Glasner gives verdict on Doncaster performance and Millwall cup tie
Oliver Glasner said there were many "positive aspects" to Crystal Palace's FA Cup win at Doncaster, with an excellent win also seeing multiple players get crucial minutes on the pitch.
Glasner, who fielded a strong team, was rewarded with a controlled performance, with two goals either side of half-time enough to see off Doncaster.
Daniel Muñoz tapped home on the half hour mark to get Palace in front. Then Justin Devenny, handed a first start of 2025, produced a superb finish not long after the break to complete the scoring.
And Glasner could also enjoy the added bonus of returns to the pitch for Adam Wharton and Matheus França, after injury lay-offs, as well as an Eagles debut for new signing Ben Chilwell.
Glasner told PalaceTV: "It is absolutely job done. The first 60 minutes I think we controlled the game. We scored two nice goals and missed one or two big chances to decide the game.
"The last 20 minutes were maybe too wild, giving them too many finishes, but overall there were many positive aspects.
"Adam Wharton coming back was one. He was originally going to play 45 minutes, but he did so well and did great that's why he played 60 minutes.
"A debut for Ben Chilwell as well, 45 minutes for him was very important. Romain Esse got a longer time and I'm especially pleased for Matheus França who has been out for nine or ten months, getting some minutes back with the team.
"It was a really good evening for all of us."
On a tightly contested match – settled by two moments of quality from Palace, the first a clever set-piece routine converted by Daniel Muñoz, the latter a brilliantly-taken effort from Justin Devenny – Glasner explained: “I think they [Doncaster] did well tactically, they man-marked our 10s, Justin and Daichi [Kamada], with their sixes, so they always had a six against five in their back.
“That means we had a good build-up from the back, because there we had a five against four, six against four with the goalkeeper, and we didn't have a lot of troubles coming into the final third.
“But there, the last pass was not good enough, and especially our wing-backs were too deep so that we didn't run in behind. We scored a great set-play goal. Big credit to my staff for preparing this and also for the execution from the players.
“In the second-half, they changed the system, they went man-to-man, and we struggled a little bit more in the build-up, because we had more pressure there, but on the other side we could create better chances, because they played man-to-man in defence as well. We missed it in the first 15 minutes with, I think, three clear chances, and we just scored one.
“And then at the end with their long balls, with some set-plays, with crosses, they did really well. And then it's OK, defended like we did, and so everything went how we expected it to.”
On 21-year-old Devenny, for whom it was a first FA Cup goal, Glasner smiled: “That’s why he started the game. We have a lot of confidence in him because he's doing well in training. He didn't have so many minutes in the last weeks, that's why he [said he] maybe felt a little bit rusty, but the longer the game went, he did really well.
“He always finds good positions in the pocket, and also we then say, ‘OK, not always coming to the ball, sometimes running behind’. He did great in the second goal and also a nice pass from Will Hughes. It was a much more difficult finish than the first one [he had], because it was with his right leg, it was a chip over the goalkeeper, whereas the first one was maybe an empty net.
“But also a good reaction from him, that you can miss a chance, everybody's a human being and it's football, and then stay positive, keep going, and then you get the reward. He got the reward, we got the reward, and now we went into the next round.”
On the travelling supporters, Glasner smiled: "Outstanding, outstanding. First of all, I think everyone who watched this game here deserves a big credit, because it was cold, windy, rainy. I was told that maybe here in the North they are used to it, but our fans travelling here North for several hours and struggling to come back in the evening, I think many of them have to work tomorrow...
"So, thank you very much for this amazing support again, and for all the effort you do for the team, you do for Crystal Palace – thank you very much for this."
Palace will now face Millwall in an all-South London clash in round five, after the draw was made prior to the win at Doncaster.
And although Glasner is relishing the prospect, he isn't losing focus from the immediate task of a Premier League clash with Everton on Saturday.
"For me I knew about it a little bit, because when we talked with Romain [Esse] I saw the rivalry between Millwall and Crystal Palace.
"Then I could see as well that all the staff were very excited when we heard we could play Millwall at home in the last 16 of the FA Cup.
"Of course it makes it bigger this game - it's an all or nothing game - and of course we want to go into the quarter-finals. It would be a big achievement.
"But it is still far away for me. Doncaster is done and now we have to find focus for Everton. We've had our fourth away win [in-a-row] but now we have to be ready for a really strong Everton side at home. And we will be ready."