120 years of waiting! Grassroots counterattack ends Manchester City dynasty, FA Cup unpopularity creates a new legend in England

Crystal Palace's first championship in the 120th top event

On May 17, 2025, the Wembley Stadium in London witnessed history in a heavy rain. When Crystal Palace striker Eze pierced through Manchester City with a textbook-like push shot, the stadium that has witnessed the glory of countless wealthy families is now a group of "civilian soldiers". After the score of

1-0 was frozen, Crystal Palace coach Glasner knelt on the ground and roared, captain Eze kissed the team logo, and the cheers of 12,000 home team fans overturned the dome - this is the first top event champion in 120 years of team history, and one of the most shocking upsets in the FA Cup history in 163 years.

In the match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace, the tactical decryption: How the Iron Barrel Formation strangled Manchester City Galaxy Battleships

1. Death zone three: The art of compressing space

Crystal Palace divides the defense into three iron gates:

Front court meat grinders: Eze and Olise pressed high, forcing Manchester City to make mistakes in the backcourt (creating 12 counterattack opportunities in the whole game);

Midfield isolation belt: Doocury and Walton form a barrier, averaging 34 interceptions per game and cut off De Bruyne's pass line;

The walls of the penalty area: The three central defenders led by Chilwell maintained a distance of 4.2 meters, blocking 83% of Manchester City's arc-top shots in the penalty area.

2. Counterattack equation: 7-second fatal rule

The team's counterattack follows the logic of "blitz":

long passes from the backcourt directly pass Muños on the right (4.7 breakthroughs per game);

The winger and the wingback have a local numerical advantage;

Eze used as a fulcrum to complete a fatal blow (the shooting conversion rate in this game is 40%).

This tactic worked perfectly in the 16th minute of the final: Muñoz broke through on the right and passed by, Eze pushed the ball to score, the whole process took only 6.3 seconds.

Guardiola

Manchester City collapsed: dusk moment of ball possession myth

1. Fatal injuries behind the data

Space suffocation: Manchester City's 78% possession rate, the actual effective offensive area is less than 10 meters;

Endlessness: Haaland only shot once in the game, and the dispute over penalty penalty rights was a turning point;

Physical fitness trap: 34-year-old De Bruyne runs 1.8 kilometers less than Eze, and the defense line in the end frequently loses position.

2. Undercurrents in the locker room: cracks of superstars' mismatch

According to the Times, Manchester City's locker room has been severely divided:

Haaland and Guardiola

Haaland and Guardiola

Haaland and Guardiola

Akanji were questioned by their teammates for a set piece defensive mistake;

new players such as Doku have not yet integrated into the system, and their morale is on the verge of collapse after losing the Champions League.

Hero Group: The Epic Journey of Little People

Crystal Palace Goal God Henderson

1. Goal God Henderson: The patron saint of modern football, the 31-year-old England goal set two records: 5 saves in a single game (including 1 penalty save), with a 100% save;

Five wins in three consecutive games in the finals, and was elected as the Premier League Golden Glove Awards.

Its iconic "Scorpion's tail swing" save action was rated as "Best Saver of the Year" by Sky Sports.

Crystal Palace Eze

2. Eze: From the marginal man to the national hero, the Nigerian winger rewrites his fate with one goal:

This season's FA Cup 4 goals and 1 assist, and averaged 1.3 goals per game in the knockout stage;

reverse foot usage rate increased to 43%, with a breakthrough success rate of 67%. After the game, the scene of him kneeling on the ground and kissing the team logo became one of the top ten classic moments of the Premier League year.

Historical Echo: Inevitability and Contingency

1. The unpopular gene of the FA Cup has produced 23 "low-level teams won the championship" cases since the first event in 1872. Crystal Palace's victory continues three major rules:

The second half of the area curse: In the last 20 years of finals, the probability of teams winning the championship in the second half of the area reached 68%;

Rain battle metaphysics: In the finals held on rainy days, the winning rate of non-traditional giants increased by 27%;

Veteran counterattack: the average age of the champion team is over 28 years old (the entire Crystal Palace team is 28.3 years old).

2. The twilight moment of Manchester City's dynasty

Guardiola encountered the darkest moment of his coaching career:

Guardiola

coached Manchester City for the first time in 9 years;

created the lowest points in team history (82 points in the Premier League);

out of control of the locker room caused three main players to lose in the winter window.

The new king who scored the only goal has ascended the throne - Crystal Palace's European ambitions

This trophy worth 18 million pounds will open a new chapter for Crystal Palace:

Business Revolution: The Europa League is expected to bring 25 million pounds in revenue next season, and the jersey sponsorship fee is expected to exceed 50 million pounds;

Youth training feedback: 18-year-old star Roman entered the first team rotation, and has received quotes from Bayern and Real Madrid in the winter window;

Tactical output: Glasner's "3421 system" has attracted the attention of many Premier League teams, and may reshape the survival rules of small and medium-sized teams.

When Manchester City's Galaxy battleship stranded in the rain, Crystal Palace uses the oldest football wisdom to prove that on the football field, never underestimate a heart that fights for honor!