Back of the Nest

Dee and Lou rate the players from the game against Spurs.

Another frustrating afternoon at Selhurst Park as we closed out 2025 with a narrow 0-1 defeat to Tottenham. For large stretches, we were the better side, dominating possession and territory, but the familiar Achilles' heel of set-piece defending reared its head again. Archie Gray was left unmarked to flicker home a corner just before the break, and despite our best efforts, we simply couldn't find the clinical edge required to level it.

Dee and Lou decide the ratings for the team that was ultimately defeated by Arsenal.

Heartbreak at the Emirates as Palace fell just short in a pulse-pounding 1-1 (8-7 pens) Carabao Cup quarter-final. After the Leeds nightmare, the response was exactly what we needed: grit, tactical discipline, and immense character. We looked to have been undone by a cruel Maxence Lacroix own goal late on, but Marc Guéhi's stoppage-time equalizer was pure scenes in the away end, forcing the drama of a shootout.

After the Elland Road disaster, attention shifts quickly to a massive Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal this Tuesday. It's a chance for immediate redemption, but the task couldn't be tougher; the Gunners are flying high at the top of the league and have turned the Emirates into a fortress.

Patrick and Lou pull no punches in this debrief after a bruising 4-1 defeat to Leeds United. On a misty night in Yorkshire, Palace's tactical inconsistencies were laid bare, leaving the boys questioning how a team in the top half of the table could be dismantled by set-pieces so easily

A night to forget at Elland Road as Palace were soundly beaten 4-1 in a performance Oliver Glasner rightly labeled "embarrassing." Despite resting the entire first XI midweek, the squad looked uncharacteristically sluggish, completely failing to deal with Leeds' physicality.

Crystal Palace head to Elland Road tomorrow looking to reclaim their momentum after a taxing European night. While the 2-2 draw with KuPS was a slight dampener, the silver lining is that Oliver Glasner successfully protected his key starters. Expect a completely refreshed XI to return, spearheaded by a well-rested Jean-Philippe Mateta

Patrick and Lou give their player ratings for the draw against KuPS