Crystal Palace FC Thread + Premiership Palaver

[Ant040689]

Off to the Stadium of Light tomorrow and a chance to get a good look at the team in person. The last time I was at a game was the back end of January, with the one nil win at home against Hull and was thoroughly impressed with the resolute defending, something that appears to be only coming back to the fore for Palace. The last home game against Southampton proved to me, I think, that solid defending was back after a shaky time of it with the introduction of the new players. Yes the goal conceded in the last game was horrid, but it was an anomaly in an otherwise great defensive performance.

I was happy to see it as with the great base Palace should have a chance in every match they play, and that is what I love about the tactics. Quite often our defence has held on until past half time and a little into the second half at the very least, basically opening the door to us nicking a goal and holding on for everything we've got. And when you have a lead to protect, you really see better team performances to hold out stoically. Problem is we have found goals hard to come by, but with Bolasie on the sort of chance creating form he is in, perhaps we can bundle home some fluky efforts and then sit back and protect the lead.

Never been to Sunderland before, getting there for midday. Up the Palace.

[Ant040689]

As small an update as i can on Palace atm.

I think we have played well in our last three, despite not much attacking potency, because our defense has been resolute. Ok we lost against Soton and Newcastle, but the nature of both goals, makes me not look too forlornly about it.

Bolasie is a huge threat but it is a shame he only seems to have 65 mins in him before he gets puffed out and in need of a sub. He does however put in a huge shift, so it is not terrible.

Jerome is the key to any chance at all of us maintaining any sort of attacking potency. He started against Newcastle, after being dropped for a fair few games, and his strength, work rate and pace are something to be admired. He works well as the lone striker, able to chase down lost causes and link up play quite well. He is a hopeless finisher though, and quite often makes the wrong choice in pass or shot, but he does orchestrate a lot of chances by himself that no other striker in the team could. Murray came on for the last 15 mins on Saturday and with that effectively, we had nothing going forward and it was one way traffic, with Jerome on he alleviated pressure.

Murray needs to be in games where the opposition are playing a deep line themselves so he doesn't have to use too much pace to be a threat, and he can rely on his wits; with Bolasie and Zaha last season pegging the opposition back, he had free reign to get poachers goals. When the opposition play a relatively high line against us, to counter our deep one, Murray as a lone striker is basically made redundant, and hopefully Pulis realises this.

We have a tough home run in, and a much more convenient looking one away from home which is a little upsetting and i hope that we get a bit of luck our way to get a few tight wins under our belt rather than the cagey draws and losses. With the way Pulis plays though, we are always in every match seemingly, and I do not mind the tactics at all, it needed to be done to give us a chance of survival. We really need the luck to fall to us now, but in terms of a goal outlet at the moment, I do not see one, but it just takes one of them to randomly pop up with a goal and then I would back this Palace side to defend very well to see the win out.

Interesting fact is, that under Pulis, in the 6 games he has presided over in the Premier League that Palace have scored first he has guaranteed the win, only conceding in one of those games the 3-1 win against WBA. So hopefully if you do get the opportunity to see Palace go one nil up in the last remaining 8 games, the win is in the bag.

I really can't call our chances for survival. I was nearly sure we were fine, before Murray came back into the fold along with the three new signings. Before we changed up the team we were flying and were making a hatful of opportunities, despite wastefulness. Now, it is we make rather a lot less opportunities, but our defense is probably a tad more solid. Still a little aggrieved that Gabbidon was dropped, but Dann has done alright, despite being desperately at fault for giving Cisse the free reign to grab the winner on Saturday. I think he fell asleep assuming the whistle was not far away in coming, but it is a shame that a terrific performance throughout the 90 mins up until that point is overshadowed completely by that one mistake. Ledley also was a fault for allowing Ben Arfa to cut inside on his favoured left foot, where shepherding him out wide with seconds remaining would have probably been cleverer.

I think it is Bolasie's time to shine now, I hope that a goal is coming with him, one he creates himself, and that he takes it upon himself to carry us out of the bottom three tussle. I think he has the potential, I just think it is a matter of something quickly falling for him, and then him building up momentum, he is already one lovely flair player to watch, and remains my favourite player in the team. He is beginning to reach the same form he had all of last season and it is superb to see.

[Ant040689]

Lovely.

[rinswun]

Congrats Ant. I've been a big Palace critic (perhaps a bi-product of living in Brighton) but I have to day that is an astoundingly good result. Well played Pulis and players. Looks like he's going to continue that 'non-relegation' streak this season!

[pokerfan]

Congrats Ant. I've been a big Palace critic (perhaps a bi-product of living in Brighton) but I have to day that is an astoundingly good result. Well played Pulis and players. Looks like he's going to continue that 'non-relegation' streak this season!

https://vine.co/v/MeaB03x7JWA

[redsimon]

Feel they could still get top 10 especially as Newcastle are in freefall. Be great to bring that bet in

[pleno1]

gg sunderland?

[mondatoo]

gg sunderland?

1/10 at the bookies says yes.

[Ant040689]

Feel they could still get top 10 especially as Newcastle are in freefall. Be great to bring that bet in

Would be nice, but very much doubt it is on because of the run in. Also Pulis saying he only needs one more win to stay up, and from seeing his interviews recently, he will experiment with team selections and risk further good results just to get some use out of our large squad if staying up is guaranteed, imo.

I hope he sticks with our best 11.

Kagisho Dikagcoi should be sweated by anyone following Palace, he limped off today early. It is a big deal to see him back in the starting line up asap, as the partnership he has with Jedinak probably won't be matched by Ledley in terms of defensive solidity. Both Jedi and Dikagcoi are pretty woeful passers though, but that really isn't their job in this team, they do well just to give a short ball to a more capable passer in the team and concentrate on breaking up opposition play.

I think the recent run of wins could have started a lot earlier for us, but now, finally, some luck is breaking for us. Saying that though Speroni kept us in both the Chelsea and Villa games with a fantastic save in each.

Bolasie remains the livewire of the side, and would love it to see him pop up with an important goal, already provided a great assist today.

Great defensive solidity, and it isn't boring to watch either despite being so low on the possession stats generally, as we hit the flanks quickly and are often exciting with it. Still missing a potent striking threat, but Jerome has been a great leader of the line with his pace, and his contributions have been great despite showing no real goalscoring potency.

That is why I hope Bolasie can step up to the plate like Puncheon, think it is a mental block with him now, he is more than capable, I just think he needs some confidence and a bit of luck with the initial breakthrough.

On Murray, he has looked pretty out of sorts recently and he mentions a lot in interviews, that it is next season he is looking to be primed fitness and match practice wise, which is interesting.

To round up, the change under Pulis has been magnificent, spearheaded initially under Keith Millen. I think the main reason is the two sitting central defensive midfielders constantly breaking up play in the middle that keeps distressing the oppo, and then add the back 4 and GK, who have been great.

Mile Jedinak has probably been the best performer under Tony Pulis; wins so much in the middle of the park through interceptions and is why he leads the stats in the Prem by some distance in that department.

[BorntoBubble]

Saw a post on another thread about the atmosphere at palace and reminded me to post this.

I am a season ticket at "the home of the prawn sandwich brigade" and currently sit in the newly formed singing section. When palace were coming to old Trafford I was excited after seeing their fans at home and thought the away fans would be incredible but it didn't seem that way. Happy to be told otherwise but the away fans seemed quite poor and considering the home fans were so good I was shocked.

My question really is are palace the only club with what seems like louder and more vocal home support than away support?

[baldock92]

I've got my tickets for Palace away sorted for a few weeks time, I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares to the Britannia a few years back!