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Daily Palace - The Wembley conundrum and a shining Sarr in the Palace ranks
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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 jump into the debate on whether Wembley should host the FA Cup semi-finals or not. The lads also look ahead to Palace's Premier League run-in and lavish praise on Ismaïla Sarr's transition from Marseille outcast to FA Cup hero.
Season :- 1 Episode:- 134
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Transcript
Introduction and Wembley Aftermath
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone and welcome back to another inst installment of the daily palace podcast brought to you by the global sports podcast network. I'm your host today, Alex wait, uh, just about recovered from a fantastic day out on Saturday.
00:00:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
My voice is slowly getting back to normal after cheering the lads on at Wembley. Um, I should be back to a hundred percent, hopefully as we take on Nottingham forest, uh, on Monday, uh, joining me today is Joe Lodge. How are you doing, Joe?
00:00:39
Joe
Yeah, yeah, very well, very well. So I didn't have the joy of a watching that beautiful performance at Wembley. um So I'm jealous you for that, although, yeah, feeling it, being grateful for my smooth throat at the moment.
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, nice. i'm I'm envious, but
Semi-Finals Atmosphere
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah, all good. So tonight we're going to look, there's been some kind of fallout from both semi-finals at Wembley recently about whether they should be played there. So we're going to dive into that.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to look at Palace's run-in, some tough games coming up for the next few weeks. And we're also going to talk about one of the heroes on Saturday on the turf at Wembley. Going to be looking back at his start at Crystal Palace this this season.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Joe, to get started, um
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
semi-finals at Wembley from a fan's perspective were of contrasting in terms of you had Villa and Palace, two sets of fans really wanting to win, really you know filling out the rafters at Wembley, very up for it.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
um As I was there on Saturday, you kind of had a nice feeling around the ground, like you know positivity, both teams just there to support and giving it their all really.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then obviously watching the game one Sunday, Man City, Nottingham Forest, there were a lot of empty seats around, um mainly in the city end.
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think their capacity was around 25,000 and they had 35 or something like that. um So the numbers weren't fantastic. But then the kind of question came up was like whether...
FA Cup Semi-Finals Location Debate
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah FA Cup semi-final should be held at Wembley or shit they they should be held at a neutral ground instead and I kind of get it you know if you're coming from a northern team like City travelling all the way down to Wembley I think they've been 30 times in the last 15 years or something um you know you can't go to everyone so you kind of have some sympathy But then for the smaller teams like Palace and Forest who haven't been for a while, it's like a massive occasion.
00:02:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you kind of felt that from both games at the weekend. um So i just want to get your thoughts, Joe. you like what what you Where do you stand on the kind of semi-final Wembley thing? do you think it should be like left for the you know the kind of grace of the final? Or do you think there is a case to be made that, yeah, it could the semi-final should be there? What do you reckon?
00:03:07
Joe
Well, if I was head the FA, i would not hesitate for moment to move the FA Cup's term finals to Bahrain, Qatar, Middle East there. Do you say for all this work?
00:03:19
Joe
um I mean, seriously, I probably fall down on the side of that it shouldn't be in Wembley wembly and kind of other rotating neutral venues should be considered.
00:03:38
Joe
But I can see the arguments on both sides. So one thing is... The size of Wembley is just kind of unparalleled in terms of English football stadiums.
00:03:53
Joe
That means that you can get kind of quite unique atmospheres and it opens the games up to fans who can't kind of go regularly and accumulate buckets of membership points.
00:04:09
Joe
The Wembley sun is a bit of fun. I think that adds to the ah late stage of FA Cup.
00:04:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:04:13
Joe
It's not guaranteed, but if it's a hot sunny day on Wembley, that screams last stage of the FA Cup to me. And it's quite a kind of unique sight in football. one I always, yeah, it hit it hits a lot of nostalgia points for me.
00:04:30
Joe
um And I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with, know, whatever it's... some been put in Wembley to pay pay off the cost of building Wembley effectively.
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:04:45
Joe
And as something that's money spinner for the FA, beyond just Tuchel's ways, they do put a lot of money into, well, money and resources like grassroots football and stuff. So I don't think that's the worst thing in the world.
00:04:58
Joe
But I think there are a few cons that kind of undermine some of those benefits.
Challenges for Northern Fans
00:05:04
Joe
One being just the obvious thing that you've really touched on, fans from The North is a bit of a logistical nightmare. The games are played, you know, uh, often you've got these these games on Sundays.
00:05:17
Joe
Um, so in case of lot semi-final there, they kick off late afternoon. it really isn't easy to get back up, um, North or to a different part of the country after the game's finished with how long it takes to get out of Wembley and the the risk of it running onto penalties and extra time and all of that.
00:05:36
Joe
Um, ah think also like because the ticket prices are so high and are kind of increasing well ahead of inflation as as the palace supporters have been kind of rightly protesting about it undermines that benefit of extending the reach and democratizing it a bit because it's like it's only the fans who don't normally go and can also afford the tickets um particularly I mean, that's probably a bigger problem for the final, which ah is naturally even more expensive. But still, the most of the tickets for the semi-final were pretty steep as well.
00:06:15
Joe
um And i think I think the FA probably enough money from the broadcast rise anyway, to be honest. I'm not sure how much juicing Wembley um helps.
00:06:27
Joe
And just vibes-wise, don't know. So when it... team that's really excited to be there as you say plays and they've kind of fought their way through really earns it and it's been and not not an easy road and they put in a performance like that and it's it creates an incredible sense of occasion but equally think maybe it it devalues that kind of hallowed turf thing a little bit to see so much of it and as the team that play at Wembley most often ah England can tell you well you you can get to the semi-final of a competition with just sort of a bit of luck an easy run but
00:07:09
Joe
Yeah, sort of, don't know, seeing Kaysera or having beaten Stoke in the quarterfinal on your way to get spanked by Liverpool in the semis.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:18
Joe
It's not quite got the same magic about it. I don't like seeing too much of when... I didn't like it when Spurs played there. That that really lost the magic for me.
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:28
Joe
So think on balance... um I probably think, yeah, I would take the same finals away from Wembley.
00:07:38
Joe
But obviously, Palace Villa was like the best possible advert for having them there. There are games, there are occasions where you think, yeah, that totally makes sense. That totally is justified.
00:07:50
Joe
So I'm not like hardline either way. On balance, I'd go leave it.
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's like quite a tricky one in terms of light you also don't know who's going to be in the semi-finals. like Obviously, City Forest is a bit of a pain for both teams to travel down ah for the day.
00:08:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But then few years ago, we played Chelsea and it was like obviously fine for both sets of fans. It's like a short commute from for everyone from South London,
Wembley's Emotional Significance
00:08:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
including Chelsea fans who live there, most of them.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um it it's is like It kind of makes sense, but you can't dictate before the draw comes out who's going to be there. um But I think kind of like touching on some points, like I just thinking of Coventry last season as well.
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
The kind of atmosphere that they brought to what was like one of the best ever semi-finals think I've seen. ah
00:08:45
Joe
most tragic so we find it so soon
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah Yeah. It's just like, that was great. And like, you could tell, even though Coventry eventually lost, unfortunately, and what it meant to them, just, just the occasion. Like you can come away from, if you're a smaller team, like,
00:09:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Coventry, like with this kind of sense of like we got to Wembley for the semi-final, and they're obviously like kind of a Northern team, not really, but like Midlands. but Then again, like also you had Newcastle, EFL Cup, if they played the EFL Cup semi-finals there, would that have been so magical for them earlier in the season?
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
like it's it's's It's such a difficult one, and like I can't see... the FA changing it any time soon I think they'll definitely keep it there um but yeah oh yeah we never know yeah we're waiting for that press release to drop at some point it could well happen and like I wouldn't rule it out but yeah it's the magic of the cup like getting to Wembley should be hallowed but like yeah I think if you're sitting you've been that much like you understand it like so for people ripping into them I think it's a bit it's a bit harsh
00:09:31
Joe
like
00:09:34
Joe
unless nowadays as i suggested the
00:09:58
Joe
Yeah, they're a bit a unique case, aren't they? Is that seven in a row? Semi-finals, I think.
00:10:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, is that you can't go to all of them like if you're that successful. But but i think oh like if Palace realistically got to seven to FA Cup semifinals, I don't know yeah if I could justify spending loads of money watching it.
00:10:07
Joe
and
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I mean, i'll try and go, but like yes. Yeah, I don't know. It's a tough one. But yeah, I think like fans obviously have their opinions of it. um which I think is actually probably the most important thing. like Obviously, um the FA will have thoughts and like clubs will have thoughts, but it's it's the fans who pay, it's the fans who support their team. So that's the most important thing.
00:10:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, we're going cap off section one there. Stick with us where we're going to be looking at Palace's fixtures coming up in the next few weeks.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back to the Daily Palace podcast. I'm Alex Waite and I'm joined by Joe Lodge here
Upcoming Matches Discussion
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
today. so we're going to look at Palace's next few games coming up. um Obviously, Joe, you've got Forest on Monday.
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Then it's a trip to Tottenham. uh who are struggling a little bit to put it lightly um then it's the city fa cup final which you kind of feel should be at the end of the season but it's wedged in between our our running uh two games either side uh then it's wolves who are in excellent form at the moment and then we've got liverpool um
00:11:51
Joe
Thank you.
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Way whose title party we can't crash this year unfortunately like we sometimes do ah because I've already obviously sail sealed the silverware for this season Sojo just thinking about that and considering that Palace are 12th at the moment do you think there's a realistic possibility really that the club can better their or equal their 10th place finish from last season
00:12:28
Joe
I think 10th is a stretch. kind Looking through those games, don't think there's any one where you think Palace can't get points, can't get a result.
00:12:40
Joe
But there are a lot that can go either way. Outside of Spurs, which is as close to guaranteed three points as you'll find outside the bottom three this season, I think Forest, you know, obviously, you know, good side.
00:12:56
Joe
They are, and and the way they play really probably doesn't play into Palace's strengths particularly. Wolves, again, it's at home. It should be winnable, but they're actually the form team in the league right now, really, five in a row.
00:13:10
Joe
Liverpool, again, it just depends what kind of condition they turn up in because their season will have been over for a month. But equally, they're at their best, you can't expect much out of that. So, sort of like...
00:13:26
Joe
thinking taking into account all the kind chance and the ones that are on the knife edge i i reckon see palace probably getting anywhere between kind of like four and seven points out of this i reckon they'll lose one they'll win one there's a couple others they could draw or win um and so they they could have a decent chance of breaking new ground in breaching 50 points for the first time.
00:13:54
Joe
um Probably not getting any more than 50-51. So it would be progress, albeit glacial. um But I yeah i think Bournemouth are on 50 already 10th.
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:11
Joe
So I think 11th is probably the limit of the league ambitions for Palace this season. But as the FA Cup, that's that's where all my eggs are.
00:14:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's perspective, isn't it, I suppose, that the FA Cup is the big one. But yeah, I mean, ah think yeah just knowing Glasner and how he likes the team to compete, he's obviously got to put out full strength side before the f FA Cup.
00:14:28
Joe
Yeah.
00:14:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you'd think, kind of regardless of what happens, he'll be doing that second side against Wolves and Liverpool as well. um So I think he's obviously wanting to target maximum points, but I just think the FA Cup will be in the back of people's minds and that might affect our form a little bit. And obviously Forrest are pushing for the top five, which that could impact us, I think, on Monday, which will be Arguably out of those games, it's the toughest one, considering Liverpool really won the title. is It's a tough.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, like you alluded to, like you know if we get 50 points, it's not the most, on face value, not the most obvious progress.
00:15:20
Joe
Thank you.
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But getting to the quarter-final of the EFL Cup, the final of the FA Cup, another mid-table finish, I think it shows across the board that Glasner wants us to compete ah for everything.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um no matter we're playing, what the occasion. um And I think that's progress from Hodgson 18 months ago, like the kind of early exits of the cup and hanging on in there.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
like It's just the way the team play when they're on it is is quite impressive. So I think, yeah, on a points kind of level, that kind of early start, like, you know, has been a kind of noose around our neck for the most of the season.
00:16:00
Joe
Yeah.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah.
00:16:05
Joe
Yeah, I agree. It shouldn't let the points total obscure what actually is a season of great progress. I mean, the football more entertaining.
00:16:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:15
Joe
The team's young. um As you say, great cup run. And you kind of think, compared to all the Hodgson years, Palace, something like this with all the rumours about it going, Palace could afford to lose ah really high quality player or two and sort of rely on the system and the strength and depth to yeah still feel secure and and not panic.
00:16:40
Joe
So I think it's great progress here, but I still don't think they're going to get more than 51 points.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah no Yeah, I agree. um Just sort hope maybe next season we don't have as many key players leave. I think one or two might. um But I think because we had the World Cup, the Euros, and we had a couple of players there.
00:16:58
Joe
Thank you.
00:17:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
had couple America, Olympics that we all had people in who went so far, it obviously like kind of knocked us a little bit. So I think the points like... I don't think that start would happen again next season, especially if Glasner hangs around, sticks around like we hope he does.
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think he'll be a bit more positive. So yeah, looking forward already to next season and what we can produce off the back of what's yeah been a kind of sort of gradual improved season. But yeah, it's progress nonetheless, which is great.
00:17:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Right, we're going to take one more break and we'll be back to talk about a Palace Hero from the FA Cup on Saturday, so stay with us.
00:17:44
Joe
Thank you.
Ismaila Sarr's Impact Analysis
00:17:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back to the Daily Palace podcast. I'm Alex Waite and I'm still joined by Joe Lodge for this final section um today. so we're going to look at Joe Ismail Assar, who obviously contributed to all three goals ah in the 3-0 win over Villa on Saturday.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just excellent all-round play. second goal was like the best goal I've seen him score for Palace this season. 25 yards out, rifles it in, which I think some fans didn't know he had in his locker, but there we are.
00:18:42
Joe
Thank you.
00:18:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Proving us wrong, which is great. But his story is quite quite interesting interesting in terms of like People almost saw him as a bit of a failure at Watford despite high expectations.
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
um mean did He didn't do like hugely but bad with Watford. He got 33 goals, just over 100 appearances, like 120 appearances or something, which isn't bad.
00:19:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then he kind of went to Marseille, had a good start, then drifted out of the run in there and then was basically cast aside for the final few months of the season.
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
think Glasner said he didn't train with the Marseille team for the last four months and then came into Palace. It took a while to get going, in but now we've kind of seen what he's came for. of he's he's He's shown so much kind of quality that I don't think anyone kind of expected was there.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But just how kind of good do you think he's been this season? and And do you think he can carry on doing it at the later stages of this season?
00:19:46
Joe
Yeah, he's an interesting player. As you say, i think he's always been a talent. He claims, don't know if anyone's ever been able to verify this, that he had the chance to go to Barcelona before he signed for Rennes and didn't because he wanted to first-team football, was brilliant there, helped them win a Coupe de France ah against PSG.
00:20:13
Joe
And then Watford, as you say, he he's often looked back on as a failure, but I think it's just kind of come into an insane, insane environment at Watford. He you had two Premier League seasons at the club, ah interrupted by one season championship where he was their player of the season, did really well.
00:20:33
Joe
And in those two Premier League seasons, he had seven managers. And it's like, that's just not ideal conditions for any player to free is it?
00:20:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:20:42
Joe
um also had a few sort of significant disruptive injuries. Just goes back down with Watford. Again, in the championship, does OK, scores a championship goal this season within his own half.
00:20:59
Joe
Goes to Marseille, who are basically Le Watford, the basket case in France. um And I think he's basically just a career of bad luck and and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
00:21:16
Joe
And there's a really good article from an Opto analyst about him, which out at the end of March, just sort of making the case that that stability he has at Palace, that regular place the team, that consistent way of playing has really allowed him thrive and thrive.
00:21:37
Joe
got some really impressive numbers out of beyond the goals and assists um that I think would make you would make you think kind of to in a roundabout way, come on the back round and actually answer your question. He can keep it up. is He's actually tracking slightly below his expected goals and assists, which i think is a good thing. It means that he's consistently been a threat rather than just so being clinical and covering key moments.
00:22:04
Joe
um He also gives Palace so much off the ball.
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:09
Joe
He presses more, at least at the end of March, the stats were saying that he pressed more than any other player in the league in the midfield third than any other player except Bruno Fernandes, who's the only player who plays for his team.
00:22:23
Joe
So that's a pretty significant achievement.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
right Fernando does the job of about eight players.
00:22:28
Joe
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Eight compared to one Sar is like, yeah, it's a bit of an anomaly.
00:22:33
Joe
yeah
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:35
Joe
yeah Yeah, you just he's always running. He keeps the pressure up. He's making those sacrificial runs all the time. And he's kind of he's not creatively brilliant like Eze, but he's smart. He links up with Munoz well.
00:22:49
Joe
I think he makes good decisions about when to kind of fizz the ball in. i think you'll yeah I think as long as Glessner sticks around, then the system doesn't change. I see him continuing to deliver for Palace for rest of this year, for another season, hoping he stays. And yeah, what a great signing he's been.
00:23:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
honestly been like pleasantly surprised at how good he's been and I think as you kind of mentioned Glasner deserves huge credit for getting the best out of a player that probably came ah like the lowest point of their confidence and almost needed to let that arm around the shoulder to rebuild.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's it's kind of interesting like how many players... you know you cannot probably unlock that potential in the right environment. I think we're starting to see it now with Kamada as well. Glasner's obviously backed him all season and he was great in the ah match on Saturday.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's like, okay, yeah, you can... And throughout the season, you've seen there's a player there, just like, where is it kind of thing? And it's sort of similar with Saar, but the last, yeah, like basically since the turn of the year, like December, January, he's really sort found his form.
00:23:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's interesting as well, I haven't read the article, but it kind of strikes as like he's almost like the missing piece to link Eze and Mateta by his all-round play. I remember when we signed him, everyone everyone was like ah like, he can play right wing-back as well.
00:24:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
and it's like you couldnt like You wouldn't imagine that now, being like, oh yeah, Munoz is going off, we'll stick Saar back there.
00:24:15
Joe
Yeah.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like, no, he's too good to or like his qualities aren't as good to fill that role. And it's like, it's sort of bizarre thinking back 10 months ago that, you know, he was like, oh yeah, his primary position is like right wing, but we could play him at wing back. And it's just like, yeah, like in fact, fair
Closing and Listener Engagement
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
play to him as well. Like he's obviously, you know, producing the goods that he can and like um hopefully will continue. But yeah, just wonder if there's any other like gems out there that Glasner's iron up.
00:24:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, you know for next season who can can help us push on. So, yeah, nice.
00:24:57
Joe
unfashionable forwards and neither a confidence boost maybe darwin nunez will turn up at the service
00:25:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Nunez and Rasmus Hoyland would be an interesting deal there couple of signings, but I don't think the budget's there, to be fair, for those two. Right, that's been the Daily Palace podcast for today. Thanks for listening. um And if you've enjoyed the pod, can you give us five stars?
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
That'll help us moving forward. Just want to say a big thank you to Joe Lodge as well. Cheers, mate.
00:25:26
Joe
Thank you having me, Alex.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice one. And we'll catch you next time.