Huge game tonight and it will be the first one this season I will be watching live in the stands.
All I want to hear pre match is that Puncheon and Bolasie are starting, and what I hope to see is the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 with two wide wingers.
Play that and I think we may have a chance.
If we play the 4-3-3, I think it is going to be more of the same attacking dross. I think that was what Blackpool used to play under Holloway and that seemed to work for them in an attacking sense but not at all for us. We know only two ways at Palace, the 4-4-2 and the 4-2-3-1, lets not over complicate things.
The side I want to see tonight:
Speroni
Ward Gabbidon Delaney Moxey
O'Keefe Dikagcoi (Campana if Dik is injured)
Puncheon Bannan Bolasie
Chamakh
I wouldn't mind a 4-4-2 either with Gayle partnering Chamakh, with Dikagcoi being dropped.
I want to see Jedinak dropped as if he wasn't our captain or our player of the year last season I think his recent form would warrantit, has been calamitous recently. Of O'Keefe and KG, both have been steady and both are hard into a tackle and would provide the defensive cover.
Bannan over Campana in the hole for me as he has been performing for Scotland of late, thinking in particular the game against Macedonia and think we could be onto a treat if we get him going.
Chamakh over Gayle up front, just because of the strength attributes and how Chamakh can hold up the ball and link play better. However, easiest sub in the world later in the match, with Gayle's capability for being dangerous off of the last man.
Of Cameron Jerome, I just don't like the guy, he isn't very effective. And the same goes to Kebe, terrible signings for me. I hope I am proved dramatically wrong there though. Of Jerome Thomas, I haven't made my mind up, but I am not holding my breath. I am annoyed with the amount of wingers we have at the club tbh, not sure what Holloway was thinking, it can't be good for team morale signing players that will prove only to get 30 mins here or there, if any gametime at all.
Also I don't think we needed Jerome in, as we already had two strikers, for the sort of 1 central attacker role we have.
Think Guediora is lightweight too from what I have seen, a little flimsy and unreliable, but again redic early judgements on all the new guys.
Joel Ward has been the shining light and I think if he carries on at the rate he is going he will be alerted to Roy Hodgson as an outside chance of filling his right back position. I use OUTSIDE CHANCE, before any of you think I am deliberately trying to provoke you, as in his name may be mentioned when looking at candidates. The OPTA stats say Ward has made the most tackles in the Prem which is mightily impressive, and generally when players are up against him, he stands firm and makes it very tough.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/8975455/unsung-heroesMoxey is a liability defensively and I would like to see Parr back but not sure he is fit yet.
Generally, I am loving the chance to watch all of the players live, so i can see them off the ball and get a much better feel as to what we are getting wrong and doing right.
If you thought this write up was long you should wait and see what I will be writing post match tonight. I hope the performance tonight, fires up my hopes for us doing well this season.
UP THE PALACE!
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