Not sure where Glaziers Fan is when you need him (or my eyesight is worse than ever :rolleyes:)
Well, it was on paper the thrashing I’d demanded, and there is no doubt Palace confirmed the gulf in class between the Premier League & Championship, but for a while the Addicks had us a little worried, and some friendly officiating gave the clowns a fig leaf to cover their embarrassment. Our second-string attack never looked less than dangerous against what I am led to believe was a weakened opposition and it was nice to sit back and wait for the next chance to appear.
Pardew fielded a very unusual 4-4-2 formation – it will never catch on! Hennessey in goal; Kelly & Souaré at full back; Delaney & Mariappa central defence; Ledley & McArthur in central midfield; Zaha on the right & Chung-yong Lee the right; and Gayle and Campbell up front. This XI showed the strength in depth of Premier League squads these days, and then you looked at the bench – Speroni, Hangeland, Cabaye, Sako, Puncheon, Bolasie & Bamford. Not an apprentice or YTS lad among them. This also showed that Pardew was serious about his ambitions in the cups this year.
The first half was entertaining but frustrating to a degree. Charlton just didn’t look dangerous – I can recall one shot straight at Hennessey. Instead Palace displayed pace and passing that we used to be routinely on the end of. The midfield was undeniably ours and there were regular incursions down the flanks. Problem was that we still lacked a cutting edge up front and too often looked to walk the ball into the net. The chances mounted, the best coming early when an excellent cross from Lee found an unmarked Campbell eight yards out, only for his header to come off the top of his head & over the bar. That was Lee’s best moment in the first half as apart from that he was very disappointing, regularly losing the ball. In contrast Zaha was having a good game, putting in several dangerous crosses but neither Gayle nor Campbell could quite make contact. After bedazzling his full back Wilf did find Campbell close in, but Fraizer’s snap shot was deflected just over, while Gayle finally took a shot from the edge of the box to see the ball flash just wide. The only disconcerting moment of the half was the loss of Delaney to injury, replaced by Hangeland.
Second half started much the same as the first – Palace well on top but still yet to imprint their superiority on the scoreboard. Lee dragged a shot well wide then Zaha put in another fine cross only for Campbell, unmarked in the middle of the goalmouth, to glance his header well wide. We were still cursing when Zaha again tore the Addicks’ left flank apart and Campbell, admittedly at the second attempt, turned on the ball and finished from 12 yards out. That did seem to put some fire in Charlton’s belly and there was almost an immediate response, Bergdich cutting in on our right and his shot from a tight angle striking Hennessey’s knees. It was an isolated moment of concern: Gayle headed in a corner only for it to be ruled out (no idea why), then set up Campbell whose turn in the box ended with him on the ground and a penalty awarded – it looked a soft decision but Dwight smashed the ball home.
At 2-0 we were gleefully taunting the away fans, but the football gods didn’t like that. Bamford had come on for Campbell when Charlton won a corner, despite the ball going out off Bergdich’s enormous arse, and from that the giant Sarr had a free header from about 6 yards that simply burst through Hennessey’s hands. They were to have another couple of headed chances in the short period of worry that followed, but one from Sarr was easier for Wayne to deal with while Ahearne-Grant’s effort missed the target. So up stepped Mr. Swarbrick to award a second penalty for a foul on Gayle; it had more justification than the first but still didn’t look clear-cut (they never do at the Holmesdale Road end from 100+ yards away); ironically it came seconds after the ref had ruled out a Charlton appeal for a player trying to squeeze through a gap that wasn’t there. It helped that Diarra was given a straight red card, then Gayle coolly sent Pope the wrong way.
With that the game was over as Palace’s use of the ball and pace against a tiring, undermanned opposition was the equivalent of smearing them in jam and pegging them out on an anthill. The ball flashed across their area on a regular basis and the chances piled up. On a quick break Gayle passed up the chance of a hat-trick to set up Bamford, whose shot had placement but not enough force and was well saved by Pope, but Dwight didn’t have to wait long for this third, his header from another corner made me believe it had to be one of our towering attackers. Cabaye (what a resource to have coming off the bench) finished the night with a shot that hit the bar (perhaps with a touch from the keeper) and Gayle’s header from the rebound being saved by Pope. By the end the noisome visitors had crept home in sullen disappointment, their team deservedly crushed.
Hennessey – 6 – Very little to do. The goal looked bad but the header was at such close range & with such power that I don’t think he had a chance to do more than start raising his hands. It was very similar to West Ham’s third at home last year when the ball burst through Speroni’s hands. If you are lucky it strikes just enough flesh for the ball to be diverted up.
Kelly – 7 – Defensively was caught out once by Bergdich, but apart from that was relatively untroubled. Played a good role supporting the attack, linking up well with Zaha.
Souaré – 8 – If not for Dwight’s hat-trick Pape would have been man of the match. An excellent display of mostly attacking play, strong & fast running and some accurate crosses.
Delaney – 6 – Nothing to do until he sunk to his knees in the centre circle.
Mariappa – 6 – Quiet night, used the ball well.
McArthur – 7 – Along with Ledley he bossed the middle of the park. Wish he would occasionally pull the trigger from the edge of the box.
Ledley – 7 – Pretty much barred Charlton’s route through the middle and used the ball well.
Lee – 5 – Apart from one pin-point cross in the first half it was an underwhelming first-half display, his use of the ball was poor and he was often dispossessed. Improved in the second half and when Charlton were exhausted and down to 10 men he looked quite good.
Zaha – 7 – Made plenty of chances down the right and his crosses were generally fine, often driven low, and really should have been met by Campbell or Gayle on a more regular basis. Worked hard too, closing down defenders, and his decision making was good.
Campbell – 6 – Decent first half let down by inability to take chances. Slightly better in the second when an awful miss was followed with a goal that even then looked laboured. Like Wilf & Dwight worked hard in closing down the defence.
Gayle – 8 – Hat-trick and could perhaps have had five or six with a disallowed effort and those saved or just wide. Looked dangerous when running at the defence but did win some headers in build-up play.
Hangeland – 5 – Completely lost Sarr for their goal and was quickly beaten by him soon after for another chance.
Bamford – 6 – Busy but never quite clicked; not sure if the effort saved by Pope was a fine save or a mediocre finish. Like most he looked good in the last 15 minutes.
Cabaye – 7 – Bringing Yohan off the bench was rubbing Charlton’s nose in the dirt, nearly capped with a fine shot from distance that thumped the bar.
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