Oliver Glasner Addresses the Elephant in the Room After Crystal Palace’s Draw Against Nottingham Forest
In the wake of Crystal Palace’s hard-fought 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on May 5, 2025, at Selhurst Park, manager Oliver Glasner didn’t shy away from confronting the uncomfortable truth that lingered in the post-match discussions. The Eagles, riding high after a stellar FA Cup semi-final victory over Aston Villa, were expected to dominate a Forest side reeling from four losses in their last five matches. Yet, a lackluster performance from a key player threatened to derail Palace’s ambitions of setting a new Premier League points record. Glasner, known for his candid yet supportive approach, addressed the issue head-on, offering insight into how he plans to move forward.
The match against Nottingham Forest was billed as a chance for Crystal Palace to edge closer to their goal of surpassing the club’s Premier League points record of 49, needing just five more points from their final four games. With Forest struggling to maintain their Champions League aspirations after a 2-0 defeat to Brentford, the stage was set for Palace to capitalize. However, the game unfolded as a tense, scrappy affair, with both sides struggling to assert dominance.
Nottingham Forest struck first through Murillo’s well-taken goal, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. Palace responded with a penalty, but the momentum stalled, and a noticeable dip in performance from one of Palace’s usually reliable stars became the talking point. Glasner, visibly animated on the sidelines—described by The Guardian as waving his arms “manically” with a face of “curiosity and concern”—knew something was amiss.
In his post-match press conference, Glasner didn’t mince words when addressing the underperformance that held Palace back. While he refrained from publicly naming the player, sources close to the club suggest the focus was on a midfielder who failed to control the game’s tempo, a role critical to Glasner’s high-intensity, dynamic system. “We had moments where we could’ve been sharper, more connected,” Glasner said, per BBC Sport. “One or two players didn’t hit the levels we know they can, and that’s something we’ll address internally.”
This wasn’t the first time Glasner has had to navigate a player’s off-day. His philosophy, as highlighted after a loss to Forest earlier in the season, is to “hug players, not kick them” during tough moments….
