Match Report: Resolute Swansea Hold Frustrated Palace at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace welcomed Swansea to Selhurst Park on bank holiday Monday hoping to maintain their pursuit of an unlikely European finish. However, they were left to wonder what might have been after drawing a blank against a resolute Swans defence, hellbent on shutting out the Eagles and carrying out their plan of attack with aplomb.
Palace's inability to find a way past a defence that sits deep in front of their own fans was again evident in their 0-0 draw with Swansea. Alan Pardew was made to do without Bakary Sako and Yannick Bolasie through injury, meaning his ideal appraoch to goal was limited. As such, the Eagles boss deployed Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha on the flanks, with Yohan Cabaye positioned behind, initially, Marouane Chamakh and, for the second half, Patrick Bamford.
With Mile Jedinak and James McArthur shielding the backline, this granted Cabaye the license to press forward and support the attack, as he did so efficiently under Pardew at Newcastle prior to his move to PSG. However, while the Frenchman has indeed impressed upon his return to England, his influence was limited by the efficient Jack Cork against the Swans. Thrust further forward, the 29-year-old was unable to maximise his creative talents closer to the Swansea goal, particularly with space at a premium. With Cabaye closely marked, though, it was no surprise to see him fouled 4 times - only Zaha (5) was fouled more times of all players - as Swansea did all they could to ensure he couldn't flex his creative muscles.
It is worth noting, though, that he was not aided by the ineffective strike pair of Chamakh and Bamford. The former recently made his long-awaited return from injury and spearheaded the attack at the expense of the injured Connor Wickham. Goals from strikers have been a rarity for Palace this season, with the frontmen at Pardew's disposal bagging just one of the 23 league goals netted, that courtesy of Wickham in their recent 2-1 win at Stoke. When Wickham's been absent, Pardew has largely favoured Bolasie in a false 9 role, but with the winger sidelined; Chamakh was handed the opportunity to stake a claim for a regular starting spot.
The Moroccan mustered just 17 touches in the opening 45 minutes, while Bamford's best chance to prove his worth came in the latter stages of the second half, though his snapshot from 12 yards did little but sting the palms of Lukasz Fabianski. The Pole was rarely forced into action over the 90 minutes, bar making a low stop to deny Brede Hangeland in the second half, in part down to his watertight backline. Jordi Amat came into the side in place of Federico Fernandez and hardly put a foot wrong alongside captain Ashley Williams.
It's the the Swans skipper, though, who was awarded the WhoScored man of the match award with a rating of 7.64 as the south Wales side secured their third successive clean sheet under Alan Curtis. Pardew praised the Wales international after the game, labelling him "immense" in the stalemate and he wasn't far wrong. Williams snuffed out every bit of danger thrown his way in the encounter, making a monumental 18 clearances, further highlighting his proactivity in the backline and willingness to be in the right place at the right time in order to alleviate pressure on the Swansea goal.
It culminated in a frustrated Palace side, who once more struggled to break down a team that sits deeper in order to limit the Eagles' clear-cut chances. It's not the first time this has happened at Selhurst Park this term and chances are it won't be the last. Pardew lamented injuries to Bolasie, Sako and Dwight Gayle after the match and he has every right to, with Bolasie one of his side's key performers on the flanks, but with the former duo sidelined for the foreseeable future, he needs to configure a system that works with the players at his disposal or else run the risk of falling behind the dark horses chasing a European spot.
The positive result for Swansea, however, means they put a slither of light between themselves and 18th placed Newcastle. With the Magpies falling to back-to-back defeats, Curtis' side now sit two points above the relegation zone, with an unbeaten run of three games over the festive period helping the team pull away from danger.
How important will Swansea's defence be in their quest to stave off relegation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
