Of the players out only Danny Gabiddon would get into the starting line up. And I have already stated how much I am liking the Delaney Ramage Combo nowadays.
Bolasie and Zaha are going to be the main threats tonight, and Murray always rears his head at Selhurst rather than away from home with excellently placed tap ins, and insightful penalties.
Lol at the above statement. Bolasie didn't even start and Murray missed a penalty!
The game was a tight affair in the first half with both teams attacking quite strongly in waves but with no guilt edged chances at all. Then we get Johnny Williams being taken out for a pen, which was blatant, and Murray couldn't put it past Stockdale. Then we get a terrible decision for a penalty that really altered the shape of the match, which Phillips put in.
I think it was only going to be a 1-0 to either team at best if the penalty didn't go in just before half time as it was such a tight performance in the first half and so much on the line in terms of the league positions. We then scored twice more through Phillips and it was completely surreal. He had a terrible first half aside from the penalty and then literally has two chances to score and they are in the back of the net. Unbelievable. As well, it was one of the most unconvincing hat tricks I had seen, as his penalty barely went in, he completely scuffed his second and the third long ranger had a naughty deflection.
It didn't feel right being three nil up, as we had effectively taken nearly all of our potent chances in outfield play up until that point so it was like we didn't deserve to be there. Who often scores all three of their first best chances (aside from the penalty miss obv, I mean open play)?
They got one back in the shape of a great, unstoppable Jay Simpson lob header. Murray then set Zaha loose to take the piss out of Stockdale and just tap it in near post. Then 2 mins into 4 mins stoppage time we, rather forgivably, fell asleep with our three goal cushion and allowed them to have an easy unopposed header in the box.
Mention to Johnny Williams who was outstanding throughout the match, with gritty challenges and excellent through balls and link up play, I think he was our man of the match despite being subbed off at the 60th minute. Phillips, obv, is a complete hero to come up out of nowhere to bag those three goals, as i did say he was anonymous in the first half, but even with this, I don't think Williams couldn't get man of the match, he was that good.
Murray had a pretty awful game all night by his standards. He did set up Zaha's goal very well, but he was slower than normal, he didn't look decisive when on the ball, and he lost it a little too regularly and I was hoping we would give Wilbrahim a run out in his place, as I think he is an underrated understudy, who really should be getting more game time in place of Murray when games are dead, or in fact Murray has been woeful.
Zaha was immense and he has most definitely returned to his previous, shockingly good form that made me positively gush about him so much. He can seemingly take anyone on one on one and even if there is two of them he often finds a way. He is so strong as well to shield off challenges, and he was linking up play with others superbly. It was an utter joy to watch and he really does create something out of nothing as soon as the ball is given to him and is the sort of asset we may not realise we have properly until it is gone. As at Palace we have got rather snobbish of what we expect of him on the ball now, it is a shock when something doesn't happen directly from him having the ball.
Ramage and Delaney at the back were very solid and really dealt with most of the crosses well, despite falling asleep at the last minute and I don't think they could do anything with Simpson's header as that was superbly taken. Moxey is a little bit of a liability defensively for us at left back, he gets too close to the winger, they knock it past him and can waltz past him unopposed a lot of the time. He does offer a lot going forward though and at times has a mean cross, so can understand why he is starting ahead of our more defensively talented Parr.
Jazz Richards was injured so we had to start Dikgacoi at right back and when I saw this, I would have loved to withdraw the bet I had made on us winning as that mean Butterfield started in the middle in his role. Dikgacoi played solidly throughout, and it was nice to see a really comfortable footballer so deep in the field able to just nonchalantly pass it up the pitch without worrying too much.
Butterfield I thought had a bad game, despite some reports I had seen that he had played well. He is crab like in that he gets the ball and goes sideways with it, or indeed goes backwards. He keeps the ball well enough but his forward intent throughout was lacking. Aside from the Zaha goal where he lumped a nice ball to Murray to lay off to Zaha. When Parr came on to go right back and KG played in the middle with Jedinak, you could see what we were missing all game and what Butterfield couldn't provide. That staunch defensive capacity in the midfield with the great ability to knock the ball forward much more positively than Butterfield was doing all game. A lot of annoyingly stray passes with him.
Bolasie has been unfortunate in that he has been superb for us recently and was dropped for last night but when he came on, it was abusive what he did on their wing backs, he had them on the floor on occasion and he was gliding past with ease. We should have started with him on one flank and Zaha on the other as they showed, with both on, that Hull had no real answer. Was a joy to watch him and it is great to see how much he has improved from the beginning of the season. He is at, I would say, 75% of what Zaha is capable of at the moment, and I would love him to step his game up even more. I really am enjoying the Zaha/Bolasie partnership on the wings while it lasts as it is rare to see such flair on both wings as good as they are and we are blessed at the moment with both of them.
Speroni hadn't much to do the whole game and had one good save if I remember correctly, and he could do nothing about the goals. Dobbie came on and was a little lazy but did pump off a vicious long ranger that nearly went in. Parr played well when on and not to forget Mile Jedniak who is an absolute powerhouse in our central midfield.
But tonight was the night of Williams and Phillips, the former saying to the fans with his performance that he has arrived and the latter saying he still has so much more to give.
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