Okay who wants to get things started?
Frank you've obviously had to work hard for that win
but you must be very satisfied with the way the players kept plugging at it?
Yeah every game in the Premier League's hard
particularly a team as organised as Palace are
and I thought the first half we started really well a goal would have
probably put us in a really good position we didn't get it we allowed the
tempo to drop slightly towards the end of the first half but when we came out
with the second half with the intent that we did and the extra 10 percent of
urgency in our game we won the game I say comfortably the two goals is
relatively comfortable it could have been more with a bit more end product but
it was a nice solid win with a clean sheet
What does it say about Tammy that in the first half
he's up against two really experienced centre-halfs doesn't really get a kick in the
first half and then has one chance and takes it to settle the nerves?
It says he needs to be better in the first half doesn't it, I think it's I spoke to
Tammy because some games as a striker there are games in the Premier League that will
frustrate you because good defenders won't give you much space behind and
maybe not in front because their midfielder in front so there's a problem
for Tammy to solve and as you say he was quite quiet but I think for any top
striker we expect a lot we expect everything goals hold up run behind etc
not always possible what you need to do is stay in the game stay bright and
lively and keep trying and keep running which he did and he gets his goal which
he took very clinically so a great game from Tammy even he might not be
his best game on the showreel I think when you think about tough games and you
come and get the goal that puts you in front to help you win the game and that's just as important
Christian obviously had his frustrations Frank
a month or so ago but you feel vindicated now with the way he's scoring goals that
everything you were you're telling him was...
I don't think it was vindication it's more that
Christian came from another league and didn't have a great break etc and I
think he played some games early on and the pace of the Premier League is
tough for any player it's been proven time and time again but with Christian
always believed that he had huge talent was going to be a big player for us and
he's absolutely showing that I thought he was first-class today as he has been
recently energy moving with the ball slipping past people working off the
ball and the quality and getting in areas again he's scoring you know in and
around a six yard box which i think is a huge thing for any wide player the only
frustration is he comes off with a bit of an injury which he was going to get
subbed before he scored his goal he's got a bit of a hip issue but I'm hoping
it's not too bad because the way he's in full flow at the minute is great to see
Frank the comeback against Ajax was very euphoric but in many ways was today against the Crystal Palace
side you said they were very organised more of a learning curve for the players in terms of
trying to keep control of a football match?
Yeah I think so I think we expected that today as well
which is good because we passed that test but we've had a few teams come
here and be difficult to break down Newcastle being one pretty recently that
you know and Brighton and these teams and it's it is a test of not only how
can you unlock the door and change your game up and break them down with
movement or passing or taking people out the game with the ball at your feet but
it's also can you switch onto making sure that you don't get the sucker punch
and it seemed like Palace are absolutely setup to be able to do that to you with
the qualities they have with Zaha and Townsend etc so I think as an
all-round game as much joy as you can get out of the win and the goals you
can get joy out of the performance of Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori and
and the discipline of the midfield in front of them etc so I was really
delighted with the sort of game management I suppose of a game like today
Frank a first Premier League start for Reece James as well, how pleased were you with him up against Zaha today?
Yeah I thought Reece was fantastic against one of the best wingers in the league
1v1 a real threat and as I say on a counter-attack
anytime he wants to get at you Reece dealt with those most of those
situations he also joined in attack with some..
we can see how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet and he's delivering his
passing so I was pleased I trust in Reece and out of all the younger
players who have been getting their chance this year he's had his injury
early season and has got fit that little bit later and but he's been
training at a level and coming on at a level where he deserved minutes today so he did brilliantly
How tough were those calls Frank to make to put a young player in but also to tell Azpilicueta that he's not playing today?
Yeah it's part of my job and it would be a
tougher call if I was speaking to Azpilicueta when he's having a
difficult time and I'm bringing a kid in because I say.. it's not you know you..
this is a decision I'm making it's actually a decision where Azpilicueta's
playing really well for us he's a leader and a driver but with Reece in the
way he's playing the opportunity to give him minutes in the game that I felt
right today was one that I had to take as well because it gives me options
going forward and Azpi's is such a great personality and character that
he's easy to speak to because he feels for the club wants the best and he
knows how much I value him and now and going forward so it might give me some
selection problems going forward for sure but I want the best for the
team and the squad what we can do and and it's a nice problem for me going forward
You're on a big run in the Premier League are you surprised by the quality of that run with the demands and where you are in the table?
I don't know it's hard to the expectations at the of start the season were
a belief in the younger players I thought they deserved a chance but
there's always a question mark that you don't know until you see them there
and see them regularly and even over that first little hurdle of the
bounce when they come in and then they have to sustain that and at the moment
they're sustaining in terms of Tammy, Mason, Fikayo, Reese as I say has just come in
there but when looking at the younger players they are showing that they
deserve to be at this level so I'm proud of the squad that we've got but I
also realise it's still a snapshot in what is the big picture
which is the long-term future here it's a relative snapshot of the season
we're about a third of the way through and we're a good position but we know that
this league can punish you if you drop off so we need to get even better at
that and if we want to build something over a long period of time now then we
we have got so much improvement to do because the gap was too big last year
between us and the top two and so we want to try and close that