Crystal Palace duo Tyrick Mitchell and Quinten Timber faced the media after defeat to Lyon in the Europa League. 

Palace put up another abstract first half performance following the same trend as the previous weekend, but this time they were punished. 

Despite a spirited and much improved second forty five, Palace had simply given themselves too much to do and were unable to respond without keeping Lyon out, going on to lose the game 3-2. 

Following the match, Quinten Timber and Tyrick Mitchell, who have been two of the club’s best players this season, divulged where the game was lost for Palace. 

Palace have unfortunately been familiar with slow starts this season, and this game was no different. Whether it be a lack of concentration or execution, the way that Palace have been playing in the first halves recently has cost them. 

Against Forest, Palace rode their luck, with Walter Benítez making strong saves to keep them in the game. 

“I think the first half was really bad from our side”, Timber expressed. “Not the way we want to show ourselves in Europe, we know we are way better than that and I think in the second half the way we came out was good.” 

The problem was that when the second half started, Palace were two goals down, and despite fighting back to make it 2-1, Lyon were able to score a third on the break and put the result beyond Palace’s control.  

“We tried to get momentum into the game and then they scored again, so that’s a big difficulty, but we showed in the previous game, we showed character, but today wasn’t enough, especially because you play like this in the first half.”

The general theme of the post match reaction from both sides is that Lyon dominated the first half, in part due to how poor Palace were, but that the second saw a spirited performance from Pierre Sage’s team. 

Mitchell echoed Timber’s thoughts, but went a bit deeper into explaining why he felt the first half was so poor again. 

“I wouldn’t say anything was missing. We had all the information, but I don’t think we as players executed it well in the first half, we did much better in the second half.”

“I don’t think it’s confidence,” Mitchell defended. “It’s one of those days, sometimes it goes well for you, sometimes it doesn't, I think we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.”

One of the biggest strengths during Palace’s time under Oliver Glasner was the performance of the defence week in and out. The consistency within the selection was a huge part of that, and this season, Palace have chopped and changed the back three almost every week. 

In some cases this has been due to injury or suspension, but there have also been moments of individual madness when conceding goals and chances. 

As a defender, Mitchell was willing to take responsibility, and seemed frustrated as he spoke about the leakiness of the defence so far this season. 

“Of course we wanna keep clean sheets all the time, sometimes it doesn't happen, sometimes it does, but as a back five, as a defensive unit we’re just trying to get better each game. I think as games go by we’ll get better.”

One of the standouts from the post-match reaction was the synchronization between the players and manager, all sharing similar frustrations but more important similar ideas as to where Palace can improve. 

Timber was keen to take the positives despite the loss. 

“I think it’s a good lesson for us, high quality game, high quality opponent. We can be much better than we did in the first half, and we showed that in the second. Now it’s our objective to do it for the whole game.”

Mitchell was asked about how the manager approaches the players and reacts to these negative performances, and the Palace player of the month winner from September insisted that it remains positive in the camp. 

“He told us how good we can be, how we’re not performing at the moment, we need to perform, he just kind of pushed that confidence back in us, that we’re good enough, that we can do it, and obviously that showed in the second half.”

For timber, the last few weeks have been a huge period of adjustment as he continues to settle into life in English football. 

“For me it’s the first time in the Premier League, I can already feel there are a lot of momentum shifts in the games. You feel good, and then they score or they have big chances and then for us again.”

“It’s fun, but you can see if you play against good teams they will punish you, you don’t have the chance to play a bad game for a whole half, we have to do better, we have to look at the clips together and be honest.”

As Mitchell did, and Sage too, Timber was adamant that there is enough talent in the side for things to improve. 

“We know the quality is there in the team, even the players who come from the bench, they are top and they gave us more energy. We play Brighton this weekend and they’re in a good mood so we have to do better.”

Brighton is a huge game for Sage and the players, especially considering the form that Sunday’s hosts have been in this season so far. 

Palace have to go to the South Coast with pride and fight for the game, because Brighton will bring the same gusto too. 

If there’s one man who the occasion is not lost on, it’s Tyrick Mitchell.

“It’s a massive game, it’s a massive game for us, a massive game for the supporters. We always wanna win that game…so we’ll be up and ready for it on Sunday.”