Lerma's Corners Weaponized: Palace Drowns Brentford in Set-Piece Chaos
À Éviter Score Futmetrix: 21/100. Palace's suffocating defensive setup and corner-fueled pressure rendered this a one-sided affair devoid of genuine contest.
When Set Pieces Become Execution
Crystal Palace turned Selhurst Park into a corner-kicking laboratory on Saturday, launching 11 set pieces that turned Brentford into defensive traffic cones. The Balance was shattered before halftime. Jefferson Lerma's early orchestration—a 30th-minute assist to Jean-Philippe Mateta—established Palace's dominance, but the real story unfolded in the second half when Brentford's backline capitulated entirely. An own goal from N. Collins at 51 minutes wasn't a slip; it was a surrender. Palace's 36% possession masked their ruthlessness: they needed just 10 shots to suffocate a side that controlled 64% of the ball.
The Stakes were modest—neither team fighting for titles or survival—which amplified the mismatch. Palace sit ninth with momentum; Brentford languish 12th in freefall. Yet this wasn't a clash. It was a coronation. Brentford's 493 passes, 80% accuracy, and superior possession meant nothing against Palace's set-piece weaponization. Marc Guéhi orchestrated the defensive chaos with clinical precision, his 7.5 rating reflecting a performance where defending became an art form—one-sided, suffocating, and utterly joyless.
The Intensity never materialized. Two goals by 51 minutes killed any narrative tension. Brentford's three yellow cards spoke to frustration rather than physicality. Palace's 11 corners generated the match's only pressure points, yet even those felt inevitable rather than thrilling. There were no late heroics, no VAR drama, no tactical pivots that shifted momentum. Just a slow strangulation.
What made this genuinely unwatchable: the absence of Upset potential. Palace were favorites at 48% probability; they delivered exactly as expected. No comebacks, no controversies, no moments where Brentford threatened to flip the script. Just Palace's defensive machine grinding Brentford into submission across 90 minutes of set-piece monotony.
Key Questions
Why is this match rated 15/100?
Two early goals killed the contest. Zero Upset potential, minimal Intensity, and 11 corners couldn't mask a fundamentally one-sided mismatch devoid of drama or stakes.
How did Palace control a match on 36% possession?
Set-piece dominance (11 corners) and defensive discipline. Palace needed precision over possession—Mateta's early goal and Collins' own goal sealed it before Brentford found rhythm.
What was Brentford's fatal flaw?
Ball possession without purpose. 493 passes (80% accuracy) meant nothing against Palace's set-piece setup. Brentford lacked the incisiveness to punish Palace's low possession.
Pourquoi ce match est noté 21/100 ?
Notre algorithme Futmetrix a analysé l'intensité, l'équilibre et l'enjeu. Le score de 21/100 place ce match dans la catégorie "À Éviter".
