Crystal Palace are in the 2024-25 FA Cup final after a 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
Here are Adam Sells’ talking points from Wembley:
WHAT A DAY!
It nearly all went right for Crystal Palace. One of the days when it all came together. One of the memorable days in the club’s history.
It is not the final and nothing has been won, but the level of performance, the fans, the noise, the joy. It all came together at once and felt truly special.
The Eagles get to back again in three weeks’ time and in did it in a fashion that had the national talking.
Every player to a man turned in a high-level display and played their part, scoring three goals without reply, though in truth it could have been five or six against an Aston Villa team seemed like they had had the stuffing knocked out of them, having competed so well all season in four competitions.
Palace responded positively to their only real setback, which was Jean-Philippe Mateta’s missed 53rd-minute penalty. The big striker, who had never failed from the spot, hit the post from 12 yards, which led to the biggest roar from the East side of Wembley Stadium that housed the Villa fans.
Picture: Keith Gillard
In truth, the Champions League quarter-finalists had little to shout about, and the deafening sound from the Palace end was relentless.
SELECTION SURPRISE
Oliver Glasner sprung a huge surprise with his midfield line up, naming Daichi Kamada ahead of Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma.
Kamada turned in a decent display in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in midweek and was rewarded by his boss, being given the nod to alongside Adam Wharton in the centre of the park.
Though many eyebrows may have been raised prior to kick off the Japanese international was industrious throughout and really grew into the game, showing some nice touches and a great deal of composure.
Kamada has received a fair amount of criticism this term after joining the club from Lazio last summer and though it would be fair to say that has excelled, much of it has been unwarranted.
The technician has failed to influence games in the way it may have been anticipated, but he may be finding form just at the right moment.
Another surprise was the omission of Matheus França among the substitutes. The young Brazilian who has looked very bright in recent cameos was strangely left out, leaving only two attacking options on the bench, whilst the Austrian coach named three full-backs and three central midfielders.
“UNBELIEVABLE”
Glasner described his team’s performance as “Unbelievable” post-match, and it was hard to argue.
From back to front, this was a complete display as we have seen under the former Eintracht Frankfurt manager.
There have been a few of those, particularly towards the end of last season and this felt very much in the same vein.
Picture: Keith Gillard
Dean Henderson, who has conceded a few disappointing goals of late was in imperious form, making a couple of excellent saves after the interval and showing a good command of his six yard box, often coming to get a fist on a high ball that rained in on his goal.
In front of him, the back three gave little away. Chris Richards was aggressive in the tackle, Maxence Lacroix immaculate, Marc Guehi led his team by example with a typically polished display.
The wing-backs Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell worked tirelessly to cover Wembley’s huge wide-open spaces. In fact, so much so that the latter was forced to leave the action with cramp – wondering how his name was not on the scoresheet, after passing up a highly presentable opportunity on the stroke of half-time.
In midfield, Adam Wharton really thrived in the second half with his ball winning abilities and astute use of it.
In attack, the two ‘number tens’ behind Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr should not only be lorded for their attacking prowess and goalscoring but for their huge defensive contribution. Eze’s finish for the first goal was sensational, after being fed by Sarr. In the second half Sarr finished with aplomb twice to cap a magnificent display.
He could have had four, it seemed he was everywhere. Late on, both he and Mateta were throwing themselves into tackles inside their own penalty box – it was all action. A word too for substitute Eddie Nketiah who’s pressing saw him pick Ezri Konsah’s pocket to set Sarr away for the third.
SARR WILL TEAR YOU APART AGAIN (& AGAIN) (&AGAIN)
Villa boss Unai Emery was typically magnanimous in defeat during the post-match press conference, praising Palace in the four encounters throughout the season. His team have managed one draw against an injury hit team, being defeated three times, once in the league and in both domestic cup competitions.
Picture: Keith Gillard
He and everybody connected with Villa will be relieved that they won’t be facing Sarr again.
The Senegalese forward has played a total of 248 minutes across the four encounters.
In that time, the twenty-seven-year-old has scored five times and assisted a further two of the eleven goals Palace have scored against the ‘Villans’ with Eze scoring twice and assisting once in 196 minutes.
PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD
