Glasner on his squad's fitness & expectations of Newcastle

First-team

3 hours ago

Fixtures continue to come thick and fast for Crystal Palace over the winter period, with a trip to face Newcastle United up next on Sunday (4th January, 15:00 GMT).

The Eagles fought well against Fulham on New Year's Day, but were forced to settle for a draw after Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half header was cancelled out late on by Tom Cairney's strike.

Glasner delivered his pre-Newcastle press conference in the immediate aftermath of the 1-1 draw, and spoke about Sunday's opponents, who are a point behind Palace in the Premier League standings; and lessons learned from last season's trip to St. James' Park.

Read on below for the Manager’s key pre-match quotes.

On team news ahead of Newcastle…

Right now, of course, today we had 14 on-field players from our squad available, and we have our youngsters.

But for me, it's always important also to find the right moment to give them minutes, because it's also for them: for example, coming on today and making a mistake and you lose, it's massive pressure on a young boy, and so it's really being very careful and cautious with them to find the right moment.

Of course, if Will [Hughes] is not available, we have 13, and three days after Newcastle, we play Villa at home. Both teams are on a great run, even though Villa lost at the Emirates.

With Newcastle, I watched them against Burnley, they’re a high-intensity team, especially at home. Pace everywhere. Great, very dominant central midfield. We will give our best to do it better than last year, because last year we went home with a 5-0 [defeat].

It looks like [Eddie Nketiah] is also not available. It looks like nobody will come back for this game.

Quote Icons

It is just an amazing group of players
—Oliver Glasner

On right wing-back...

We tried Jaydee [Canvot] at the Emirates and it's not his position. And I always say I want the players playing in their best position, so he can play as a centre-back, but I think in the Premier League not as a wing-back right now. Maybe later, but not right now, so I want to protect him.

Of course, we think, like at the end, that Borna [Sosa] can play there. We expect Gordon there [for Newcastle], huge pace, great dribbler, and then it's ‘OK, who can defend in this position?’

And [Nathaniel] Clyney, with all his experience, I will talk to him and if he feels ready, and I think he's the best one for this, he will start again. If he says he can't start again, we will find another solution.

On his team’s performances with a reduced squad…

I think I didn't learn – it’s just confirmation of what they have shown from day number one: it is just an amazing group of players.

They're always sticking together and giving their best. And even when we don't perform on our top level, we always try to win, try to get the point, like it was all the games.

On Newcastle’s set-up…

[They play with] high intensity, huge pace, a clear 4-3-3, clear profile in the positions. If it's Anthony Gordon or [Harvey] Barnes, it's different – Nick Woltemade, the tall one, or [Yoane] Wissa, the quick one. Dominant midfield with Joelinton, [Sandro] Tonali, [Bruno] Guimarães. I think they have a few injuries at the back.

But yeah, especially at home, playing man to man against you, always being under pressure, playing quick forward. They're always pressure, pressure, pressure.

But on the other side, I have in my mind, when I watched their Burnley game, that Burnley had a few good chances, that they also give you a few spaces with their attacking football.

Then it's up to us to take these spaces and take them for our advantage.

On St James’ Park…

It’s a great stadium and great atmosphere.

But many of our players know it, so they've played there more often than I did. I just experienced it last year.

It's up to us to keep the crowd quiet.

Quote Icons

I think winning the Community Shield, the roots were at Newcastle
—Oliver Glasner

On lessons from last season’s trip to Newcastle…

We conceded 10 goals in three days at [Manchester] City and Newcastle. I didn't sleep a lot after the 5-0 defeat. Everybody was really disappointed.

But I think winning the Community Shield [against Liverpool], the roots were at Newcastle, because we conceded a quick goal, we were 1-0 down. Then, we missed the penalty with Ebs [Eze]. And then we lost our head until half-time. We conceded one set-play goal and two transitions.

We wanted this equaliser immediately after the missed penalty. We had no rest defence. We attacked with seven players and then we got punished with their pace. We couldn't match it.

And in the analysis, we didn't lose because we played how we wanted to play. We lost because we played how we didn’t want to play.

And then the message was: you can be 1-0 down everywhere. But don't lose your head, stick to the plan.

And in the Community Shield [against Liverpool], we were 2-1 down. And I told the players again, remember the Newcastle game. We were 2-1 down, stick to the plan, to the structure. We will get two or three situations, two or three chances where we can score the equaliser. But just be patient and don’t do what we got punished [for].

Every team in the Premier League, if you lose your structure, if you lose your balance in the game, you get punished and you will lose. So I think it was very hurtful, but it was very important.

Match Details

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace

Sunday, 4th January
15:00 GMT
Premier League
St. James' Park
Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.

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