Detailed player ratings from Crystal Palace’s defeat away to Nottingham Forest – A handful of 4/10 ratings for Patrick Vieira’s side

Crystal Palace suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest. Wilfried Zaha missed a penalty in the 41st minute, and Morgan Gibbs-White sealed all three points for Steve Cooper’s side in the early stages of the second half.

The Eagles failed to register a single shot on target at the City Grond and had the most amount of possession that they have had away from home in the Premier League this season.

Here are Edmund Brack’s player ratings from the City Ground:

VICENTE GUAITA – 5

The Spanish goalkeeper was only forced into one save during the 90 minutes. He did well to stop Brennan Johnson’s low shot in the second half that was drilled towards the far corner, however, his parry landed at the feet of Morgan Gibbs-White to tap home.

Guaita, 35, who has extended his stay at Selhurst Park, wasn’t under constant pressure or called upon regularly to thwart the Forest attacking force of Jesse Lingard, Johnson or Gibbs-White.

In truth, Forest didn’t pose much of a threat to Palace whatsoever. Cooper’s side sat deep, soaked up the pressure, and allowed the Eagles to try and find a way through the congested midfield.

If they were more potent on the counter attack, it could have been a busier afternoon for Guaita. But besides the goal, Guaita only had one claim and one punch to his name. 

NATHANIEL CLYNE – 5

Forest chose to target Tyrick Mitchell in the first half, exposing the lack of support he had down the left-hand side. 

Forest flooded the right-hand side with Chiekhou Kouyate and Renan Lodi, which meant that the academy graduate was anonymous going forward and couldn’t help Palace capitalise on the sheer amount of possession they had. 

He didn’t deliver a single cross into the Forest penalty area, and 28 of Clyne’s 54 passes were backwards.

JOACHIM ANDERSEN – 5 

Palace’s lack of creative output going forward saw the two centre-backs having to have the majority of possession for the Eagles.

Andersen had the most passes [131] and touches [140] of any player on the pitch, and he only lost possession once.

He won two aerial battles and made five clearances [the most of any Palace player.]

His rating would have been higher, however, the World Cup-bound Danish defender allowed Gibbs-White to get goal side of him and tap home Johnson’s saved rebound.

MARC GUEHI – 6

The former Chelsea centre-back had to cover Mitchell throughout the first half. The fact that he had the second most amount of touches [131] and passes [122] shows how comfortable Forest were with the Palace centre-backs having possession.

He had the best pass percentage [92] of any Palace defender. Won two aerial battles and played nine accurate long balls. 

The 22-year-old, who missed out on a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup, also made four interceptions – the most of any player from Vieira’s side.

Committed a foul and picked up a yellow card in the 72nd minute, meaning that he will be suspended for the Boxing Day fixture at home to Fulham.

TYRICK MITCHELL – 4

After two back-to-back performances that saw Tyrick Mitchell return to his very best, the 23-year-old had an afternoon to forget at the City Ground.

Up against Johnson, Lingard and Gibbs-White – an interchanging front three that all pose different threats – Mitchell was severely exposed down the left-hand side.

He was forced into a clumsy challenge on Jesse Lingard in the 30th minute after the former Manchester United man was through on goal. Luckily for Mitchell, who tripped Lingard up on the edge of the box, Andersen was covering, so he avoided a straight red card,

Mitchell was also one of Palace’s best threats going forward in the first half, with the space he had down Serge Aurier’s flank allowing him to pick out a cross.

But the former Brentford academy player couldn’t create a real attacking opportunity from out wide.

Vieira eventually withdrew Mitchell in the 60th minute and brought on Joel Ward. Mitchell finished the game with the worst pass percentage [68] of any Palace player who started the game.

CHEICK DOUCOURE – 6

Had the thankless task of being a one-man midfield against the trio of Ryan Yates, Remo Freuler and Kouyate.

And with Gibbs-White and Lingard also dropping back to support the trio behind them, Palace’s midfield were swarmed at any opportunity.

The 22-year-old didn’t lose possession once during his 85 minutes on the pitch and also made a crucial tackle in the 62nd minute to deny Lingard after he jinked his way through Palace with ease.

The summer signing made three tackles and didn’t commit a single foul. Still believe that his best position could be in front of a holding midfielder.

JEFFREY SCHLUPP – 4

A really difficult afternoon for the Ghanaian midfielder. Schlupp couldn’t contain the number of Forest bodies that covered his every route to find a pass and that pressed him every time he had the ball.

Schlupp was dispossessed twice and committed the most fouls [three] of any Palace player.

He also failed to get closer to Johnson, allowing him to get his shot off away at goal and Gibbs-White following in the rebound.

MICHAEL OLISE – 5

The match-winner last time out failed to get a foothold in the game. France U21 international Olise played as the number 10 in the first half but moved closer alongside Zaha in the second half.

He was the only Crystal Palace player to complete a dribble, but he also failed to register a single shot during the game.

He only had one touch in the opposition penalty area.

WILFRIED ZAHA – 4 

It was Zaha’s moment which was the changing point in the game. He did well to force Joe Worrall into committing the foul that handed Palace the penalty, as the game’s balance had swung firmly in the favour of the home side.

But Zaha, who could have put himself on 90 goals for the club, hit the post and saw the ball go wide. 

From that moment, Palace never looked like they were heading back to South London with any points. 

Zaha lost possession 10 times – the most of any player – had the most shots, three, and failed to get any on target, and he didn’t complete any of his two dribbles.

EBERECHI EZE – 4

A relatively quiet performance from the former QPR man. 

Eze also struggled to find passes through the defensive and midfield lines and also failed to attempt a single dribble once – and Eze is at his best gliding towards defenders.

Of the 32 passes Eze had in his 78 minutes on the pitch, 22 were played backwards.

He was dispossessed five times and turned possession over on six occasions.

JORDAN AYEW – 5

Ayew drove down the right-hand side to beat Lodi, Willy Boly and Kouyate to put a cross into Wilfried Zaha, which led to Palace being awarded their penalty.

He completed 100 per cent of his three tackles and only lost possession twice, with Zaha, Olise and Eze all handing the ball back to the opposition more.

Was hauled off in the 59th minute for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

SUBS 

JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA – 4

During his 31 minutes on the pitch at the City Ground, impact substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta touched the ball four times.

Odsonne Edouard, who came on in the 85th minute, had the same number of touches as Mateta.

Granted, Mateta had terrible lack of service sent towards him, and Palace looked lost for ideas of how they were going to break down the stubborn City defence once they took the lead. Still, he failed to show any initiative to get the Eagles back into the game.

JOEL WARD – 5

Didn’t look out of place when he came on for Tyrick Mitchell. Didn’t have much involvement in the game, with the Eagles searching for an equaliser and Forest happy to shut up shop.

WILL HUGHES – 5

The ex-Derby man made a handful of clever runs and passes forward, with the Eagles needing someone to play intelligent passes through two banks of five towards the match’s final stages.

MALCOLM EBIOWEI – 5

Arguably should have come on soon, with Forest’s full-backs happy to sit tight next to their centre-backs and allow Palace to attack the wings.

Still raw with his decision making and will benefit from a loan in January.

ODSONNE EDOUARD – NA
Only on the pitch for five minutes.