This is an opinion I’ve had since the first time they were put together earlier in the season when Benteke was injured. And it’s something I just wanna reiterate.

For me, neither Benteke nor Sorloth ever need to start when we’re looking to really take the game to an opposition, especially at home.

Every single time Townsend and Wilf have played as a 2 this season, we’ve looked like an infinitely more dangerous team under Roy. It allows Wilf to roam all over the final third and really get creative, not burdened by the shackles of defensive responsibility or discipline of an “out and out” winger.

The runs the pair make in behind cause any defence absolute nightmares. They press so aggressively from the front too. And because they aren’t big target men, it encourages the team to get the ball down and play - and we’ve proven on many occasions this season, it’s something we definitely can do when we want to! For some reason we seem to always abandon it second half, go far too negative and just gift the opposition free reign to come at us.

It’s such a high intensity, narrow and direct team when we play with the system we played in the first half and I love watching it. The contrast between that and us at the Amex this season is astonishing. Benteke/Sorloth can be the perfect players to bring on later in games where we perhaps wanna run down the clock a bit more and could utilise a big man as an outlet.

I Remember watching an interview earlier in the season where Zaha said he was awful at heading. Behave! 3 occasions off the top of my head I can remember him bulleting one in like he did today. He’s just fantastic, and he turns up in the big games which is the true testimant to how good he is.

What a first half performance & what a day. COYP

We're the Arthur over ere!

They do look great playing up front like that. Great to watch by all, not just for Palace supporters

Commentator on NBC said that was the best game of the season!!!!

Yeah but as I said I think it’s cos we went far too negative. There’s being more defensively minded and then theirs throwing 9 behind the ball and inviting the opposition to attack you.

If anything Wilf was more of a lone striker in the second half until Benteke came on.

We're the Arthur over ere!

I think Wilf is having his best and most consistent season. When we have needed him (injuries permitting) he has stepped up to the plate. The other teams know our strengths but like Brighton today they still couldn't stop him.

One of my criteria for a good / great player is doing it when it matters most. Like last season against Hull when he scored very early on so it became a party and not a nail biter.

I hope he stays with us as I can see him getting better and better.

One more point

The trouble with not having someone like benny up front, is there is no one to hold play up, wilf and andros are not that kind of player, thats why roy bought benny on, to try and hold up play, give the defence a chance to regroup, benny failed, but we needed it

I was unhappy with playing the two of them up front before the game.
Brighton are strong in the air and have pace down the wings.
I thought that this would leave us exposed to conceding corners and set pieces which we couldn’t defend.
I was both right and wrong.
In the first half we dominated and played some great attacking football with Zaha and Townsend doing very well.
In the second half we looked very exposed and in some ways were fortunate to draw.
It’s a tough call because Benteke doesn’t look right and Sorloth isn’t yet proven.
Playing Zaha and Townsend up front does allow Roy to play RLC and the usual three midfielders and this was central to the domination in the first half.