Been a bit too busy to post but was in full agreement that Leicester at 7/1 was far too big. Really wasn't looking forward to yesterdays game.
So it's typically City that we pull off one of our best performances and control the game.
If only we played like that every week, we wouldn't be a million points behind Liverpool.

Merry Christmas to all contributors here.

Are there any legs to 8/1 Man City to win the league? Especially after hearing the xg stats on here yesterday as well. Liverpool potentially have their prem rhythm knocked by the club world cup, Aguero soon to be back in full force. Laporte back probably end of January.

What price would we need for it to be value? I know its 11 points between them, but i am not sure it's over yet.

I'm thinking of adopting Palace as my second team. Mainly because Roy Hodgson is such a delightful old buffer. 

He's steadied the ship here that is for sure. Liable to a bit too much faith in Benteke. I wasn't sure about him starting the last game when we were doing so well without that. It is going to be interesting who we recruit if Zaha is off to chelsea in the window. It would be the end of an era of Zaha+Bolasie being capable of truly amazing flair. The sort of football clubs of our ilk don't see for generations. Nothing about end product, more the box office ability to beat a man from a standing start, and those two in their prime are up there as some of the best to do it in the prem from a spectacle standpoint. More a Jay Jay Okocha style  rather than a Hazard style where he could get past players more with a drop of the shoulder. 

We had Zaha, Bolasie and Glenn Murray in our promotion season, that was a very enjoyable front three to watch.

Seeing Traore for Wolves now I am a bit annoyed we didn't go in for him when he was on the relative cheap because he would have fit in so well partnering Zaha on another wing but never mind. 

Sheffield United have been a lot of people's second team this season. They have been good value in the betting.

I was quite surprised to see Leicester a general 7/1 and 5/1 draw no bet at Man C tomorow night

8 wins and a draw in 9

4 points ahead in the table

only conceded 11 goals in 17 league games

Can counter-attack if needed.

It's not the 10-1 we were in this fixture a year ago but City aren't as strong in central defence and holding midfield, due to injuries

I have seen worse 1.85+ bets on the Leicester +1.5 asian handicap anyway. Gl.

Anyone else think the Keogh sacking is a bit of a liberty? Have Derby a right to? He gets drunk against Derby's orders that night seems to be the crime? Hadn't heard someone lose a job over that before. I probably don't know everything here.

Palace about a third the price Wolves were a couple of weeks ago.

They've run massively good to be where they are currently. Backlash coming I feel.

They also seem to play a lot better away from home.

I think that could change this season with the Ultras in full voice at home  with the whole centre bottom half of the Holmesdale stand theirs lending to a much better atmosphere than last season and the settled team dynamic I explained above. We should have beaten both Wolves and Everton at home and got results against Villa and Norwich in convincing albeit tight wins generally because of our finishing incapability but we could always get some run good there.

The big point about Palace is that we are finally playing 1 up front with Zaha on the wing and on top of that we are no longer bringing on Benteke for Ayew for anymore than 5 mins, in recent games anyway. This is important as I think the side now actually believe we have a capable striker leading the line we can trust to potentially finish a chance rather than the numerous times I have seen midfielders ignore Benteke knowing the chance would come to nothing if he attempts a finish. Also the side are perkier for it.

Benteke genuinely takes away from the hope in the side when he comes on. Rewarding him with a contract extension was baffling, I'm hoping not on anywhere near similar wages but he's gonna be getting paid too much.

This dynamic of Ayew up top and Zaha as an out and out winger has only been in for the last 3 or 4 games and has matched our solid form. Cahill coming in has added real class to an already very solid centre back squad we hold. Van aanholt and ward are solid enough but do often get caught out positionally. Our midfield is solid as well without any shining class centrally but Zaha is our obvious threat. Townsend isn't even getting a starting nod for us probably as Hodgson would rather one wing to be a little more defensive than both be caught out attacking wise, but I think it is a bit harsh. Obviously up front we are light. Ayew is good with underrated hold up and link up capability without being amazing. He definitely doesn't let the side down though and that is rare of a Palace side to see in a striker. When Batshuyai came in we saw what he was capable of in this side geared towards the lone striker and I would love for the missing piece to be filled in January.

Points wise I'd say we are par rather than running well. The 4 points we robbed from man u and West ham away we dropped from Everton and Wolves at home.

Our next 5 games are very tough. However we do enjoy those underdog dynamic games and with points already on the board the pressure is off and I expect us to pick up points.

I think Man City are a different team without De Bruyne. Him not playing against wolves was probably the difference but he returns.Of course Fernandinho at CB isn't great for City.

I do think Palace are worth a small nibble here at the price of 10/1+ but nothing really to write home about.

On a backlash coming I instead see it the other way as we are finally feeling settled up top with Ayew, plus Zaha has readjusted mentally to staying with us with his performances coming on lately laying the foundation of us being more solid. Of course I could be made to look silly because of our fixture list and if Ayew gets a niggle we are screwed. Also how we were dismantled by Spurs was very worrying but that did involve a very very very out of form Sakho starting for us which destabilised everything.

Are Sheff UTD a bit big away to Chelsea on Saturday at 10/1? Considering the double chance angle at around 2.4/1 as well.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/chelsea-v-sheffield-utd/winner

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/chelsea-v-sheffield-utd/double-chance

They were unlucky not to get a result against Leicester, albeit at home, they shut palace down at home and did well for their point away to bournemouth.

Chelsea have yet to be tested against a bottom half team that will sit deeper to absorb pressure in their first three games, and think Sheffield could pose a different test. Mount potentially affected by a niggle picked up last week as well.

Perhaps frustrations could run high and a perky Sheffield provide a shock? Alternatively Chelsea could settle down and dismantle them. I think the potential narrative of quite a tight contest is high enough for the 2.4/1 for the Sheff Utd draw or win to be value. Even the 1.8 about them not losing by 2 or more on the asian handicap as well. But I am unsure and wanting opinions please.

Good shout Ant - I hope you pressed at half-time

Nah I was embarrassed at ht, ha. Also it wasn't a tip more of a discussion opener really.

Ayew has been really solid in recent games. Hodgson was about to take him off before he scored even though he was our mom. I was prepared to shoot Roy then tbh. Oooo let's get Benteke on for no reason. His contract is up in the summer thankfully.

Are Sheff UTD a bit big away to Chelsea on Saturday at 10/1? Considering the double chance angle at around 2.4/1 as well.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/chelsea-v-sheffield-utd/winner

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/chelsea-v-sheffield-utd/double-chance

They were unlucky not to get a result against Leicester, albeit at home, they shut palace down at home and did well for their point away to bournemouth.

Chelsea have yet to be tested against a bottom half team that will sit deeper to absorb pressure in their first three games, and think Sheffield could pose a different test. Mount potentially affected by a niggle picked up last week as well.

Perhaps frustrations could run high and a perky Sheffield provide a shock? Alternatively Chelsea could settle down and dismantle them. I think the potential narrative of quite a tight contest is high enough for the 2.4/1 for the Sheff Utd draw or win to be value. Even the 1.8 about them not losing by 2 or more on the asian handicap as well. But I am unsure and wanting opinions please.

We're playing you on Sunday and you're going down cos you're crap and we're great.


My first attempt at footy banter. How'm I doin'?

Yeh pretty good

You got a decent looking side there. We did not turn up at all. Your wing backs are on a madness most games.

I was only positing if there was value in the 2/3 as its small, i had no real argument to suggest Palace could outdo West Ham.

Solid arguments above.

I just think if we are careful with how we spend we could be a more successful team.

Say 5 good value 20m players could outweigh Bissakas and Zaha's input on the whole. It's gonna be interesting to see how it pans out. It's unlikley i guess because Zaha is a beast that will really show how good he is at a club that starts him every week or close to it. Maybe Arsenal? Spurs would be a good fit i think, but he would have to be prepared to not start every game and i don't think he has the patience for that and could falter.

Wan Bissaka is quick, hardly gets beaten one on one defensively with his go to slide tackle, good running with the ball going forward and getting up and down the pitch. Cons would be he is often out of position and is a little green about that, with experience that will be fine. He is also not the best with the final ball with crosses and passing. I would think with repetition training he could learn to ping a quality ball in but he never had consistency with that at Palace. He strikes me as a player that would have great value slipping into an already good team like Man U but at Palace because of how the rest of the backline could be letting him down, his effectiveness is wasted a little.

We have spent quite well in the recent past with PVA, Schlupp, Milo, kouyate, Tomkins (when fit), Townsend and we have loan signed in excellently two seasons in a row as well. Sorloth obviously not great as was Meyer but he was free though, albeit huge wages.

I'm hopeful we could solidify with the money. Kelly for example, even as back up, getting anywhere near our starting line up is where this money could go to correct.

Shy so not for fred but Palace to be bottom London club (Palace, WHU, Chelsea, Spurs, Arse) at 2/3 is dynamite Shirley?

It just turns into a toss up between them and WHU at 6/4. Could profitably back both, but is probably an account closer if doing so at big sums. Palace could be getting £100m+ this window with Bissaka and Zaha leaving, and it remains to be seen if that could be properly reinvested to make WHU the better bet here. We would be a little shell shocked without Zaha and could struggle though.

Both landed. Thank you!

If he was knocked out in sparring would it have a big effect on his performance on the night? How long do you need post KO to feel fresh? I didn't realise it is such a big thing. I thought you could shake it off in a week generally and be close to fully fit and be raring to go. There a protocol to follow? You need x amount of time post KO before fighting again?

A week in soccer is generally enough. It's different when dealing with repeated punches to the head. In boxing it'll start with a month's suspension from the British boxing board of control. Win, lose, or draw your next fight fight always needs the boards approval.

Sparring stops a week prior. Head guards prevent cuts. Extra cushioned gloves soften the blows and prevent injuries. Sparring is a controlled environment.

Thanks for the response.

I think he looked unwell/concussed from the off as he didn't look particularly sharp. He did well up until his knockdown of Ruiz to keep his distance and give Ruiz nothing, then perhaps in his impaired state took too many liberties going immediately for the second knockdown, got knocked down himself, and because he was already feeling iffy he found it much harder to recover than he normally would and the rest of the match was banter.

I thought it was telling how spent he looked at the end of the first round after doing fuck all basically as he went back to his corner from 11.10 on the link of the fight. Breathing deeply, going through his motions very slowly as if disorientated. But i'm obv speculating, I dunno.

In the rematch, if he looks as he has done in previous fights coordination wise, i think knocks out Ruiz between rounds 5-8. Much in the same manner he got the first knockdown here, but instead of taking chances just continually degrading Ruiz while keeping his own defences solid. If composed from the off I couldn't see Ruiz lasting in the rematch. All depends i guess on what is wrong with Joshua.

bollocks

Vindousova just played exceptionally in that tie break.  The shot for 5-2 was exceptional, I was sure Konta's shot before was a winner.

I haven't got the stats, but Vondrousova was significantly ahead on the long rallies in that match.  

There was a smash in the first set which Konta fluffed and then followed up with one that clipped the top of the net and dropped the wrong side.

She made a lot of unforced errors, but also hit moe winners.   Given how the long rallies went, I think she had to still keep going for it.   Just wasn't quite there today, and there wasn't much in it.   She did very well to get where she did.

It all hinged on her not closing that first set with the dry volley, and the other glaring unforced error. Very tough blow to take and she couldn't shake it off. There was a big performance change after that i thought. The backhand unforced errors were letting her down big time. If Konta closed that first set with the momentum she had all tournament, it wouldn't have been surprising had she steamrollered the second.

I randomly came on thread saw the tip and backed it myself from the off. A great sweat and a nice spot, unlucky.