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Daily Palace - Sensational Swedes, Defensive Dramas and a Nailed On Yellow Card
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As they do everyday, Wale, Joe, Alex, and Dan are discussing the latest goings on at the Mighty Palace
In this Episode: Joe and Alex look North, considering how the current 'best team in the country' right now will fare... when they come up against Newcastle United.
e this evening and asking Season :- 1 Episode:- 128
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Transcript
Introduction to The Daily Palace Podcast
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Palace podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm Joe Lodge. With me today is Alex Waite.
Crystal Palace vs Newcastle: Match Preview
00:00:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
How are you doing, Alex?
00:00:21
Alex
Hey Joe, yeah, all good thanks, all good over here mate. Just um yeah, excited for another enough ah um palace ah fixture this evening. They're coming thick and fast at the moment, which I'm not complaining about.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:00:32
Alex
So yeah, all good mate.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are coming thick fast and until last weekend, That was seeming like quite a good thing. Lots to enjoy. yeah Maybe confidence slightly rattled now, but we'll get we'll get into that. We'll get into
Newcastle's Form and Key Players
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
that today. so as you say, at half seven tonight, Palace travelled to an informed Newcastle side for their 32nd match of the Premier League season.
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Eddie Howell's Newcastle ah scored four at the weekend, waltzing to victory against a United side have only been beaten 17 times this season. Lap Victory saw the Toon Army dubbed the best team in the country by a few talking heads.
00:01:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, to kick our preview off, is that right, Alex? Are our Palace travelling up to the best team in England tonight?
00:01:26
Alex
ah Yeah, I think I'd have to agree with um with those pundits of who have made those claims. It's not always like the case that we agree with what people say in football. But um I think in this instance, it's it's definitely warranted. like I think they've won five in a row now Newcastle ah in all competitions, including that infamous EFL Cup win over Liverpool, which... um It wasn't just the kind of smash and grab performance. It was a very much like dominant display against the best team in the country right now in Liverpool.
00:02:03
Alex
um So it's not just the results, I suppose. It's more the like confidence Newcastle are showing that perhaps suggests they are the best team in the country at the moment. Just everything's clicking for them. like They're getting the best in particular out of players like Sandro Tonali, who's just been sensational the last few games.
00:02:22
Alex
Harvey Barnes has sort of come out of nowhere and has rediscovered that form that we kind of saw at Leicester a couple of years ago. And I think that's kind of taken the pressure off players like Isaac a bit.
00:02:35
Alex
And obviously Anthony Gordon's had a few injury concerns and his suspension. So these players have really stepped up to the mark and I think that's kind of made them more dangerous in a way. um So yeah, I would have to agree with that. that They are the most ah probably the most dangerous team to play in the country at the moment.
Crystal Palace's Form and Strategies
00:02:54
Alex
But that being said, we're up there as well in terms of points points gained um over the last few games. I think we were level with Liverpool before the Man City game as like the most informed team in the Premier League. so yeah, it's it's going to be a good match on on when um tonight. ah But, yeah, I don't like I don't fancy our chances, to be honest, against this Newcastle side. They are very, very good at the moment.
00:03:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, I think ah think you are right. They probably are the best in the country right now on current form. But I think that's probably... It's more indicative of the rest of the league not being in its best moment than it is a Newcastle being a perfect side. that They are a very good side, but Liverpool are are clearly...
00:03:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
the best team in the country ah across the season. table reflects that, think. They're just now a little bit burnt out. It's the impression you get, really, isn't it? They've not got the same motivation now. They've, to all intents and purposes, won the league and they've gone out of all the cups. and yeah It like all that mental and physical energy they expended earlier in the year maybe starting to catch up with them a bit.
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So what makes Newcastle so good, as you say, is it's just that swashbuckling, attacking football, so much energy. They can run a team down and kind of run straight through them.
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I would say for positivity, from a Palace point of view, as you say, Palace are up there, at least statistically, in 2025. um Very different style, more more sort of staid, but built on a really solid defensive foundation. They've been Tough to beat and fairly potent, increasingly potent in front of goal.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah I think Newcastle do have a couple of weaknesses. They kind of only have plan a um Play one way, start at the same team five games in a row and I don't think you see a lot of tactical tweaking or change of emphasis.
00:04:52
Alex
you
00:05:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they are they are open. They will leave space in behind that can be exploited. and ah You saw that even. They battered United really at the weekend, but for Garnaccio's goal and a couple of other chances that United had. had You see there are places there to exploit.
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, only real plan A, but plan A tends to work pretty well at the moment. and um But yeah, who are the key danger men and from a Newcastle perspective? Are there ah that kind of two or three players that if Palace can lock them down, sort of shut Newcastle down? Or is it something more kind of holistically troublesome than that?
00:05:43
Alex
ah No, I think they they do have key players. um I think when you look at their squad, like in terms of quality, there's not like huge, like masses of difference between us and them. I think they have a few more perhaps like elite level players like Izak, for example, who is like you know He should be playing in the Champions League, really, ah season by season. I think he'd score goals in that competition as well.
00:06:10
Alex
It's just the kind of player he is. He's just deadly, man. He scores them all as well, like tap-ins, headers, like and score from outside the box. A really good player. So he's like like the obvious target to nullify, but he hasn't scored many in the last few games. So it kind of sort of feels like he might pop up with one tonight just just because he's so good and like he doesn't go too many without scoring. But yeah, like i think Dan Byrne is like a another one. He's having an amazing season and he just he just seems sort of central to...
00:06:45
Alex
like holding down the fort for Newcastle but he's also obviously dangerous in the box with his like um you know heading ability which he showed when he played for England as well recently um and then yeah like I mentioned Sandro Tonali I think is that kind of keeps things ticking over uh can do the physical side as well which I think might play into our hands a bit I think we kind of prefer that you know the high energy, like we like to get into players a bit.
00:07:15
Alex
So I think we can nullify him. um We might have some some joy at St. James' Park. um Yeah, so they' they're probably the main three for me. i think otherwise, like, yeah, we're we're quite well matched.
00:07:27
Alex
Like, I don't see huge, is massive of difference between the players that we have and they have. They probably have a bit more depth, which is that the defining factor.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that is a big difference bes between them. As you say, Isak is, I think, clearly the key man, the standout player for for Newcastle, least across the course the season.
00:07:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's probably the one player in the team that you'd look at and say, He's in the elite 10 players in the world in his position. I think he probably is at that level. so as you say, he's so clinical. He brings you bring you really quite a lot else as well, doesn't he? In that United game, there were a few few moments where you see him dropping in, juggling the ball and flicking it onto teammates.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's He's such a composed, competent footballer. which he always has been, probably what stood out about him before he became so prolific, that now, yeah, you've you've got really ah perfect all-round package of a striker in him and and someone who any team will struggle to shut down.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think other than that, as you say, it's midfielder, so for Newcastle, they... were probably the key to overwhelming United playing the same rough shape as Palace.
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Newcastle were able to get the ball into that midfield free and then they just kind of overran them. um As you say, Tonali's kind of the maybe the the first link in that chain often, the one who picks it up and distributes it.
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think stopping Guimarias is also pretty important. He's He's often the one who really drives Newcastle forward and he's properly gone for a reinvention as a box-to-box midfielder who scores, sets goals up, tackles. um All of them are properly sort of physical. I think Palace's best hope is...
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
to almost try and try and press in a way which they can do, but you sort of funnel the ball out wide and just stop it going into that midfield three. Because I think whatever midfield two Palace can put out ah to match them up is is probably going to have their work cut out.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could see Palace going through a few centre-mids this game, a few yellow cards needed to just like, yeah, check them out.
00:09:55
Alex
Yeah, Will Hughes yellow card.
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Within 10 minutes, Yeah.
00:09:58
Alex
Yeah, Scott, we signed a new contract as well. So, you know, he'll be celebrating out of yellow tonight, I think.
00:10:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
so your well Sure he will. um But yeah, I'd say lots of lots of work for Palace to do.
Analyzing Palace's Defense
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But we'll review Palace's own team, their own form and their prospects of Hatton-Newcastle, which I think are not insignificant after a short break.
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Palace, as we've touched on there, coming up against very in-form attack.
00:11:05
Alex
you
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thankfully, have one of the best defences in the league. Unfortunately, that defence shipped five goals in their last game against Manchester City. Should we be worried by that performance, do you think, Alex? Or do mitigating factors such as a suspension of Gehi for that match mean you can kind of write that off as ah as a one-off and be confident that the defence will return to its normal form against Newcastle?
00:11:43
Alex
Yeah, I think ah think it was a bit of an outlier, that game. um We weren't nowhere near our best. And then, obviously, Kevin De Bruyne has been so rubbish all season. But, of course, against us, he returns.
00:11:58
Alex
He rolls back the clock by five years and is like bossing the show. um And like when he's like that, you just can't play him. Yeah. I think even if Gahey was there, we might have we might have struggled as well.
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:11
Alex
um So I think that was a yeah probably the the kind of the big factor that was just the Bruyne was on it and like we couldn't contend with that.
00:12:21
Alex
And also LaCroix was sort of touch and go for the game as well and i don't think he was at his best. um
00:12:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i think richard's hadn't trained much in the build-up i already he'd been out so yeah
00:12:32
Alex
Yeah, like so the kind of defence wasn't at its strongest. um And I think that might be and could be an issue tonight, whether, you know, obviously it will be La Croix, Richard and Gehi back in the back three.
00:12:48
Alex
but it's whether you know they can shake off that kind of under par performances and like any injury issues or knocks they've had, if they can shake that off tonight. um That will probably be but a big factor in being more solid and trying to get a result.
00:13:04
Alex
um But yeah, I mean, it was a bit of an odd game in terms of stylistically everything went out the window after we went 2-0
00:13:16
Alex
interestingly but we obviously could have been free now if it wasn't for the semi-automated offside decision but um yeah like i think we can't really judge too much on 60 minutes of yeah kind of man city brilliance and us being off the pace for a bit these things are going to happen when you're sort of mid-table and like you don't have the depth to all the resources to compete with the bigger boys like you're going to have results like this occasionally um
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks.
00:13:46
Alex
I suppose the only issue is like, you know, it's two massive away games, probably two of the hardest away games you'll play all season and whether fatigue kind of plays a factor ah for the likes of Eze, Mateta, you know, the guys in the midfield who do all the hard work, like, yeah, it's it whether they will be up to it. And like, obviously Munoz Mitchell have played like basically all season.
00:14:10
Alex
just how sort of ready they are for it as well like yeah there are a few question marks um i think if it was at home it would be a different kind of kettle of fish like we'd maybe have a bit more energy but yeah i think there are a few few things that would be the question marks i'll have before the game kicks off you know about this kind of like the fitness and um yeah kind of state of the team at the moment.
Tactical Approaches and Predictions
00:14:35
Alex
like Obviously, Gehi back's huge. like He's our leader and such a key component in defence. But the others around him, I'm not sure you know but how kind of ready they'll be for the game tonight.
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that's true. As you say, mitigating factors are not just Gaye's suspension, it's that Lequois and Richards were not fully fit.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
You do hope that with a bit more training they'll be sharper. I think it was a little bit, definitely you'll be right, like fatigue could play a factor and probably sort of expect to increasingly do so over the next few weeks um we at the tail end of a kind of bruising, intense period.
00:15:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I also think with that City game, some of it almost felt like just over-excitement of having got 3-0 up um or seeming to have got 3-0 up, so even two ahead.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
at City so early in the game, it seemed like the usual principles of kind of defensive structure and pressing just sort went out the window. And from there, even the back three at its sharpest had a hard job to do because City were getting such dangerous positions, overloading the box, cutting it back.
00:15:43
Alex
yeah
00:15:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was always going to be quite challenging. I think it was just a bit of a... one of those kind of heads-gone one-offs that they can easily ah can easily just return to their principles, set themselves down again and and should be should be good. i mean, whatever Palace do defensively, albeit against a slightly weaker Newcastle side, worked well last time out.
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Newcastle had one shot and 0.04 expected goals last time Palace played them at Salah. So it's... I think it could work and the, yeah, I think the key things will just be sort of Palace picking their moments, biding their time,
00:16:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
kind of yeah pressing in that controlled manner where you're just sort of forcing the ball into favourable areas rather than really trying to win it back aggressively and open up the space. and I think they should should be set up to defend Newcastle as well as anyone can, but how well that is at this point is definitely an open question.
00:17:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Glasner made me laugh in the press conference ahead. Talked about the City game, he said... ah apparently there's some German expression that was like it's better to concede than 1-5 which is he's kind of got a point I assume he means a goal every game for 5 otherwise I'd i'd question the mathematical wisdom of that statement but um I think he's kind of got a point you can just sort of write off and yeah I think Palace's defence should ah retain their confidence and
00:17:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
and back themselves to have a good game against Newcastle here. um And then switching to a to to an attacking sense, how could Palace hurt Newcastle? And if so, who are you think the key players will be for Palace on the day?
00:18:00
Alex
I think the obvious is is obviously Yeze. He's in such good form at the moment. um just sort of Every time he gets on the ball, he's got this like growing confidence to run at people, to draw players in, which could obviously creates space for like the likes of Munoz, Mateta obviously, to sort of bomb into and you know get into a really dangerous positions.
00:18:28
Alex
um I think I'm not um not sure how much our kind of whip will play part. um Newcastle play four at the back generally, but they are like, they're quite rigid in defense. Like they don't don't really press on too much out wide.
00:18:49
Alex
Like a lot of, like you mentioned earlier, a lot of their kind of dirty work is done in the middle of the pitch where they win it back and drive it forward quite directly.
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:18:57
Alex
um yeah so i'm not I'm not sure how much joy we'll get out of the kind of wide positions. I think the midfield battles will be key. so yeah Obviously, Lerma and Hughes, who probably start tonight, you know they probably need to lock it down. and It's similar to what they did against Fulham the other week.
00:19:21
Alex
Fulham quite robust in midfield. um and we kind of dumb i Sorry, as well.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:19:27
Alex
like We kind of managed to win that battle, so i think it will be key again tonight to get in success at Newcastle. um But yeah, i mean just Eze at the moment, just we have to get him on the board as much as possible. It sort of just feels different. like We used to do it with Zaha all the time.
00:19:46
Alex
He was our only outlet. But with Eze, it's like it feels like now we've got a better team around him to support the kind of decisions that he makes going forward. um So if we can get him into some dangerous positions, that'll be key.
00:19:59
Alex
um You sort of have a feeling though with Eze, like, A team like Newcastle are defensively sound enough to contain him. And you sort of just wonder like a bad game or like a game where he's not quite on it can affect.
00:20:16
Alex
He's sort of a confidence player, so it can impact him. So that could be big tonight. um But yeah, I think that midfield battle is the kind of key to winning this really.
00:20:29
Alex
I think we can get on top of that. not respect Newcastle too much. I think it could be turning point, really. the turning it could be a turning point really
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think the great sort of attacking conundrum for Palace in this game is the The way you probably hurt Newcastle is by you hitting them quickly in transition when they've all sort of bombed forward like a rugby team.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But how will you manage to attack in that way without making the whole game sort fast pace and transition, of which actually suits Newcastle better and you kind of back them to overwhelm you over 90 minutes of that football?
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. is yeah is is is difficult. It's difficult question. So I think Palace have to be very smart in picking their moments to break. They don't want to be trying to play through Newcastle every time like United were doing and get themselves into some trouble with at the weekend.
00:21:30
Alex
you
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
um think, yeah, but again, Eze is the obvious shout. He's been in top form. I think he looked really sharp again against City.
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
there will be spaces for him to attack. Again, that hole in Newcastle midfield, bomb forwards and leaves a gap in front of the back four that if Eze is confident with runners off him like Saran Mateta, you'd expect him to be able to work something up in there.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think on the edge of the width, I agree your point, but in the previous game with Newcastle, mean, Daniel Munoz got loads of chances just like...
00:22:12
Alex
that's true yeah that is true he scored didn't he as well right yeah yeah
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah kept on... Yeah, he did he did finally got his first goal for Palace after having missed an open goal pretty much earlier on the night.
00:22:23
Alex
yeah oh yeah it's all coming back now
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I kind of think... I think that was reflective of he could just sort of like... outrun whoever pushed forward on the left for Newcastle when it was in transition. So I think, again, him and Saar, just for the fact they've got that pace and energy to,
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
to when the break's on, basically outrun whoever's going to be marking them. ah Yeah, um going to be threats on the day as well. But I think Eze is probably the key one that so much of the creative impetus as ever will be on him.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um If he's not on it and he's not finding those pockets, I think Palace will struggle to carve too much out against Newcastle here. um But we'll have a quick break there and then wrap up by putting our necks on the line with some predictions.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Alex, score predictions. What's going to happen there?
00:23:52
Alex
ah um I'm not doing too well with these this season, Joe. I think I'm zero out of about ten. um So, you know what? Usually when I predict Palace to lose, we win.
00:24:06
Alex
So, I'm going to go for a 2-1 Newcastle purely on the basis of fate playing a part. ah No, think we can...
00:24:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice.
00:24:19
Alex
you know you We've kind of picked some holes in Newcastle's team that we can exploit. I think we will get a goal. um Like he said you said, United had some joy on Sunday and their attack is but non-existent.
00:24:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very bad.
00:24:33
Alex
yeah
00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:24:34
Alex
other than Garnaccio is playing alright. But yeah, I think we'll we'll have some joy. we've We've got that kind of chaos factor when we get forward that that can cause some problems. But um yeah, I think Newcastle, like we mentioned, just so confident at the moment.
00:24:51
Alex
It's not just the team, it's like the club. We've all seen the scenes of them celebrating the EFL Cup win in the city centre and stuff and that stuff just breeds confidence. So I think St James' Park is like one of the toughest places to go to at the moment. So I think they'll snatch it 2-1. But I'm saying that in the hope that I get it wrong and we win.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going more optimistic with a 1-1. I'm expecting Palace to play pretty tight um after that City game, maybe sort verging towards overcompensation, but that'll probably be good for Newcastle. I think the thing they really don't want is to let the game get too open and too end-to-end.
00:25:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, just manage the first half, suck all the joy out of St James' Park, everyone to put their shirts back on at halftime. um
00:25:48
Alex
It's spring now, so there's going to be more of him off.
00:25:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And yeah, I think, again, they've shown they can defend a team like Newcastle before, can create chances. I think it will be quite close. Yeah.
00:26:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
If not 1-1, I think I'd probably lean the same way and see Newcastle just edging it with all the attacking power they've got. But ideally, realistically, a 1-1 and Gehi and Eze to have underwhelming games or stinkers so that Newcastle don't buy them in the summer is what we'd ideally ask for. um But that's all we have time for today. So thank you for joining me, Alex.
00:26:33
Alex
No worries, Joe. Always a pleasure, mate.
00:26:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Thank you for listening. As ever, if you listened to Spam enjoyed it, give us five stars and feel free to comment in um your abuse towards us if you're listening to this after the match for how badly wrong we've got our predictions or analysis on Newcastle.