BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK

The Crystal Palace Manager Roy Hodgson said he was pleased with his sides first home win in the league, against Burnley, in which they scored their first two goals from open play at home.  The first goal was a cross from a free kick by James McArthur, which eluded everyone including the Burnley defenders and crept in at the far post. The Palace manager said:  “If you can hit those wide free kicks in from wider areas you can aim between the goalkeeper and the far post and get people flying in across the goal keeper making it difficult for him to save it. It has been a long time coming. We have not been lucky in our home games. Results have been there in the shadow and just eluded us. Today it didn’t. It is not often you get 30 attempts on goal and 9 on target.  Today was important to get three points to get them by hook or crook. As it turned out we did not get it by hook or crook because we were the better side.”

Hodgson also commented on the second goal, which was a belter by Andros Townsend, which sealed the points.    “Townsend has that in his locker. I expect him to produce that type of shot. It is just a question of if he can get it on target. Today the shot was so good and Joe Hart could not be blamed for that goal in anyway.” 

When asked how difficult it is year after year to stay in the Premiership he said: ”The only way you can hope to continue to stay in the Premiership is to continue to keep improving. There has always been a gulf in the Premiership and I am not talking about the gulf between the top five and I will defy anyone to tell me there is not one. There are the big clubs with big money to sign the best players and there are the rest of us trying to do our best. You won’t see Pep or Jose though going into a game against Burnley thinking it is a piece of cake.   It gets tougher every year.”

The Burnley Manager Sean Dyche lamented his team’s poor performance as they slumped to yet another defeated, which left them marooned in the relegation zone. “The goal we gave away in the first half was a poor one. In the second half we played much better. When fear comes into performances it like being a boxer. Usually you get back in the gym and work it out. You need that looseness to go and work in a more natural manner. In the second half Palace deserved it. They were fluid and they created chances. We have to get back to a consistent level and solid performances.” 

We have to get back to performances over time. We were only on one point after five games. We popped out of that. We have to get back to that. I knew in the summer this would be a tough season. There are a lot of challenges that come. All these players are going through a big shift in their careers. It is a big learning curve for these players. I have been through that as a player. It is not new for us but it has to be effective. We have to stick to the task in training.”