Glasner pleased with response to QPR challenge
Oliver Glasner was pleased with the control his Crystal Palace exerted away from home against a testing Queens Park Rangers side.
The Eagles came out on top in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round tie amidst a boisterous crowd at Loftus Road, with goals from Eddie Nketiah – his first for the club – and Ebere Eze sealing progression to the fourth round.
Glasner told Palace TV: “It was a tough game, but we expected a tough game here against a good Championship team in their stadium.
“It was very tight and then I think we controlled the game, took the lead, fully deserved. Then, they came back with a set play and the crowd got loud, and I think we had a great reaction. We scored immediately our second goal and, with also great support from our fans here behind the goal, over 90 minutes I think it's deserved – but it was a tough game.
“I think we have to accept that not every game is brilliant, when you play every third day and with a very, very big comeback against Leicester. With a lot of effort and then playing three days later here, and them getting the equaliser after a corner ,and then coming back... again, we're on the right pathway. It's not everything perfect.
“Sometimes you have to work for the win. We worked today for the win, and so we are pleased that we're in the next round.”
Glasner spoke about how QPR’s strengths factored into his team selection in West London, and how he was pleased his side rose to meet that challenge.
The manager explained: “This was also, in the starting XI, one of the reasons why we played with a tall back three. [Nathaniel] Clyney got a break, and also with Jeff Lerma in midfield. We know that they are good in set plays.
“We knew that they can play long balls, and we defended it really well. This is part of football. Football is not just passing and scoring. Football is also hard work, it's running and it's defending with a lot of passion and this is what we did, so again, we are really pleased to be in last 16.”
The manager was also pleased to see Nketiah get off the mark in red and blue, adding: “Eddie showed it against Leicester [on Saturday]: he had very good finishes, was a little bit unlucky. Today, he scored.
“He had a great chance as well in the first-half where I think one defender cleared it on the line. He showed what he also showed in training. He got a little bit tired, which is normal because he played the first 90 minutes for a long time three days before.
“But we wanted to have the same attacking three, with Eze, [JP] Mateta and Nketiah, to get each other known, because this week we can't train. It's just recovery, and then we have to use the game time, the minutes to get each other known.
“JP scored two against Leicester. Eddie scored the first one [tonight]. Ebs scored the second today, so all offensive players scored goals, and this is important for their confidence.”