Glasner on Palace’s attacking focus pre-Bournemouth
Oliver Glasner says getting more players into advanced positions is the key to his side scoring more goals, as they prepare to take on Bournemouth at the Vitality on Tuesday, 2nd April (19:45 BST).
“They all have great finishes,” the manager said of his attacking players. “[With] Ebs [Eze], I like that he has so many chances, and not just by dribbling but also because he runs into space, or after set-plays, and he has a great finish.
“So I am really calm that we will score the goals. What I’m thinking about is: ‘OK, we have JP [Mateta] with many moments that he can score, we have Ebs and many moments that he can score, but we need also more players.
“We have these chances, and we want to bring more players [forward]. We had Tyrick [Mitchell] and there was a ball behind the back line in the 90th minute [against Nottingham Forest], but nobody was there.
“The same ball from [Matheus] França against Burnley and we had two players there, and Jordan scores the goal. So this is what I think is our job: to bring the players into this position when they can score a goal, and then they all have the quality to score the goals.”
Although the tight turnaround from Saturday’s draw at the City Ground means little work can take place on the training ground before heading to the south coast, Glasner says there is a focus on improving as each game passes.
“Of course we do it in training – maybe not until [after] Bournemouth because now it is just recovery for two days and then we go to Bournemouth,” the manager explained. “But yes, we do it. You have to give them confidence.
“Everything we do in training, we need for the game.”
As well as the focus on his attacking players, Glasner highlighted the work done by 20-year-old Adam Wharton since his January arrival.
“He has such quality: his pre-orientation, passing forwards, making the chance for Eze just before half-time,” Glasner said. “He has these orientations, the passing, the quality.
“In some situations I think he has to get used to the pace and the speed of the Premier League. He is fantastic for his first time in the Premier League at 20-years-old.
“He played 90 minutes for the [England] Under-20s, and then he went to the Under-21s and played there also 25 minutes, so it’s a lot of things.
“Not just on the pitch, but also in his head, he is a great player and we will support him.”