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Daily Palace - Eze's Going To Wembley
26 Plays17 days ago
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 gear up for the FA Cup final, discussing City's topsy turvy year, Palace's star performers and the disrespectful dressed-down delinquency of Pep Guardiola.
Season :- 1 Episode:- 141
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Transcript
Introduction and FA Cup Final Preview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Palace podcast brought over by the Global Sports Podcast Network. Today we are going to talk about the weekend's big sporting event, ah Stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, of course we're talking about the FA Cup final, which will be contested between Manchester City and a plucky little team called Crystal Palace tomorrow. With me today is a man who will be there tomorrow.
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alex, wait, Alex, what's it like to have a stomach full of butterflies?
00:00:44
Alex
ah Well, Joe, it's probably been the longest week of my life. um Just the anticipation has built slowly throughout the week. The tickets, I believe, landed for everyone on Wednesday. They did for me, but I'm sure i did for everyone else.
00:00:59
Alex
um And since then, it's just been like, it's it's actually real. Like, we're actually playing in the final again. And, you know, hopefully this time we away we won't bottle it like we have done the last couple times.
00:01:10
Alex
Yeah.
City's Form and Palace's Chances
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, ah today we're going to talk about tomorrow's opponents, um Palace's prospects. tournament so far and a bit of fa cup attire but starting with uh tomorrow's opponents lay our aside and the no introduction man the city have been probably the most dominant club side at least modern english football has ever seen since pep guardiola arrived in 2016 they've won 14 major trophies uh winning the f fa cup itself twice in the process
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they are coming to the end of their worst season under the Catarsan's stewardship. Do you fancy a team that Palace can get out here, Alex?
00:02:00
Alex
ah Yeah, I do. It's tricky because you sort of think of Man City, of this team at the moment, as like a team in a little bit of a decline, let's say.
00:02:14
Alex
They're still amazing, like let's be blunt about that. But they they're not at their best at the moment. um They're are a team that perhaps will be in transition over the summer. I'm sure they'll have some new recruits ah coming in to shore up the midfield and replace people like De Bruyne.
00:02:30
Alex
um So, yeah, they're not the man city we we have known who have dominated ah English football for the last few years. um But there are some things I'm a bit worried about in terms of Saturday. So, first of all, the 0-0 draw against Southampton on Saturday, I think, might play against us a little bit.
00:02:53
Alex
I think they they'll iron out some of the you know big misses they've
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:02:59
Alex
they had against Southampton and lack of creativity and what have you. um That could bite us. And also, it's our only chance of silverware this season. Knowing Guardiola, he won't want to miss out on a bit of you know something something else to add to his, I'm sure, full trophy cabinet at home in another FA
Analyzing City's Motivation and Defensive Issues
00:03:19
Alex
Cup. But yeah, there's a couple of things I'm a bit... have a bit of jeopardy about, but...
00:03:25
Alex
I think coming into it, we couldn't be in a better place right now. You know, we've five unbeaten. I think we've only lost four of the last 24 matches in all competitions.
00:03:36
Alex
And obviously the semi-final against Villa showed that we can do it against the big teams when we need to. You've got players like Eze, Saar, who are just amazing at the moment. And yeah, I think it'll be a really tight game. On paper, obviously, City are the big favourites, but I'm hearing murmurings of people fancying Palace, but we don't We don't like that anyway. We're the underdog team always. So we prefer that status. So if you're thinking of backing Palace, don't go against us, please, will help us, I think.
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think you're right that Pep will be wanting to add add something for season to his bulging trophy cabinet. It must be amazing his house, I think.
00:04:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're a burglar, the dream night would be getting into Greater Manchester and hitting Guardiola and Ferguson's house on the same day because there must be an unbelievable amount of precious metal in between the two of them.
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think they're... yeah I was going to say the 0-0 draw was kind of positive with Southampton. I mean, you are right that...
00:04:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
They did squander chance in that game, definitely. And there'll things that they'll be pushing to iron out. And we'd probably rather they had that blip in the final. But it's a pretty...
Palace's Strategy and Key Players
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's an encouragingly blunt performance, if nothing else, in a way. I mean, only Fulham and Swansea have managed not to score against Southampton this season. and They are really, really bad defensively.
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So for a team that can defend well... um like Palace, then that is somewhat encouraging. I guess the flip side is Palace and City, in fairness, don't defend that well against each other in recent times.
00:05:26
Alex
Yeah.
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've both caused each other problems. There have been, checked this before coming on, I think 21 goals in the last four games between the two teams.
00:05:38
Alex
Insane. Insane numbers.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's mad. Admittedly, City have scored 13 of them. But ah Palace, I think Palace have scored two goals in each of their last ah yeah each had last four games against City, which, I mean, it's it's astonishing they've only picked up two points considering that.
00:05:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But, you know, I think it's... There are reasons... with City's recent form, with Palace's threat that they've shown they can carry against them.
00:06:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Went 3-0 up last time they played for one goal to be ruled out for offside and then and to lose 5-2. But they can hit them. And
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
one part me wants to say that City's defence, which was kind of their big weak spot earlier in the season, has now improved. and They have kept three clean sheets in a row.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But again, one them is against Southampton and The FA Cup semi against Forest, I think they were incredibly lucky to keep a clean sheet in that game.
00:06:46
Alex
Yeah.
00:06:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had tons of chances for us playing in a fairly similar way to what Palace will want to. So, yeah. ah so So, all in all, it's...
00:07:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
probably playing City is a similar prospect going for a vasectomy. It's quite quite scary on paper, but there's plenty of evidence, I would say, to suggest that it might not be that bad.
00:07:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Barring long-term injuries to a couple of stars apiece, including the Ballon d'Or winning holding midfielder Rodri for City free-capped Morocco in international centre-back Shadi Riyad for Palace, both teams are pretty fit at the moment.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
The good news for Palace on that front particularly is that Adam Wharton is fit and available for selection despite having rolled an ankle against Forrest couple weeks ago and having missed the Spurs game last weekend.
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who do you think of the kind of the Palace team available for selection can can hurt City the most here, Alex?
00:07:55
Alex
I think, yeah, probably the obvious is the front three, Eze, Saar, Mateta. um Just, yeah, they've hit form at the right time, really, especially Eze. I think he's got five goals now in his last four, and he's obviously scored in the last two FA Cup games.
00:08:13
Alex
ah Really good goals as well, just showing his quality at the moment. um I think a sort of... not an unsung hero, but someone who's grown in confidence massively recently is, uh, Deitchi Kamada, who we're kind of expecting will start with Wharton to pair in the midfield because they did so well against Villa.
00:08:34
Alex
Um, know he had a great game. Obviously, everyone played well in the semi-final, ah but I think his kind of like composure and ability to drive forward was overshadowed by Wharton because he put in a masterclass in ah traditional English midfieldism in the semi-final. um He was everywhere like playing. Yeah, great.
00:08:56
Alex
former but Kamada did really well as as well and I think um perhaps sometimes when the attention gets taken to the front three and players like Warton and Munoz going forward it does perhaps leave room for someone like Kamada to pick up the scraps and you know um have a perhaps afforded a bit more space than the other star players if you like um So I'll be keeping an eye on him tomorrow, albeit through probably a few beers of hazy goggles. um
00:09:27
Alex
I'll be keeping an eye on Kamada to see how he does. But yeah, I think he's one to to keep an eye on, who's perhaps not the most obvious choice, who could could do some damage to City.
00:09:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's good shout. Come on. I mean, one thing about City, I think every season, know, and it may have been exposed because the vulnerability it's created this season, is they will press you quite aggressively in those areas. If you've got players who can wriggle out of that press and ah expose that back line on the counter, then you can cause problems, I think, of all of Palace's centre-mid options.
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kamada in terms of that ability, that close control that he's going to use his body to turn a man is probably the standout. So he could be really important in getting Palace away quickly.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
In a similar vein, I think, We saw that Wharton was really important last time Palace played City and in in that half an hour, whatever, causing them all manner of problems the start of the game.
00:10:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was crucial to that with his fast switches out to ah Mitchell and Munoz. And so I think him being back is a real, real positive for Crystal Palace as well.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, as you say, all all of the attacking line-up, their reasons to be positive about as a and sarah in great form
Team Unity and Final Attire Discussion
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you just feel it's it's the kind of stage that's made for john flie mateta the narrative the man he's been he's not really done much in the ff cup other than nearly loses here this season but it would be a brilliant way to cap that story off if he did put in a big performance in the final um Yeah, I think well we'll wrap this section up there, have a word from the sponsors, and then move on slightly, veer away from the troublesome topic of Manchester City and towards some lighter, more positive FA Cup chat.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So looking at this magical FA Cup run in its entirety, Alex, I just wanted to ask, who has been Palace's best player of the tournament, potentially the best player of the entire tournament as a result, and why is it a barrier?
00:12:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:36
Alex
Yeah, you read my mind, surprisingly. um Yeah, like obviously Eze just scored three goals in the competition so far.
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:12:45
Alex
um All really great goals as well. Obviously the Villa opener scored first against Fulham at like a critical time when we were under the cosh a little bit.
00:12:58
Alex
And he just sort picked the ball up and curled it in nicely. then obviously set up the second with a great run and cross. But um yeah, his goal against Stockport as well, like all the way back in January, where it all started, um was like obviously vital because we but we were rubbish in that game.
00:13:20
Alex
And for him to score but early on and us was just to basically see out a 1-0 lead against a League Two opponent. um Which all credit to Stockport, they were great on the day. But um it just proves that it's just he's a match winner.
00:13:36
Alex
that no matter who he's playing against, he has the ability to turn it on and just come up with a moment of brilliance. um So he has been you know the clear contender for Palace's player of the tournament so far.
00:13:50
Alex
But I think there's other sort of players who have played their part as well. I think Will Hughes was like up absolutely dominant against Doncaster away in a game that probably suited him down to the ground in terms of the physicality. And I think Billy Sharp left the some stud marks on Maxence Lacroix as well. and And Hughes was straight in there, um you know, like two...
00:14:15
Alex
two sort of well-versed players in the, you know, the other side, dark side of the game. um But yeah, it's like all these sort of fringe players almost like Hughes, Lerma, Deveni scored a great goal against ah Doncaster. Like,
00:14:33
Alex
Although Eze is the the man that everyone's looking at, the Sar scored two amazing goals in the semi-final that Palace fans will remember whether we win or lose tomorrow. like Just those moments are fantastic.
00:14:45
Alex
um Yeah, just to be honest, mate, Eze is a standout, but the whole team, like we've got to be proud of them. The back three are... I'm going to hold my tongue there when swore.
00:14:57
Alex
um Yeah, the back three are just amazing.
00:14:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So,
00:15:00
Alex
like There's a feeling that... you know For a team like Palace, you need that cohesion um and that thing of like, we can do this together and we can get over the line.
00:15:11
Alex
And you sort of felt it from the players throughout this run, um you know that everyone's chipping in, everyone's working towards the same goal. you know And I think that will almost give us a bit of an advantage over City, who are a bit disjointed at the moment.
00:15:27
Alex
um you know perhaps lacking the Guardiola stamp that he often puts on his team. Whereas we've got this kind of like identity of like, we'll get at you, counter-attack, we'll press at the right times and we'll do it as a team.
00:15:40
Alex
And I think that kind of feeds off. into the fans as well actually like it's it's like a proper club movement which you don't really feel too often um so yeah although Eze is our pick like it's I think the whole team deserve credit for playing some part um even Joel Ward has like Glasner's credited him a couple of times for his presence in the dressing room and stuff and it's like you know you get these moments now and again where it's like you know the whole team's pushing but
00:15:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
list.
00:16:10
Alex
yeah I think whatever happens tomorrow, we're going to be proud of what what the guys have achieved. and Especially as a he might get a bit of a special nod. It's been a great run so far.
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, not very well put very well put. I think you're right to also give the defence of credit there. This run's been built on clean sheets and certainly Richardson and Gahey have played every minute, so they deserve a lot of credit for their role in it.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Moving on to slightly different topic, City have got a lot of tabloid journalists backs up in the last couple of years by turning up in T-shirts rather than suits, as is tradition.
00:16:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Palace have got nicely tailored suits. Are you relieved by that, Alex? And what would you wear if you were managing a team in the FA Cup for
00:17:07
Alex
um yeah i do like the suits i'm yeah i'll be honest like um i'm probably the most informal like casual dressed person going like i do love a tracksuit um so i think if i was managing i might do what did pulis do a few years ago didn't he like wear a suit pre-game and then went and got changed before kickoff into his tracksuit and his cap like that's
00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's like and Yeah.
00:17:31
Alex
I think that's something that I'd like to do. but If I and i ever got a team to the FA Cup final, I think I'd ditch the suit. yeah yes not by Suit is a very rare thing for me to wear.
00:17:43
Alex
a yeah I'm quite pleased the boys are wearing suits tomorrow. though I think as a team, yes, it works. But manager on the touchline, I don't know. I don't even know if Glasner will were tomorrow. you know I think he'll probably wear a jumper.
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's confirmed that he is, but yeah, I could see him doing an academics thing, a cream jumper with a tie sticking out the top, a blazer melting away in the sun.
00:17:56
Alex
That's good.
00:18:01
Alex
yeah
00:18:07
Alex
it does um He does strike me as like, you know, in pre-season where it's like 30 degrees and the team's like in Marbella or Egypt or somewhere and the manager's there in like a turtleneck.
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:19
Alex
That's Glasner all over. He's like, oh, a bit chilly. I put the turtleneck on. um But yeah, what about you? Would you soup?
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i i like the ah I like the suits and the tradition of it in the FA Cup final, but i would also still like to wind up tabloid journalists. I would wear a suit, but I'd have like a massive German flag embroidered on the back or something like that to see what kind of reaction I could rail out. and um
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Other matters, attire-wise, that have come up, Palace have agreed to wear white
Final Predictions and Match Scenarios
00:18:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
socks to resolve a clash, which allows both them and City to wear their home kits.
00:19:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
City to'll be wearing next season's home shirt, in fact. um Should Palace have allowed that, Alex? Is it not one more psychological advantage that... you've seeded to forcements there, Waste Trip.
00:19:20
Alex
Yeah, I mean, when I first read it, I was a bit ah bit annoyed because you like obviously want, as the home-drawn team, you want to be wearing the club colours throughout your kit. So I was like, oh, what the hell? like What's going on? But then...
00:19:33
Alex
I also read in the same article that um we were wearing the white socks when Townsend scored that blinding goal at the Etihad for the same reason and when we won 3-2.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wish
00:19:45
Alex
So it might be like a lucky kind of omen that we wear the white socks tomorrow. um I mean, that's the only kind of like ah saving grace I can have from us not wearing our full home kit.
00:19:58
Alex
But um yeah, I think, I don't know. I'm not massively superstitious, but you know if that does give us some edge somewhere, I don't know whether it does. But if it does, I'd be very grateful for it.
00:20:11
Alex
But if we if we do win the cup tomorrow, I can't see many people attributing the white socks to the... to the victory but you know you never know
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Well, if the game's deadlocked, 10 minutes left and you see Andros Townsend suddenly stripping down the warming on, you'll know it's only going one way.
00:20:30
Alex
yeah
00:20:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
think they shouldn't have let them do it.
00:20:32
Alex
yeah
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
i think you... ah This is a very tenuous omen, but I noticed City's away kit is pretty similar to that bespoke um black and yellow shirt that Palace lost the 1990 FA Cup final replay in.
00:20:53
Alex
i
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think that would be a good omen to force them in into that.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And generally, yeah. I mean, The FA Cup, if they were just wearing this season's home kit, then fair enough. But the FA Cup is is not an exercise in marketing your shirt for next season. and
00:21:09
Alex
Yeah.
00:21:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It means more than that.
00:21:10
Alex
Yeah.
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:21:11
Alex
that That should be saved for last game at the Etihad, like where it's just all, where it's, you know, a few thousand City fans watching.
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
to
00:21:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. like
00:21:19
Alex
um
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:20
Alex
That's what it should be for. Not, yeah, not for Wembley.
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a very consequential match in the current season, but that shows four.
00:21:22
Alex
Like,
00:21:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's mad.
00:21:27
Alex
yeah
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i'm I'm not having that from Pep and his boys.
00:21:31
Alex
Yeah, they need to draw the fans in somehow though, don't they? See, this is so to Wembley, so maybe, yeah, it was just pure marketing. Like, if we flash a new kit, we'll get a few thousand more fans through the gate.
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give me that. Give me that.
00:21:45
Alex
Yeah.
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
um We'll have one more that will break now and then wrap up by giving our predictions.
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So this is the question Alex, what is your prediction? How's it going to go? Sorry.
00:22:24
Alex
a It's the toughest one we've done so far, isn't it, in terms of score predictions? um But i can so i can like you mentioned earlier, Joe, I can still see this being a high-scoring kind of match.
00:22:38
Alex
I just think both teams have so much threat and like so much quality in attack that they're going to utilize it somehow. um so oh talk ah I think, yeah, I'm going to go for a 2-1 Palace.
00:22:53
Alex
um I think this is our our time to do it you know I think we're going to get there tomorrow but there's still the doubt you know there's still the doubt but we've got a yeah we can't lose three FA Cup finals in the last like 40 years or whatever we just can't do it it's yeah yeah we've got to take this chance yeah 2-1
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's good. I'm touching wood for you. And what does a dog think? Sounds like wants to get in involved.
00:23:21
Alex
ah he's ah yeah he's he's not He's not a football fan. its a You kick a ball for him and he hates it. so yeah he's
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:23:31
Alex
He's just a weirdo, really.
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fair
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
play. Fair play.
00:23:38
Alex
he's
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I'm going at Palace win on pens. Joel Ward takes a decisive penalty.
00:23:43
Alex
all pen
00:23:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Penenka's Edison.
00:23:48
Alex
that would be yeah That would be something.
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
thanks
00:23:52
Alex
What a way to send off Joel Ward. yeah I hope he gets some minutes tomorrow, regardless. um But if we're deadlocked at 2-all in the 90th minute, I yeah yeah they can't see happening.
00:24:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
alright well um I guess so what's left to say is up for Palace good luck tomorrow and we'll be back on Monday to celebrate or commiserate the biggest game of the season until then it's goodbye from us