Crystal Palace (h) post-match thread

[Dobsy]

Two years? Two fucking years, get a grip!

I was getting so annoyed when people just started echoing the rounding up of a handful of mediocre early games (in context previously described) to 18 months of 'crap'. I see the clock hasn't stopped, despite this mini resurgence!

Slipped in jibe comments like that sometimes really come across like folk are willingly waiting for things to go wrong.

I challenge last season being rewritten. Won a trophy. two actually, as i count the shield. came within 2 wins of winning fa cup and within 3 wins of winning the CL. We won multiple games to get to those points, do they not count? Ok, below our best in the league, but still second, still
plenty of goals, and some good dominant performances. Not a roaring success of a season, and yes arguably below our expectations. But in no way the disaster people are willing to turn it into.

The team didn’t play like it. We were porous in defence and abject in attack.

Guardiola found a way but for mostly two years, not just this season, we’re well below our best. In the past few weeks (4 weeks or so) it feels like he’s back because he knows what the team needs as there’s now something to build from.

For me, our Lyon defeat showed he didn’t trust our defence before the game started and after it didn’t believe in our attack because we wasted so many chances. That belief came into this season.

Now (as in the recent 5/6 games) it feels like he really believes in one side of our team. The glint in his eye is back. I’m delighted to see it because the getting the offensive side firing is what he’s best at.

Feb 19 is exactly two years ago. At that point this team was about to go on a 14 game winning streak, which is the 3rd longest winning streak in the last 30 years of top level English football. "Well below our best"? I think you're misremembering a bit.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Great performance that. No weak link at all although Walker looks a bit like he is still getting over illness. Zinchenko had an excellent game. We got to rest players and didn’t look any worse when Kev and Gundo went off. Nice to see Torres back. Phil looked lively in midfield.

if there is a better CB pairing in world football Than Stones/Diaz I would like to see them. They bring out the (considerable) best in each other. Great to see Stones get his first PL goals.

Gundo had another excellent game. I think this must be his best run of form since he joined. Kev was simply superb. That cross....

continue like this and we will have another PL title And more. But one game at a time.....

 

[Akira]

Certainly, I'd be overjoyed if we can lift the PL title at the end. But at this moment, I'm just excited we are playing fantastically again.

 

[Grassland Blue]

If David Silva is anything to go by in about ten years time when he's playing his final season.

The bald fraud knows, y'know.

Fraudiola!!!

 

[Cornish_Blue]

When will Eric be fit? Would he be able to fit in at LB?? Imagine a defensive line of Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Laporte/Ake?

That performance was really professional. We restricted them to ZERO shots on target!!!! It’s a long time since we have done that to a team. Yes, Palace were missing a couple of players that shape their attacking force, but I thought that the midfield did really well. They channeled them in to a defensive ambush.
Does anyone else see how we tire out parked buses?
We gain possession , move it forward,(which makes them all sprint to regain shape), then we come back to start our pre planned moves, shifting them around, to chase the ball. They conceded 7 v dippers, but we could easily have had that too.
I’m really selfish, and want us to regain the PL Title again this season, if we pick up any other trophies along the way, it’s a bonus.
I no longer listen to pundits and media that whine and moan about us not having a ‘striker’! Who gives a toss, if we are banging in goals and not conceding. It’s a team game.

 

[Akira]

When will Eric be fit? Would he be able to fit in at LB?? Imagine a defensive line of Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Laporte/Ake?

Doubtful. If Zinny/Mendy/Cancelo can't play the match at LB, next in line would likely be Laporte/Ake. At this point, it's hard to even justify playing Laporte over Stones/Dias. Garcia is easily 5th choice right now. And I'm fine with it, lads on his way to Barcelona anyway.

 

[David Kloppesh]

Johnny Fucking Stones!

 

[David Silva #21]

We are a different team when Fernandinho starts. LEGEND...

 

[@BluePhil8]

Pep getting out of bed this morning;

 

[Aba452]

Watched MOTD2 last night as I'd missed Raz's strike when my stream froze!

Both Raz and Gundo's goals were exceptional and KDBs ball was sensational! Big John is a man reborn this season and him and Dias have been stellar. He's at last showing us the footballer he was meant to be.

The pundits Shearer and Murphy really stink though. They provide precisely zero insight or analysis. Said it before but Tim Cahill is a breath of fresh air compared to these gnomes.

Think Villa will be a tough game but we'll be well up for it.