The absence of Patrick Vieira, according to Crystal Palace assistant manager Osian Roberts, was a major reason in the 3-0 loss at Tottenham.Vieira was not in the dugout in north London after testing positive for coronavirus, one of several instances in the Palace camp that led to the game being postponed on Boxing Day.
Spurs added to their anguish when the Premier League dismissed their plea, with goals from Harry Kane, Lucas Moura, and Son Heung-min making it an easy afternoon for the hosts. Palace made only one alteration to their starting line-up after Wilfried Zaha was sent off in the first half, but had a weaker bench with a number of players missing. "However, we made the best of the situation." We didn't want to make excuses, and I believed we were off to a good start. After approximately a half-hour, the game changed.
"I'm not sure how many we had with Covid, some returning from Covid, close relationships, injuries, but you could see on the bench today that we were limited on choices."
"Throughout the week, we've been concentrating on football. In terms of football, the preparations have gone quite well.
"For the past 24 hours, we've been in our own little bubble, focusing just on the game and delegating the rest of the club's responsibilities to others." We tried our hardest to make the best of the situation, but the match did not turn out as we had hoped.
"We convened at the hotel to prepare for the match, which we usually did the night before. With some uncertainty, it's harder to accomplish it as a bubble these days. We do what we're taught as a coaching staff and as players.
"We try our best to prepare, and we were able to do so this morning, as we normally would before arriving at the stadium." We are professionals, and everyone must adjust. We had to learn to live with it, and I'm sure there will be more rollercoaster weeks ahead."
Despite not gathering at a team hotel on Christmas Day, Roberts noted that preparations were not adversely hampered, but Vieira's absence was felt.
"The findings came through late yesterday evening," the Welshman stated. We were all put to the test.
"One of the advantages of the way we prepare is that we do it as a group."
"No stone was left unturned." Everything went as usual, with the exception that Patrick's absence as our leader in charge of the day's events will always be something we miss because we need him there. Spurs showed no mercy as they extended their Premier League winning streak to six games under Antonio Conte, putting them within striking distance of the top four with games remaining.
There has been a noticeable shift in the club's momentum since Conte arrived, comparable to the impact he had at Chelsea, but Conte is quick to dismiss any similarities.
"I believe it is unique. "I don't like to make comparisons between different situations," he explained.
"It's also because there's a significant disparity between my previous experience and this one." Also, I recall starting the season, and when you start the season, you have the opportunity to work with your teammates as well as make decisions about them.
"This is a unique situation. Certainly, we must continue to improve and capitalize on the growing trust in our abilities. We all know, and I know, that we have a big job ahead of us.
"It's nice to get three points and three goals with your three strikers." It's a good idea to keep an extra clean sheet on hand. We are completely aware that we must work really hard to fix the situation."
