Crystal Palace FC Thread + Premiership Palaver

[aaron1867]

What do people think about Premier League being the best league in the world? Would love to see opinion on this...

We perhaps out of the top 5 footballers in the world, have 1 in the apparent best league in the world, however we probably have the most competive league with regards to the title race in recent seasons, whilst in Spain, it's between 3 and Germany there will only be one winner? It might be competitive, but we only have a couple of world class players & we don't really have a big game like Italy, Germany and nowhere near Spain big one. I'd probably say the atmosphere in UK is nowhere near as good as the others.

Read an article a few days ago & wondered, is it really the best league in the world? We haven't got the best player, the best match, best team, best atmosphere or best manager....... probably just the competitiveness & fast and furious pace?

[Marky147]

Don't know if Merson is back on the bugle, but he has just said that Palace have been absolutely outstanding, and not really allowed City to play.

[Marky147]

I would like it very much if Sunderland and Cardiff could both park the bus!

[exstream]

What do people think about Premier League being the best league in the world? Would love to see opinion on this...

We perhaps out of the top 5 footballers in the world, have 1 in the apparent best league in the world, however we probably have the most competive league with regards to the title race in recent seasons, whilst in Spain, it's between 3 and Germany there will only be one winner? It might be competitive, but we only have a couple of world class players & we don't really have a big game like Italy, Germany and nowhere near Spain big one. I'd probably say the atmosphere in UK is nowhere near as good as the others.

Read an article a few days ago & wondered, is it really the best league in the world? We haven't got the best player, the best match, best team, best atmosphere or best manager....... probably just the competitiveness & fast and furious pace?

Suarez! Bale and Ronaldo had some amazing years in the league before moving for a lot more money. Kompany one of the best defenders in world? Exciting youngsters, Lukaku, Barkley, Hazard, Ramsey.
Italys big game, milan derby? Does it get more viewers worldwide than for example a liverpool man u game or a manchester derby, what makes them not as big as italys big game.
is germanys big game bayern vs dortmund? never even hear much about that.
spain of course, el classicos are the biggest.

[Ant040689]

Don't know if Merson is back on the bugle, but he has just said that Palace have been absolutely outstanding, and not really allowed City to play.

That was correct for long periods. No real clear out and out chance until the goal, and Palace should have at least scored one too.

I still think though that Palace's performances will still be overlooked by MOTD tonight, commented on by saying a brave perforamnce, but not going into detail, thus meaning value will still be had for a lot of season long bets potential for Palace.

The fact Toure, Negredo, Zabaleta, Nasri and Aguero were not playing from the start for one reason or another probably puts an unfair good shine ont he performance, from Palace's perspective, but we have now made Parr a permanent LB and he is more astute defensively. And despite a host of dodgy performances at RB in the past for Palace, Mariappa had a solid game.

We had a RB in CM today, and after looking out of sorts against Newcastle in his first game there, has settled very nicely in the Villa game and now the Man City one. A real utility man.

Also I think it needs to be said Merson has had a soft spot for Palace most of the times he has covered us, always praising our fans and normally always saying how well we have played as he appreciates back against the wall stuff.

It needs to be said we are looking a lot more fluid up front, since we have had time to settle under the Pulis regime. We sit back and absorb pressure for large periods and then counter with pace, with our two wingers and normally always look menacing. A shame Jerome had to limp off injured because I don't think Chamakh plays too well being the last man right up the top of the pitch, so much better when he can help out in midfield. I think Gayle should have come on for Jerome instead of Chamakh, and swapped him on for Bannan at a later stage, just in behind the striker.

The Newcastle game was goals conceded by a penalty, an OG and a deflection, with large parts of the game chasing and having to open up more thus inviting pressure. On top of that, Ward was playing for the first time in CM, Moxey at LB was stil injured but played and got hauled off at for Parr to have a shot run out, cold, Mariappa was acclimatising at RB and generally the changes and the added pressure of the terrible conditions shone through. Despite that they score three fortunate goals. They would have probably scored in different circumstances though if the opportunity presented itself, but as it stood, that is what happened. Newcastle were better and deserved the win before it sounds like sour grapes.

I wonder how Murray fares when he comes back, although I fear it may be in February, as his knee is still not quite right. We also have Guediora due back soon which will be a great boost.

I do wonder how much the prices on season long Palace bets have deviated since before the Newcastle game, as we are now out of the relegation zone, if I still think they are value I will let you know.

To the Prem being the best league in the world, I think it is for the reason you stated about how well contested it is compared to the others. Who really cares that much about better players stomping the hell out of much much inferior ones? Quite a lot of people, but not in comparison to how many appreciate, Stoke beating Chelsea at home or Sunderland doing a number over Man City. It is a unique league, and long may it continue.

[rinswun]

I think you might actually be in danger of over valuing Palace now Ant. Yes City have been on cracking form recently but they are never going to score 4 in every game and at the end of the day they kept a clean sheet and won the game. Palace have lost three of their last four with the sole win coming from a worldie in the last minute against a team who had won 1 game in 6. That's not going to happen every week. Pulis teams are always tough to break down which is why the games have been close but I think t is severely optimistic to think that they could finish in the top 12 unless they have serious investment in January.

Football games are won and lost on small margins. Saying that Newcastle only scored from a pen, an own goal and a deflection shows a naivity that those goals didn't stem from small Palace errors/lack of ability. From not closing players down quick enough or players being half a second too slow to get their body in the right position to defend. In the PL, teams punish these little mistakes far more regularly than in the FL. I haven't seen enough quality from Palace this year to suggest that they can punish these mistakes as well as another, more experienced Premier League side.

[Ant040689]

I think you might actually be in danger of over valuing Palace now Ant. Yes City have been on cracking form recently but they are never going to score 4 in every game and at the end of the day they kept a clean sheet and won the game. Palace have lost three of their last four with the sole win coming from a worldie in the last minute against a team who had won 1 game in 6. That's not going to happen every week. Pulis teams are always tough to break down which is why the games have been close but I think t is severely optimistic to think that they could finish in the top 12 unless they have serious investment in January.

Football games are won and lost on small margins. Saying that Newcastle only scored from a pen, an own goal and a deflection shows a naivity that those goals didn't stem from small Palace errors/lack of ability. From not closing players down quick enough or players being half a second too slow to get their body in the right position to defend. In the PL, teams punish these little mistakes far more regularly than in the FL. I haven't seen enough quality from Palace this year to suggest that they can punish these mistakes as well as another, more experienced Premier League side.

I don't think Palace will end in the top 12, I just think it may be value to back it. I would invest quite heavily in the staying up aspect though.

You are right that Palace do not punish mistakes enough, but we have been coming out of our shell a lot more recently and are starting to look more dominant going forward. With this though I think it will take time before we ever click properly in that department after how terribly bad we looked at the start of the season. Our problem hasn't been chance creation of late, it has been finishing.

None of our players look likely to score when they have a shot, unless it is Chamakh but he has only had 6 I believe all season, scoring 4. Jerome loves a shot, but is seemingly useless at finishing, especially from range, same goes for Bolasie. I think with Puncheon he is a little unlucky. He makes a lot of chances himself but I think his shot power lets him down, and the two central midfield men have a decent shot on them but are often too deep to ever get a shot off. Bannan is not bad either but he goes in the same category as Puncheon, as a guy that is probably lacking in the shot power department.

It is good to see the amount of chances we get but we do need all of these guys to step up to help out are defense and defensive midfield that have been fantastic under Pulis, aside from the Newcastle game. You mention games are tight because Palace are going to set up like that under Pulis, and you are right. Under Millen against Everton at home we were against one of the better teams in the league, reduced them to half chances, and had a lot of chances ourselves to put the game to bed but didn't. We are never out of games, and have been unlucky not to score more in more of them. Aside from Newcastle where I believe it was an anomaly, for the reasons stated in my previous post.

I may be overestimating Palace's value for sure, but I would be surprised if we aren't value on most markets available to them because we're been quite unlucky in games not to score more goals, and if that ever does click, or maybe Murray comes back and is an unlikely revelation, it will show just how well the team is currently operating.

I think Palace are defensively sound, but are really lacking an attack force that can finish, and will that change? Probably not, but lets hope the amount of chances created gets increased more and the finishing confidence eventually improves with that. If it does click up front with that defensive base, then you are reaping the rewards of investing in the season long bets.

Even on current output we have won 4 of our last 8 which is mid table form.

Games like the one coming up against Norwich are crucial.

[Ant040689]

Tottenham 2 Palace 0

First half Palace were on top, with Tottenham having one easy long ranger saved, and one belter that hit the woodwork that was unlucky not to have gone in. Of Palace's chances, the penalty is the most obvious, Puncheon completely skied it. And then generally Palace got into great threatening positions but did nothing too note worthy with it, as our crossing was awful and finishing poor too. One header was cleared from the line from going in from a corner, most notably, from Bolasie which is a shame.

Second half appeared to be men versus boys as Spurs must have been given a rolicking as they came out energised and were on top for the whole half really. Palace didn't have an answer against their fitness and quickness. The first goal did come from a very basic defensive error which is a shame, both centre backs going up for the same ball with no man covering the player coming in around, that man was Eriksen, who proceeded to emphatically smash the ball past Speroni.

Of the second goal, Defoe showed his class which contrasted heavily with Soldado's performance, who he replaced in the second half, and with his wily positioning tekkers and quick feet managed to lift the ball over an already grounded Speroni.

Tottenham were shocking in the first half when compared to their output in the second. I think it was them improving rather than Palace playing particularly poorly in the second, perhaps we tired, I am not 100% but Spurs looked pretty classy and I wasn't expecting it. Palace just couldn't keep up with the pace and they managed to find gaps in a defence that looked disheveled, where in the first half it was resolute. Probably was our players tiring. The solidity at the back was just not there in the second and I would like to grant that to Tottenham playing well over us playing too badly.

Palace can't cross to save their life. I would love to see the stats on it. We got into awesome crossing positions and were just completely wasteful with them. I am not sure we got a cross to a head at any point in the match in open play, they were mostly way too high, but some came short. In these spots I ask that Palace just do a higher percentage success rate cross in the floater types rather than the whipped ones, as we need to get some success with them. Gonna say 10 failed crosses. So disheartening.

We haven't a finisher on the team either and that is a worry. No point having the best of the first half if Tottenham can finish so much better than you, deadly in comparison. Puncheon can manufacture a shooting opportunity and so can Bolasie but their shots are often not powerful enough. Jerome has the power, but often terrible accuracy, and Chamakh just doesn't shoot enough, which is sad as when he does he is often deadly. The other players in the side aren't often high enough to have a go, but when Guediora came on in the second half, he had a rasping shot that Lloris was beaten all ends up by, from a good 30 yards out, which was refreshing to see. I think he starts next game and Ward will be pushed back into right back as Mariappa really doesn't look too comfortable at this level.

Would be over optimistic to think Murray can come back into the team soon and be operating at a half way decent level to start. He has had a long lay off, and he just might not be good enough for the step up anyway. He wouldn't offer the same harrying threats that Jerome has because of his pace, but if presented with a chance you would back him to score. Will be interesting to see how he fits in as a luxury player with no pace. He thrives off of crosses, and with his movement in the box allowing for space, perhaps that encourages the crossers to be more accurate.

As it stands that match has opened my eyes to the possibility of relegation. I always thought that because of our solidity at the back and chance creation that we will be fine. In the first half today, we did not resemble a bottom three side at all, but if we continue to be wasteful, you cannot count on our defense holding out for the whole game. Add onto that if Palace go 0-1 that may have knocked the stuffing out of Spurs for the whole game and Palace may have eeked out the same score if Puncheon had scored that penalty. If you score, quite often its less likely the oppo will. So that is a roundabout way of saying without a finisher, we may well be doomed.

That is what we need desperately in Januray. Someone like Hooper would have been a coy buy, if we are being realistic on the standard of player we could attract as I think he comes across as a natural finisher. Or perhaps we take a punt on a player like Rhodes from Blackburn.

When I say finisher, he doesn't have to even be hugely prolific, but just enough to get us into some games and maybe raise the feeling among the rest of the players.

Feel for Pulis. I think he has done a great job since he has come in and think he has been unlucky not to have some more points on the board with some games. This isn't his team really though and Holloway really did buy for the sake of it in January, so with the added stress of that he is doing well. I hope he can do enough to keep us up and then build for next year as I think he is the man that could make us prosper, but it is going to be tricky staying up this season. If we do I don't think next season would be as tricky to stay up.

[Ant040689]

Without looking too much into Stoke and how they play away from home, I really like Palace at 11/8 at home to Stoke on Saturday. We are due a big home result.

[pleno1]

they outplayed Newcastle for 35 minutes at St James when we were 6-6 in wins or something similar.

[anthonyl]

Without looking too much into Stoke and how they play away from home, I really like Palace at 11/8 at home to Stoke on Saturday. We are due a big home result.

Guidetti is quality.

Hopefully bangs in a couple

[Ant040689]

they outplayed Newcastle for 35 minutes at St James when we were 6-6 in wins or something similar.

Not particularly encouraging.

[pleno1]

if you sign leon best thats a really great signing. hes a really perfect player for your type of team, very good finisher, great in the air and battles v hard whilst having a good touch. id take him over remy any day of the week!

[Ant040689]

if you sign leon best thats a really great signing. hes a really perfect player for your type of team, very good finisher, great in the air and battles v hard whilst having a good touch. id take him over remy any day of the week!

Would help me doubly in the fact I am Irish and him getting gametime in the prem would benefit him greatly for his international career.

Not sold on him at all, but very open to him if he does come, hopefully it would be a good match!

[horseplayer]

chamakh for good