Formation decision
Before the match had even started, the mind games began at Wembley with the announcement of Crystal Palace’s starting XI. For the first time this season, Patrick Vieira set his side up in an unfamiliar 5-3-2 formation designed to match Chelsea man for man.
Cheikhou Kouyate turned out at centre-back alongside Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi, while Wilfried Zaha and Jean-Philippe Mateta shared striking duties between them as part of a front two.
For the first 45 minutes, it worked perfectly. Thomas Tuchel’s side were unable to find their rhythm, aided somewhat by an injury to Mateo Kovacic after 25 minutes. Palace dug in deep and sat back when required before springing counterattacks up the pitch whenever possible. Zaha and Ebere Eze sought to provide the magic between the lines while Jeffrey Schlupp and James McArthur brutishly won the ball back in midfield.
READ MORE: Andersen miss, Kouyate gamble: Crystal Palace FA Cup player ratings vs Chelsea
But in the second half, things went wrong. Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored from a similar chance that Kouyate had missed in the first half before Mason Mount killed off the match from close range soon after. Vieira had earlier switched things up by turning to a 5-4-1 formation, though this only played into Chelsea’s hands as Jorginho got on the ball and managed the game until full-time.
Substitutions changed game
After having an impressive opening 45 minutes up against the physical Antonio Rudiger, Jean-Philippe Mateta probably could have felt a little aggrieved that he was taken off for Jordan Ayew just seven minutes into the second half.
Until then, he’d won six aerial duels and eight ground duels, constantly pushing Palace up the pitch and almost setting up Zaha with a flashed cross across the box during the first half. Once he was replaced by Ayew just seven minutes into the second half, Palace lost much of the attacking impetus that had served them so well during the first 45 minutes.
In his post-match press conference, Vieira said the reason behind the substitution was so that they could cope better with Reece James rampaging down the right flank, despite the game still being goalless at that point.
“We had some issues on the right side where Reece James got the ball too much and our front two were working so hard," he said. "We wanted to be a little bit more supportive in midfield but we dropped a bit too much."
Once Chelsea had taken the lead it was then time for Michael Olise and Christian Benteke to arrive on the scene, only by this point it was too little, too late. Olise provided a few moments of creative spark that got the fans cheering, which is encouraging to see following his return from a slight foot injury that stopped him starting.
Benteke meanwhile played exactly how a player would play who has featured in just 28 minutes of Palace's last 11 matches in all competitions. His cameo ended with him having touched the ball seven times, failing to reproduce what Mateta had been offering so well up until his substitution. Odsonne Edouard must have been scratching his head on the touchline.
Vieira’s in-game management has come under question several times throughout the season but in such a high-profile game as this, there are naturally many fans that believe he over-thought this game. Much like Pep Guardiola has been criticised for over-thinking big games, Vieira - a City Group graduate no less - might be guilty of tinkering too much.
Incredible atmosphere
From the moment Wembley opened to the fans, the corner dedicated to Crystal Palace began filling up very quickly. By the time the teams were out to warm up, the Eagles supporters looked like they outnumbered the Chelsea fans two to one. Flags, banners, flares, balloons and arms were all held aloft and waived as the Palace players walked out onto the pitch, creating an impressive wall of red and blue unlike anything Wembley has seen in recent memory.
Supporters ran through their full repertoire of songs and provided all the noise in a closely-fought first half. With Palace attacking towards their own fans in the second half it seemed like the noise would only get louder and it likely would of had Loftus-Cheek not woken up the Blue corner of the stadium on 70 minutes.
At full-time, despite the loss, Palace fans stayed well after the final whistle to applaud their players. Chelsea fans - either now somewhat desensitised to winning FA Cup semi-finals or simply desperate to get home on time - disappeared in a flash on the final whistle.
On the right path
With the FA Cup journey now at an end, it's a good time to reflect on what has been a memorable run to the semi-finals under Vieira.
Palace have battled hard to come through ties against Millwall and Stoke, created new friendships with Hartlepool United and put on a serious show against Everton at Selhurst Park. That their journey ends to the current Champions League holders should not tarnish an impressive run - one that Vieira and his coaching staff will be thrilled that got them to Wembley.
Defeat, however cruel, should only build the character of Palace’s young players of which there are many. Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Ebere Eze - the latter of which completed his first 90 minutes of the season against Chelsea - will all certainly take positives from their performances, while Tyrick Mitchell can hold his head high despite looking the most emotional player on the pitch at the full-time whistle.
"He will be okay," said Vieira of the young full-back afterwards. "These kinds of games will build him and teach him how to manage emotions. The more games he plays like that, the better it will be for him and the rest of the young players that we have."
For Vieira himself, the Frenchman seems more than satisfied with where his team are at. He now has to get them ready for an immediate turnaround with an away trip to Newcastle on Wednesday evening.
"I'm in a really good place," he added. "I’m in a wonderful football club, surrounded by good people who want to take the football club to a different level. We have to keep working."
