Whether it was a sign that this competition is going to be taken seriously this season, Alan Pardew elected to put out strong side for the visit of League Two Blackpool.
Record signing Christian Benteke donned the number seventeen shirt, recently vacated by Andros Townsend, made his debut as the Eagles. James Tomkins joined the big Belgian by making his full debut while Steve Mandanda took his place between the posts for the first time.
It was a simple win in the end against Blackpool in this EFL Cup second round tie. A Selhurst crowd of 7533 witnessed an opening goal from captain Scott Dann which was helped in by a deflection after twenty-five minutes and Connor Wickham doubled the lead and sealed the win right after the break.
In a competitive match with no bookings, the best effort for the visitors was an effort by Jim McAlister which was cleared off the line by James McArthur. The return of the Scottish midfielder to the Palace ranks was a very welcome sight indeed for fans that decided to attend the match.
Making the headlines though was new signing Benteke who showed glimpses of what Palace are likely to see more of. A good first touch to go with his agility and aerial ability will prove a real asset in the coming weeks and months. He found himself on the end of an excellent cross as early as the second minute which he met with ease only for the goalkeeper to pull of a good save.
Also making his first appearance for the club was Frenchman Steve Mandanda who was immediately welcomed by the vociferous Palace faithful. Like Benteke, he proved that he could go on to be a fan favourite with the lovable chant of ‘STEEEEEVE’ every time he touched the ball. With a couple of routine saves and showing his confidence on the ball for a goalkeeper, it was a welcome introduction to life in South London for the former Marseille captain.
Along with both McArthur and Yohan Cabaye getting good game time under their belt and a resurgent Wickham reminding Pardew that will battle for a starting spot up front, it was a satisfying evening all round.
The draw for the third round of the cup takes place this evening live on Sky Sports after the tie between Accrington Stanley and Burnley. Full reaction to the draw will be on the TEB Twitter account.
TEB VERDICT
Good run out for the fringe players along with those on the comeback trail looking for minutes. A thoroughly professional performance to reach the third round of the competition while not hitting top gear and more importantly, no injuries to report of.
LINE UP
30 Steve Mandanda – Debut for the Frenchman in the Palace goal and already seems a fan favourite. Clearly confident with the ball at his feet and looked in constant communication with his back four.
34 Martin Kelly – A quiet evening at right back in place of Joel Ward but did what he had to do.
6 Scott Dann – Early concern after receiving a knock but shook it off to get on the score sheet.
5 James Tomkins – Clearly a player that missed a lot of pre-season but showed a decent turn of pace. Opposition striker proved to be a handful for him at times.
23 Papae Souaré – Not a lot to do defensively so spent a lot of his time up and down the wing supporting the front men.
18 James McArthur – Welcome return with a performance as if he had never been away. Replaced by Chung-yong Lee on 61 minutes who showed his usual close touch and could prove a good option this season.
7 Yohan Cabaye – First start of the season and put in a good shift before being whisked off the cryogenic trailor in the car park. Replaced by Wilfried Zaha on 74 minutes who brought his skill to the game late on which was the last thing the opposition defenders wanted.
42 Jason Puncheon – Played our wide for much of the game, made up for his lack of real pace for the position with skill and close control. Guilty of losing possession too often.
22 Jordon Mutch – Anonymous for the most part but one of those players that puts the effort in without many realising the job he is doing.
10 Andros Townsend – Was not his night but not for the want of trying. Over hit crosses and misplaced passes but showed his pace off out wide on several occasions. Hit an effort in anger late on which left the crossbar shaking.
17 Christian Benteke – A good first half debut for the Belgian who showed plenty of glimpses to prove why the club paid out for his signature. Replaced by Connor Wickham on 45 minutes who immediately proved a point by scoring. Worked hard and looked dangerous.
Substitutes not used – 1 Julian Speroni, 19 Zeki Fryers, 24 Keshi Anderson, 38 Hiram Boateng
MATCH STATISTICS
- Possession 59% – 41%
- Shots 22 – 6
- Shots on target 9 – 5
- Corners 5 – 3
- Fouls 11 – 6
We wish Blackpool the best of luck for the rest of the season.
