It was almost audible in South London when the last whistle went at Selhurst Park following a 1-0 defeat with AEK Larnaca. But even in the moaning and the half applause, there was one man who remained calm Oliver Glasner, the maniacal strategist who appears to feed his appetite on anarchy as a chess master inside a pinball machine.
Sources say that the boss of Palace did not even appear rattled. Why would he? His squad, for once, isn’t made of glass. Aside from the long-term absentees — Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Riad Dnanou, and Caleb Kporha — the Austrian tactician has a fit squad marching toward Arsenal this Sunday with more swagger than sorrow.
Oliver Glasner’s Masterclass in Controlled Mayhem
Glasner has built something quietly sturdy at Palace — a team that can lose on Thursday and still look dangerous by Sunday.
His team has been steady three wins and four draws and one defeat in the premier league. It is not champagne football, but it is useful like a diesel engine engine that will not stop, though it is raining bricks.
The Secret Weapon of Oliver Glasner? Belief and Banter
Behind the calm exterior is a man who knows how to inject humor into the grind. “All players are fit, all players look really good,” he declared before the game, sounding less like a manager and more like a personal trainer selling optimism by the kilo.
And he’s got reasons to smile — one of them happens to be the in-form striker who’s sitting third in the Premier League scoring charts. Arsenal’s defenders might want to stretch extra before kick-off.
Author’s Take: A Defeat Worth Smiling About
Let’s be honest — losing to AEK Larnaca stings. But in football, fitness is currency, and Oliver Glasner just found a gold mine. With his core squad intact, Palace might just surprise the Gunners. Sure, they’ve got two days less rest, but fatigue rarely beats faith — especially under Glasner’s quietly unshakable grin.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
