Crystal Palace boss asked about signing attacking reinforcements after Arsenal defeat

Roy Hodgson was asked whether he would like to sign more attacking players after Crystal Palace’s 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal on Monday evening.

The Eagles only registered two shots on target during the match despite the Gunners being reduced to 10 men in the 67th minute when Takehiro Tomiyasu was issued with his second yellow card.

Michael Olise, who signed a new four-year deal last week, and Matheus Franca, are both out injured.

Hodgson, 76, subbed on Naouirou Ahamada, 21, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, 20, when the Eagles were searching for an equaliser.

The Eagles only named eight of a possible nine substitutions on Monday evening.

When asked if he would like more attacking players, Hodgson said: “When you look at Arsenal today and saw they needed some help playing with 10 men, and having some pressure to deal with, it’s really interesting to see the number of players they bring on and the quality of players they bring on.

“At the moment we’re not in that situation.

“We’re waiting on Michael Olise and waiting on Matheus Franca. We’re waiting on Will Hughes and [Jean-Philippe] Mateta went down with a sore knee just a day ago.

“Had those four been around and available, I might have been saying: ‘We have plenty’.

“But at the moment we don’t have those, so it does limit us in those attacking spheres.

“That’s why we have to turn to Ahamada, who has hardly played a game in the first team.

“And Jes Rak-Sakyi, whose last game was in the third division with Charlton.”