hopes of maintaining Premier League football next term. With this in mind, the nerves were rattling off the scale for this game. Nerves rattle to a degree with any game but the magnitude of the game and its implications would make this one hell of a nail-biter well before a ball had even been kicked.
This game also had even more gravitas around it due to previous connections around Ian Moody, Wilf, Ledley, Jerome, Hudson etc with the former being told prior to the game that he would not be allowed in the Director’s box which is just pathetic.
OGS had also stoked the flames by starting #PalaceHeroWilfried Zaha and publicly told him to “score against his former club and celebrate.”
As is the norm this season, the Palace away section was completely sold out long before the game and it would be guaranteed that the support, noise and following would be immense as always/
The game kicked off with Palace playing in the all yellow 3rd kit with the Eagles taking the early chances and looking reasonably comfortable.
The first half was a slightly scruffy affair but Palace did not looked too troubled generally. The main points to mention were a couple of yellow cards for Ward and Jerome and quite a bit of pressure from Cardiff corners which were all well dealt with by the much improved, resolute and stubborn Palace defence. Other points to add were a few shots from Puncheon that were easily saved and an excellent save down to his left by Julian Speroni from a Fraizer Campbell attempt.
In the 31st minute Palace made their mark with a well-placed goal from Jason Puncheon with his left foot. Joe Ledley provided the assist when he patiently got hold of the ball and watched as Puncheon’s movement lost the entire Cardiff defence leaving him in acres of space in the 18 yard box to slot the ball home. Cue a very loud “we love you” from the Palace fans.
The first half ended and in a way the game was there for anybody to win in the second half. Cardiff were expected to come out fighting for their lives but early pressure was easily dealt with and Palace became more and more comfortable in possession as the game went on.
After a few Cardiff corners, Ledley’s strike in the 50th minute saw the ball go wide. One of Cardiff’s best opportunities came in the 52nd minute with a right footed strike from Jordon Mutch from outside which luckily sailed high and right of the Palace goal.
On 62 minutes Wilfried was replaced by Craig Noone. Personally think that OGS was very naïve to play him in this game due to his ties and love of Palace. It is also different from the Ledley situation as Zaha is only on loan to Cardiff. The Cardiff fans were left very unhappy at Wilf’s refusal to do the “Ayotollah” for them and all of the adulation came from the Palace end. Wilf also walked straight off and down the tunnel which also tells its own story.
Further shots from Jerome and Puncheon were easily saved in the early periods but Palace’s game plan was working, confidence was growing and we started to take the game to Cardiff. At first this was mainly on the break but as the half grew older, Palace started to show some real composure on the ball. This was even more evident after 63 minutes when Marouane Chamakh replacedYannickBolasie. This change saw massive benefits for Palace straight away with Palace now able to keep hold of the ball more and the Moroccan pulling the strings in the hole and bringing our attacking options more into play.
7 minutes later Palace won a free kick in the attacking half and the ball was driven by Puncheon into the danger zone. Chamakh met this with a close range header which was stopped but rebounded back into the path of Joe Ledley who power-drove it into the net. OK, the power-drive bit was made up but it sounds better than hit him and trickled in past the stranded keeper.
Ledley moved straight behind the left up-right and was mobbed by his Palace team-mates but did not celebrate or rub his goal in the faces of the home fans. Please take note OGS!
Mariappawas put in the book in the 73rd minute.
Cardiff continued to huff & puff without really threatening. The second goal had pretty much wiped out the very little bit of belief that Cardiff had left. Palace continued to defend well and break with purpose.
Joe Ledley was replaced in the 78th minute by Parr and Ledley was lead away for treatment and applauded by the Palace faithful. This substitution was followed on 83 minutes with Glenn Murray coming on for Cameron Jerome. Jerome must have been shattered as he left the field after putting in another seriously physical shift with his endless running.
The final nail in the Cardiff coffin was nailed firmly home when in the 88thminute,Mariappa slotted the ball through the Cardiff lines. Chamakh’s fantastic vision comes into play as he dummied and let the ball run through him and into the path of the surging Puncheon. Clever feet and a bit of a shoulder drop saw Puncheon get the ball onto his left side and blast it past the Cardiff keeper from outside the box to cement the 0-3 victory.
A few attempts follow from Puncheon, Chamakh and Murray until the final whistle is blow after around 4-5 minutes of added time.
Goal Scorers:- Puncheon 31′, 88′ Ledley 71′
This was an absolutely wonderful result for the club, manager, team and fans that may just see us on our way to safety in the Premier League this season.
The result has however plunged Cardiff further into trouble with games fast running out.
The result leaves Palace in 14th place on 34 points after 32 games and level with Villa in 13th. Cardiff are now 6 points from safety having played 33 games and their goal difference does not look pretty either.
This game was won so handsomely as Palace were better drilled from the outset. Our players did not let the Cardiff players settle at all when in possession and constantly snapped away at their heels. Ultimately however, Palace just wanted it more both on and off the pitch. Their players looked defeated and lacking belief not long into the game and this was not helped at all by the home support which was very poor given their situation.
An obvious man of the match was Jason Puncheon but plaudits must go out to the whole team that played and won together as a unit with a special stand out performance from the back 4 and to include Jedinak and KG. Ledley played really well against his former club and Chamakh added that much needed class and composure after his arrival.
Possession
Cardiff 63% – Palace 37%
Shots
Cardiff 13 – Palace 13
On target
Cardiff 4 – Palace 8
Corners
Cardiff 10 – Palace 3
Fouls
Cardiff 5 – Palace 13
Cardiff City Team
01 Marshall
28 Théophile-Catherine
03 Taylor
08 Medel
04 Caulker
06 Turner
36 Zaha (Noone – 62′ )
18 Mutch
10 Campbell
09 Jones (Cowie – 78′ )
29 Daehli (Bellamy – 72′ )
Substitutes
15 Wolff Eikrem
16 Noone
19 Cowie
25 McNaughton
27 Torres Ruiz
32 Lewis
39 Bellamy
Crystal Palace Team
01 Speroni
03 Mariappa
02 Ward
08 Dikgacoi
06 Dann
27 Delaney
13 Puncheon
15 Jedinak
30 Jerome (Murray – 83′ )
28 Ledley (Parr – 79′ )
07 Bolasie (Chamakh – 64′ )
Substitutes
04 Parr
11 Ince
16 Gayle
17 Murray
19 Gabbidon
26 Hennessey
29 Chamakh
Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 27,687 at the start. About 3,000 Palace and 4 from Cardiff at the final whistle due to a fire-drill in the other stands.
We now move on to the home game next Saturday against Villa. It is not over yet and we are not mathematically safe but the fat lady has perhaps started to warm up he vocal chords and ready to sing
