---
title: "Ledley defends Palace manager"
canonical: "https://readcrystalpalace.com/2015/10/20/ledley-defends-palace-manager/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Kyle Dixon"
section: "Crystal Palace News"
published: "2015-10-20T10:28:37Z"
modified: "2015-10-20T10:28:37Z"
---

# Ledley defends Palace manager

Joe Ledley has backed Alan Pardew’s decision to not bring on another striker following Dwight Gayle’s red card in the 3-1 loss to West Ham United on Saturday, [reports Mark Ritson of the Croydon Advertiser.](https://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Joe-Ledley-says-Palace-boss-right-Dwight-Gayle/story-28017603-detail/story.html)

After Gayle was dismissed just before half-time, Pardew resisted the temptation to call on substitutes Patrick Bamford or Frazier Campbell, and Ledley believes it was the right call despite the result.

With the score at 1-1, the Palace boss decided to bring on Bakary Sako for Wilfried Zaha, pushing Yannick Bolasie as a lone striker, and the former Cardiff City man agreed with his manager, saying:

“At 1-1 we need to save the game and go a bit defensive with being a man down. We totally understand why the manager has done that and we’ve tried to hurt West Ham on the counter attack.”

![Julian Finney/Getty Images Sport](https://readeverything.co/readcrystalpalace/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2015/10/485192858-3788x1897.jpg)

Carl Jenkinson had given the Hammers a 1-0 lead before Gayle was tripped in the box, allowing Yohan Cabaye to equalize from the penalty spot. The former Peterborough striker would then get a second yellow card and turned the game on it’s head.

Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet got late goals to condemn the Eagles to a defeat, but Ledley hopes Gayle can learn from his mistake.

“I just think Dwight will learn from it. He’s a great player for us and worked his socks off, he was just unlucky not to stay on the pitch.”