MX23RW : Friday, March 29 08:44:57| >> :120:76050:76050:
[monks data]
Crystal Palace logo
Premier League
Dec 7, 2013 at 3pm UK
 
Cardiff City logo

2-0

Jerome (6'), Chamakh (57')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Match Analysis: Crystal Palace 2-0 Cardiff City

Sports Mole dissects what went wrong for Cardiff City in a 2-0 defeat to revitalised Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace were chasing a third win in four Premier League games this afternoon against Cardiff City, who travelled to Selhurst Park without a goal in three successive matches on the road.

The tone for a fairly one-sided clash was set early on as Frazier Campbell missed a glorious chance for the Bluebirds, before Cameron Jerome made no mistake at the other end to break the deadlock inside six minutes.

Three precious points for the Eagles were wrapped on the on hour-mark by Marouane Chamakh, who scored for the second game running with a measured drive hit with the outside of his foot.

Look back at a big win for the Eagles with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.

Match statistics:

Palace:
Shots 19
On target 5
Possession 44%
Corners 8
Fouls 9

Newcastle:
Shots 9
On target 2
Possession 56%
Corners 3
Fouls 12

Was the result fair?

Palace were worthy winners as an Eagles side transformed under Tony Pulis played with pace and purpose throughout. Cardiff were unable to get their creative options on the ball in midfield and failed to deal with the pace of Jerome in attack, slipping to a defeat which leaves them just a point ahead of Palace outside the relegation places.

Palace's performance

Pulis will be delighted with the passion and drive shown by his charges today, hustling without the ball all over the pitch and making things happen in the final third. The strike duo of Chamakh and Jerome were superb, stretching the game with pace and taking up intelligent positions to give Barry Bannan and Jason Puncheon consistent options going forward.

Cardiff's performance

Malky Mackay definitely has cause for concern after an inept effort from his side this afternoon, lacking the bite and verve that they have regularly shown in home games this season. If Campbell's header was not tipped over by Julian Speroni it may well have been a different story, but in truth the Bluebirds were well beaten and failed to cope with the newly-crowned fortress Selhurst Park.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Marouane Chamakh: The Moroccan just shades Jerome after matching a tireless work ethic to his third goal of the campaign. Chamakh's contolled half volley was just reward for a striker finally reminding Eagles fans of the promise he showed in his early displays for Arsenal, dropping off the front regularly to link play and win the ball back from two central defenders who never got a rest.

Biggest gaffe

Campbell will have to claim this unfortunate prize tonight, failing to connect properly with a header from close range despite being unmarked and having time to watch a wonderful cross reach the six-yard box. His effort hit the turf and bounced up kindly enough for Speroni to parry, with Palace never looking back from there.

Referee performance

Michael Jones enjoyed a relatively quiet game but angered Palace players when he refused a second look at an effort which came within inches of crossing the line, before David Marshall's last-gasp intervention.

What next?

Palace: Pulis power at Palace will be tested to the full next weekend, when the Eagles visit Stamford Bridge for a London derby against title contenders Chelsea.

Cardiff: Mackay will be desperate for a reaction from his side when they host West Bromwich Albion next Saturday, who sit just a point and a place ahead of them in the Premier League table.

ID:122762: cacheID:122762:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5998:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Marouane Chamakh of Crystal Palace is surrounded by team mates after scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Cardiff City at Selhurst Park on December 07, 2013
Read Next:
Live Commentary: Palace 2-0 Cardiff - as it happened
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!