Crystal Palace produced one of their finest performances in recent memory as they blew Aston Villa away 3-0 to secure their third FA cup final on their quest to their first ever major trophy.
A first half Eberechi Eze wonderstrike and a second-half Ismaila Sarr double had the Palace fans in raptures and believing that on May 17th maybe it is their time for a major trophy.
Here is what we learned from the stunning performance:
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Ismaila Sarr is him
Ismaila Sarr was simply superb yesterday, the Senegalese winger put in an outstanding shift for Palace and if he could finish chances with his head like he did with his right foot, the 27 year old could have had a hat-trick. His first goal lashed in from 25 yards was clinical and there was a sense of inevitability as he raced through in the dying minutes that he was going to get his second.
The transformation Sarr has had this season has been incredible and this game showed all the best traits of the former Watford stand-out. It is worth remembering at the start of the season Sarr was being played off the bench as he had not had a full-preseason. He was short of confidence and looked a lightweight. Now he is a player with blistering pace, deadly finishing and a top class work rate which are why he has been the first name on Oliver Glasner’s team sheet all season.
Sarr is clearly a confidence player and one of the quieter personalities in the squad but the celebrations from the whole team after his second goal showed that he is truly loved and valuable member of the squad.
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Glasner Gets It Right With Kamada
The one debate amongst Eagles fans was who would partner Adam Wharton in midfield. The Austrian had three options Jefferson Lerma, Will Hughes and Daichi Kamada, Glasner plumped for Kamada. The Japanese international paid back his manager and then some with his finest performance in Red and Blue.
It would be kind to say the former Eintracht Frankfurt man has had a slow start to life in South London but over the month or so the midfielder has begun to show signs of really settling in. He was named Man of the Match by Palace fans in their 2-2 draw on Wednesday at Arsenal. Kamada was aggressive, combative and energetic on the Wembley turf providing a perfect foil for the peerless Wharton.
Kamada’s big game experience, having played in European finals for Frankfurt, shone through as he bossed the midfield. He constantly picked up second balls and also advanced play in ways that Palace fans had not seen from him. His ability to break up play was best shown in the in the final minutes of the game where he dispossessed Villa’s Leon Bailey in his box, skipped past claret and blue shirts with outstanding footwork and then pinged a left to right diagonal for Daniel Munoz to start a counter attack. In that one play Kamada arrived into the heart of fans in SE25.
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Henderson Comes Up Big !
Dean Henderson much like the aforementioned Sarr and Kamada was subject to criticism when he first arrived at Palace with certain fans unsure he should displace Sam Johnstone in between the sticks.
The 28 year old this season however has proven all of those doubters wrong with a string of outstanding performances in the between the sticks. Saturday was no different with the Cumbrian pulling off a number of fine saves at 0-0 and 1-0 to keep the Eagles in the game.
The best save of the lot and arguably the turning point of the final was at the game finally poised at 1-0 and Villa seemingly coming back into it. The ball fell to Lucas Digne from a Villa corner and he struck a right footed volley that seemed destined for the bottom corner. Only for Henderson to tip the ball around the post at full stretch down to his left hand side. Henderson has been consistently excellent this season and will be pushing Jordan Pickford to be England’s Number One.
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Palace Thrive on Being The Underdog
This Palace team thrive on being underdogs, from Sarr being put out in the cold at Marseille, to the Eagles first goal-scorer Eberechi Eze being released by multiple clubs as an academy player. This team is made up of players who have faced adversity throughout their careers and thrived.
This was exemplified on Saturday by Jean-Phillipe Mateta who missed a golden opportunity from the spot to double the Palace lead in front of his adoring fans. The big Frenchman who had scored his two previous penalties, saw his effort hit the right-hand post and cannon wide.
Mateta did not let this miss affect him like most other strikers would, with tireless work rate in both defence and attack typifying all that is good about Glasner’s side. He was consistently harassing Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa and was unlucky to have a goal dis-allowed for a foul on Konsa. His last ditch sliding tackle on Ross Barkley, in his own box as the Villa substitute was about to get a shot off on goal, showed the 27 year old's outstanding work rate.
Mateta and Palace will need to replicate this and more when they take on Man City on the 17th May back at Wembley.
