Eagles Make It Four Unbeaten With Everton Stalemate

In the fourth game back in charge of Palace, Roy Hodgson witnessed his side held by a stubborn but struggling Everton side at Selhurst in a match up that the hosts were rarely troubled but should really have found a way to take all the points.

TIME/ DATE/ VENUE

• 3pm
• 22^nd April 2023
• Selhurst Park, Holmesdale Road, London SE25 6PU

RESULT

Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton

PLAYER RATINGS

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 5 James TOMKINS, 8 Albert Sambi LOKONGA, 13 Vicente GUAITA, 18 James McARTHUR, 26 Chris RICHARDS, 44 Jairo RIEDEWALD

OPPOSITION LINE-UP

UNSED SUBSTITUTES – 3 Nathan PATTERSON, 15 Asmir BEGOVIC, 13 Yerry MINA, 26 Tom DAVIES, 30 Conor COADY, 31 Andy LONERGAN, 50 Ellis SIMMS

TEB VERDICT

We were under no illusions going into this fixture about the level of difficulty and it proved to be the case, and while the Eagles failed to break down the visitors, it is another point on the board and a clean sheet.

Amid a terrible refereeing performance, Palace failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and while they controlled much of the play against a side who arguably worked the two best chances in the game.

Both Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard struggled to exert themselves on the game and while Jordan Ayew and Michael Olise were the main threats, there was very little option to change things up from the bench for Hodgson.

With six games left to play, it is hoped that Palace can push on and exceed that forty point barrier as they certainly have the games to pick up points from before the end of the season.

BOB’S POINT OF VIEW

Bob White was a coach at Palace under the tenure of Steve Coppell and Alan Smith and will be sharing his point of view each week in our review article.

“This was a game of attrition at Selhurst Park today. Sean Dyche set up Everton to break up the game, allowing us no rhythm going forward then relying on direct route one or set pieces to ask questions of our defence. Additionally the whole flow of the game wasn’t helped by an inept performance by the referee who was completely out of his depth at this level.

The main positive was the performance by our defence including our keeper. Two successive clean sheets confirms that we have a sound basis to progress for the remainder of this season into next. Unfortunately, at the other end of the pitch, Olise, Eze and Edouard struggled to find the necessary space to create chances from open play. We certainly missed the option of an impact sub to change the flow of our approach play. Dare I mention we missed Zaha?!

Ayew was my man of the match, putting in his usual shift for the team. I guess before we played Leicester at home, we would have been over the moon to take 10 points from the next four games. At 37 points we are now safe but around 10 wins and 40 points would put the icing on the cake to what has proved at times a challenging season.”

POST GAME QUOTES

ROY HODGSON

“It was a tough game, we expected it to be. We knew they are very well drilled and have a clear plan and how they want to play and we knew they would ask a lot of questions of us. For long parts it did make the game a war of attrition and after our last three games it’s not easy for the players to want to play that game, but it gave me as much satisfaction. I’ve seen moments where we could lose games like that in the past. The back four and goalkeeper were superb throughout.

Six games is a lot of games, 18 points to play for and it would be bitterly disappointing if our game falls apart, I want to win some of those games. If you had said to me when I walked through the door we well get enough points to keep in the Premier League on goal difference I would’ve accepted that, that was the goal. So now we have 37 points and I’m not going to be satisfied with that. We’ve taken 10 points from the last four, what’s stopping us from taking points in the last six games.”

SEAN DYCHE

“It’s a point earned. The sending off is not easy, great to get Calvert-Lewin through and he played more minutes than we thought. He did well, so a mixed bag with a clean sheet against the in-form team in the division.

The first half was flat, in the second we reacted a bit better. The fight is there, the work ethic and the shape of the team was pretty good and we limited them to a few chances. We got into some good areas but that’s been the story. Dom is only just getting back so there are positives but a lot of work to do – a clean sheet down here is not always that easy.

It’s a work in progress but it’s a point on the table. The table at the end is when it is relevant, we can’t keep staring at the table – we have to take control of our situation and of what we’re doing. We had moments today, but we need more moments. There’s no lack of commitment, it’s the details in our performances that need to improve.”

MATCH STATISTICS

POSITION IN THE TABLE (at the final whistle)

UPCOMING FIXTURES

25/04/23 Wolverhampton Wanderers (a) – Premier League (7.30pm)

29/04/23 West Ham United (h) – Premier League (12.30pm)

06/06/23 Tottenham Hotspur (a) – Premier League (3pm)