The lowdown on Brentford 2 Crystal Palace 1 – Eagles lack flair and stardust as they fall to opening day Premier League defeat

Crystal Palace kicked off the 2024-25 Premier League campaign with an opening day 2-1 defeat at Brentford.

Here is Adam Sells’ lowdown on the match from the Gtech Community Stadium.

THE LINE-UPS

Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards (Sarr 84), Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Wharton (Lerma 74), Hughes (Doucoure 84), Kamada (Ayew 70), Eze, Mateta (Edouard 45).

Subs: Johnstone, Riad, Clyne, Schlupp.

Brentford; Flekken, Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer, Norgaard, Janelt (Damsgaard 74), Jensen (Oneyka 84), Mbeumo (Mee 90), Schade (Lewis-Poetter 74), Wissa (Carvalho 84).

Subs: Valdmarrson,, Yarmoliuk, Peart-Harris, Trevitt.

SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME

The Eagles came away with nothing a game in which they should have at least a point at minimum.

A combination of controversial refereeing, profligacy in the final third and some sloppy defending saw Oliver Glasner’s men come away with nothing to show from a decent performance, though one that never hit the heights of the end of the previous campaign.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Palace boss Glasner stuck with his trusted 3-4-2-1 formation, with summer signing Daichi Kamada filling the void left by Michael Olise’s departure.

The Japanese attacker was the only one of the three new signings to start in West London, though Ismaila Sarr appeared as a second-half substitute.

The visitors switched to 4-4-2 late on as they chased an equaliser, though, in truth, they probably became less of a threat as a result.

STAR MAN – Tyrick Mitchell

Was a constant threat down the left-side as he continues to grow into the wing-back role.

BEST MOMENT

The defender’s overlapping run and cross for his opposite wing-back Daniel Munoz to head back into the danger zone that led to Palace’s equaliser in the 57th minute. The Colombian’s header inadvertently deflected off Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock to level up the score.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

Without question referee Sam Barrott’s early whistle that ruled out Eberechi Eze’s clever free kick.

Will Hughes blocked off Nathan Collins and there was a coming together, but it had no influence on the goal bound strike, but Barrott whistled early for an infringement, which in any case was hard to see, thus nullifying the opportunity of VAR to assist and rectify his mistake.

Credit must go to Barrott for his post-match admission that he had made an error, which was magnanimously accepted by both the goal scorer and his coach.

A refreshing approach from all.

TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB

Palace were controlled and this was far from a bad performance.

But it lacked flair and stardust, aside of Eze.

The Michael Olise loss is huge, as it was always going to be. Thus far, Dougie Freedman and his recruitment team have not brought in a similar type. Palace need one or two more ball carriers if they are going to push on. With Matheus Franca injured for a period and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi sent out on loan, as last season, they are way too short of good options for the two behind the centre-forward.

Kamada is technical and worked very hard out of possession but is a different proposition to the now Bayern Munich wizard.

For all of the excellent work done by Palace’s Austrian boss, his team has only been able to secure one victory in six attempts without Olise since taking over. That win came against Burnley in his very first game, when the visitors played (with stoppage time) well over an hour with ten men.

WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY

Oliver Glasner: “We feel disappointed. “It feels like we shouldn’t lose this game, but in the end, we lost it. “There were many situations that we did OK. “OK over ninety-five minutes means we lose this game. “But in decisive situations we were not on our top level and that’s why we lost this game.

“The referee is a good guy and character. It’s part of the game to make mistakes, I made mistakes today as well. “It shows he is great man to say  – yes, I made a mistake.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD