Palace v Watford: 6 talking points

April 26 2016

Connor Wickham

Crystal Palace overcame Watford to make it to the FA Cup final. Here's what we took from this famous victory...

By Matt Pearce and Dougal Caston

1. Legendary win!

Palace have made it to the FA Cup final for the second time in the club’s history! The Eagles soared to victory ahead of a dismayed Watford. Every team member played their part, and despite spells of defiant play from the Hornets, Palace dominated. You could sense how much this meant to the players, manager and fans and following a season of ups and downs this is a fantastic achievement that will eclipse the memories of this season's low points. Whatever the outcome of the final, this is a big moment for the club and something to be very proud of.

2. Wilf tears up the Watford defence

Wilfried Zaha’s interminable energy was integral to Palace going forward, giving Nathan Ake a torrid time on the right wing. The relentless pace and trickery was too much for the stunned Watford back line. He came particularly close in the second half with a surging run from deep, only to be smothered by yellow shirts just before he could pull the trigger. These kinds of performances show how Zaha can be one of the most troublesome wingers in the league when playing his best.

Zaha taking Jurado for a dance! ???? #CPFC pic.twitter.com/8hKnfnxQ3S https://t.co/GLqKzoypcH
— TFS Crystal Palace (@TFS_CPalace) April 25, 2016

3. Wickham comes good

Connor Wickham was the man to eventually secure our place in the final. Throughout the match he held up ball well, giving Zaha and Yannick Bolasie a chance to bully the Watford defence. He worked hard for his 61st-minute winner, and when you saw his imposing figure towering in the air competing for the header, you could sense that it was destined for goal. The 23-year-old had showed a lot of promise before a recent injury, scoring four in two games, so it was great to see him find the net again. Wickham seems to have a bright future ahead of him, yet humbly commented: "I think the goal that they got was my fault, so I felt like I owed it to the team.” Don’t worry Connor, all is forgiven!

Wickham's goal - lovely viewing for a Monday lunchtime! #cpfc https://t.co/eMWb820roE
— Holmesdale Online (@Holmesdale) April 25, 2016

4. Souare takes sting out of Hornets

Once again Pape Souare put on a fantastic performance – he was solid defensively and threatening in the attack. There was a resolute performance from the whole back four but Souare has been really showing his worth in recent games. It was his whipped cross, from high up the left flank that Wickham headed into the bottom corner and his attacking play has become a big part of how we operate. It’s encouraging to see Souare start to find consistency.

5. Bolasie back to best

Bolasie has come a long way from sitting on the bench at Palace’s last visit to Wembley. The winger terrorised Watford with his pace and strength, determined to make something happen. His early goal helped Palace take charge and dominate from the off. With some fans asking for more from Yala recently, he was back to his best, showing hunger and determination. With two goals in two games, the explosive winger will hopefully start to find himself on the scoresheet more often.

6. Squad oozes confidence

The confidence in Palace’s play really stood out, looking calm and in control, even when Watford’s equaliser threatened to turn the game against us. After a tough run in the league, when we have been prone to throwing away leads, so seeing Palace recover from the setback was one of the most encouraging aspects of the whole match. Even when ahead the lads never looked like sitting back and persisted with positive, attacking play. Due to a number of factors it was a marked improvement from Old Trafford last week. If the team play with the same passion and intensity it will be a completely different game when we meet the Red Devils at Wembley.