Crystal Palace have plenty of room for improvement despite dominant win, Oliver Glasner insists | OneFootball

The Austrian took issue with his side’s sluggish start

Oliver Glasner was left disappointed with elements of Crystal Palace's performance despite a dominant 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League.

"I think the first 10-15 minutes, we did not do well. We looked a little bit surprised with the intensity of AZ, how quick they played and how we showed it," Glasner said in his post-match press conference.

"I think then, after 10-15 minutes, we started to control the game, especially with our physicality.

"We know that we can have an advantage in that place with our tall players and with the physical players. Then we did really well. What I liked was also the reaction here.

"We missed the penalty, but really kept going. I think it was a really deserved lead at half-time. Then we spoke about, because I didn't like the movements of our front three because they pressed us man-to-man.

"We knew this would happen. We showed them. We were two of them with the same movements.

"All three players were running in behind, and all three players were coming to the ball. They stayed in their positions. It was too easy for them to defend."

Ismaila Sarr hit a brace for Crystal Palace

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Glasner went on to praise an important win as Palace responded in style to their shock defeat to AEK Larnaca in their last league phase game.

Palace's squad have had limited time on the training ground and are managing the minutes of key personnel, with Glasner admitting that he withdrew Sarr, who is nursing a minor hamstring issue, in the 65th minute to protect him ahead of Sunday's clash against Brighton.

"He (Sarr) mentioned yesterday a very, very small tightness in his hamstring. The doctor told me, and then I said, we have a game on Sunday as well.

“Then he plays for Senegal, fortunately, here in London. Again, we have to manage the minutes. This is what we could do today."

Glasner also added that defender Chadi Riad, who this week returned to training after a serious knee injury, was absent from the matchday squad after suffering a reaction in his knee.

"He (Riad) trained yesterday, and then he slipped and he had a little bit of a reaction in his knee. And then I spoke to him, and he preferred to watch the game from the stand."