patrick vieira manager
Happy with the win?
It was a really good performance. From the first minute we wanted to put pressure on them and not allow them to have too much time on the ball and we did it well.
Does that win give you the belief you can beat anyone?
It was a really good game and we played well and we managed to win but we know as well that it is difficult to be consistent in the performance and this is where we have to grow as a team, to repeat those kinds of performances and this is the most difficult thing to do in football.
Seven unbeaten, turned a corner?
I think there is more belief in the team. The players understand each other better and start to really know each other as well. There is a clear idea about how we want to play the game and today we scored those goals in a really important moment in the game. I think the way that we managed the game shows that we are growing up as a team as well.
Arsenal start fast under Arteta, important to match that?
Yes, but the stadium and the atmosphere create that kind of momentum as well to allow ourselves to go and put pressure on the ball. We needed that kind of game out of possession in a really good way because if they have time on the ball they can hurt any team and we did not allow them to do that today. When you’re looking up front with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Conor Gallagher I think they worked really well to try to put pressure on the centre-backs and not allow them any time on the ball. That was a really good team performance from us today, really good.
You managed the game in the second half as well?
They brought one or two more players up front and made it really difficult for us. We’d been running a lot in the first half so we knew that in the second half we may have to be a little bit deeper and we had to accept the dominance of Arsenal during that period but what was important for us is to keep defending well and not give them so much space and I think we managed to frustrate them. Vincente [Guaita] made some important saves as well but I think the way we managed the game was really positive.
Did the way you conceded against Arsenal in the reverse fixture play a role in the way you attacked tonight?
No, I think it’s just that the team is in a better place. We managed the game in a really good way. At 2-0, they had possession and they had a couple of situations but we didn’t concede the goal. We went to the other side and we had this opportunity where Wilfried scored the penalty and we managed to play the game really well. Having a clean sheet against Arsenal is a really good performance.
Joachim Andersen, does he take free-kicks in training?
He practises a lot in training. He doesn’t have too much success but he’s practising. We know how good Joachim is on the ball. He allows us to have those plays in between the line. He can play and find places in between the line or he can play the long ball in the channel. He is comfortable technically and he’s a good defender as well because we talk a lot about him on the ball but today the way he read the game allowed him to defend well for us.
Cheikhou Kouyate injury?
He’s fine. He gave everything on the field. We had a couple of guys who played internationals and came back and it was good that we had two days more than other teams but there was some tiredness in there. But [Cheikhou] is good.
Conor Gallagher had a knee injury before the game, why did he start?
We played him because he was ready to go. We didn’t want to take any risks but he was fine. Conor is an important player for us. Not just because of the goals he scores but also the energy he brings to the team. When he starts the pressure, everybody follows behind and this is what we want.
How close was Michael Olise today and how is he?
We have to look at how things go day after day but it doesn’t look good for the next game.
Wembley coming up, will he be ready?
We have to see how he improves but it doesn’t look good for the next game.
What does it do for the profile of Crystal Palace that you have several players playing at the World Cup this year?
It is massively important. I think those players are the image of the football club and having players going to the World Cup or players going to the international level is really good for us because it shows the quality of the players that we have in our football club.
Did you need to get in Arsenal’s faces tonight?
I think this is the game that we want to play not just about against Arsenal but against any team. This is something that we want to build as a football club and as a team. We want to have that kind of intensity in our game. We want to dominate possession but sometimes we can do it because of the quality of the team. But today was about defending well as a team, putting pressure on the centre-backs, putting pressure on the full-backs to not allow them to find those players in between the line because if there is a space between the line, we will be in trouble. Any time that they managed to find those players we always had one of our back four who jumped out and try to put pressure, especially on Lacazette.
Do you feel sorry for Arsenal after denting their Champions League hopes?
No. Our main focus was to win the game and our game plan is always the same. If we play Arsenal or Manchester City, what we want is to try to win football matches.
