Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace reaction: Nicol couldn’t tell which team spent big 😬 | ESPN FC

let's begin at the bridge Stevie was it kind of a tale of two halves Chelsea going in at the break ahead Palace much better in the second half than earning a point yeah I guess you could say that um you know I guess well I think we were all looking to Chelsea to find out whether what happened against wolves was an anomaly or whether Chelsea had actually found something and and the perfect the the perfect game to follow that as well Crystal Palace at home Palace side that are struggling for points so it really should have been an opportunity for Chelsea to show us what they're all about eventually now in the first half there's no question Chelsea would have better side um I'm not sure whether that was because Chelsea were better than Palace or whether palace's attitude and the way they went about it in the first half was just a little strange in my opinion for a team that are desperate for points uh but Chelsea going at halftime One n up and and deservedly so listen they went they went to Chelsea of of WS but they were certainly the better side the the goal they got came from a nice little move good into play from from madw and Palmer and then Jackson Nice easy tap in at the far post and and it looks set to be a comfortable afternoon however halime Crystal Palace clearly got a kick out the backside and we're a completely different side in this in this second half to the point where I would suggest that you wouldn't have known which team had spent a billion dollars and which team was in The Bargain Basement um so that's not good from Chelsea's point of view well Hughes was booked after 14 minutes he might have had a second yellow for a tug I think it was on Cole Palmer he got away with it he was substituted shortly afterwards and then within a few minutes the equalizing goal and it was a good one from eetzi and the way he started the season he had that free Kick That should have counted and didn't he's hit the bar a couple of times he's just a fantastic player so why give him all that space at the edge of the Box Stevie yeah I think I think I'll put this down to a little bit of Brilliance from E because there was certainly plenty of blue jerseys in and around them yes you're right nobody got close enough to him but at the same time you got to give them credit for dropping the shoulder a couple of times getting away from players getting himself in a great position and then the finishes like of blind you know as soon as it left his foot there's no way the keeper was getting anywh close to it just a delightful goal uh and a goal that that Crystal Palace deserved and and from there it was really uh it was really both sides try to go forward both sides not really creating too much in the final third uh and at the end end when the whistle goes it's really hard to argue that Crystal Palace didn't deserve the point and Chelsea at home as I said perfect opportunity to show us where what they've got and they didn't do it you know these two sides are wannabes Chelsea want to be in the top four Chelsea want to be competing for the big prizes and Crystal Palace they just want to be in the Premier League that's that's all they're about and so for Chelsea this is not a great result um as I said disappointing all round particularly after what we saw in the second half against wolves and one final word on on this one perfect timing mentioning wolves because they played into Chelsea's hands defensively and and gave them so much space by trying to attack them and it didn't work if you're an opposing manager and and Chelsea don't play another really big Club until they meet Liverpool in mid October now so they've got some very winnable games but if you're facing Chelsea do you just sit in do you just frustrate them because you know if you have a go at them they're probably going to score a few goals but do you do what palace do against Chelsea is that going to get you a a result even if it's not a win I would have to agree with that um yeah clearly if you open up and make it make it a Cavalry challge for 90 minutes which which it was against wolves then Chelsea are capable of ripping your hat out uh but if you keep it tight and if you're smart and you pick up good defensive positions and everybody does their job and don't give them a lot of time and space particularly Cole Palmer you know yeah there's no question without Cole Palmer I'm not quite sure where Chelsea would be because everything they do that's good anything that that that works out for them everything comes from Co Bama um and that's not a good place to be when you want to be in the top four that you're you're relying on one guy but the answer question yeah I think absolutely you stifle Chelsea you frustrate them and and in turn that frustrates them and then you try and try and hit them on the break [Music]