News boys Brentford held Crystal Palace to a goalless draw. The Eagles had the better of the chances in Patrick Vieira’s first home game in charge, with debutant Conor Gallagher hitting the inside of the post early on.
Brentford maintained an unbeaten start to their first Premier League season with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Captain James McArthur then saw a curling effort from the edge of the box tipped away by David Raya after the break as the Eagles pushed for a breakthrough.
The best opportunity for Thomas Frank’s Brentford, who beat Arsenal in their opening game last weekend, came when Bryan Mbeumo’s free-kick from out wide clipped the top of the crossbar.
Lack of cutting edge costs Eagles
For Crystal Palace, this game was always likely to be a more accurate guide to the early progress made under Vieira than last weekend’s defeat at European champions Chelsea.
On this evidence, effort and commitment are not in doubt, but the Eagles lack a killer instinct in front of goal.
Vieira is looking to impose a new, more progressive style of play and called for his side to be “really brave” on the ball against Brentford, deploying an attacking-looking 4-3-3 formation with Christian Benteke recalled as the central striker.
Their cause was helped by a raucous welcome from the crowd, with a huge banner unfurled in the Holmesdale Road end as the teams entered the pitch that read: “As the soul of Palace returns the terraces come alive.”
Perhaps buoyed by that boisterous welcome, Palace made the better start, harrying Brentford when they were in possession and going close through Gallagher, who put in an all-action display.
However, their attacking threat waned as the game wore on, allowing Brentford to regain some control.
It was perhaps little surprise that the home side’s best chance after the break came from an effort from distance, with McArthur, captain in absence of Luka Milivojevic, firing in an effort that was superbly tipped over by Raya.
Source – BBC News
