Crystal Palace Build-up Thread

We're getting a little too close to the bottom 3 for my liking.

We have two games in hand (albeit tough ones) but definitely some poor sides now above us, which isnt too flattering about our season.

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

Don't think anyone is suggesting we will go down.

Just a few annoyed we are even close to bottom 3, given our squad and previous seasons.

Wonder if they had a guy like you on the Hull forum 2 years ago. Recall they were 14th after 30 games, then won just 1 of the last 8 games and got relegated.

Do you find the battle for 9th -15th super exciting? I would probably have found the end of season slightly more interesting if VVD and Gabbi were fit and firing but we aren't getting relegated and we aren't going to be threatening a European place either it all has a whiff of meh now. Of course if your finding it super exciting good for you.

Nothing to do with being "Super Exciting", just don't want the season to be over every time it looks like we'll be midtable in the Prem. There's a fair chance we'll have lots of similar seasons over the next few years.

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

Lose tomorrow and palace will be level on points with us. Do they have a chance of going down?

Lose tomorrow and Hull win against boro (a good chance of that if you ask me) they are 4 points behind us. Do they have a chance of going down?

5 games ago Leicester were all but gone, they now sit 2 points ahead of us (granted we have 3 games in hand, 2 of which I'm expecting nothing from).

To suggest we have no chance of us going down makes you look a little bit thick or comptely arrogant, I'll let you decide on that one.

Do I think we will? No, we are 2 wins from gaurenteed safety imo.

Do we have a chance of going down? Yes.

Benteke will murder us if we allow them space to get crosses in. Not sure Stephens is that great in the air. Play like we did against Bournemouth then we are in trouble. Palace are in good form right now. We've gone back to our slow and ponderous football.

Lose tomorrow and palace will be level on points with us. Do they have a chance of going down?

Lose tomorrow and Hull win against boro (a good chance of that if you ask me) they are 4 points behind us. Do they have a chance of going down?

 

5 games ago Leicester were all but gone, they now sit 2 points ahead of us (granted we have 3 games in hand, 2 of which I'm expecting nothing from).

 

To suggest we have no chance of us going down makes you look a little bit thick or comptely arrogant, I'll let you decide on that one.

 

Do I think we will? No, we are 2 wins from gaurenteed safety imo.

 

Do we have a chance of going down? Yes.

weve been exceptionally poor in a majority of games this season... we are getting sucked in due to having a poor manager, poor transfer policy and a board who instead of pushing on from last season stood still.

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

You have to be completely thick to think there is no chance of us going down. Quite sure we won't, but there is clearly a chance. Win tomorrow and things will look much better.

Palace are on a high and we seem to be incapable of scoring goals without Gabbiadini in the team. I can only see us losing right now but hope I am pleasantly surprised.

Is Gabbi back in time for this? I've heard reports either way. I guess we play JRod up top if not and hope Dusan has his shooting boots with him this time.

You have to be completely thick to think there is no chance of us going down. Quite sure we won't, but there is clearly a chance. Win tomorrow and things will look much better.

Of the teams below us only Bournemouth, Boro and Sunderland have picked us less points over the last 10 games than us. Can't see us going down but we may well struggle for mid table.

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

Or you have to be simply wrong to think there is no chance of us going down. If we, heaven forbid, match our worst streak this season over the last games, one win in eight, we'll be right in the thick of it.

I certainly hope it won't happen, but plenty of teams "too good to go down" have been relegated. The sooner we get to 40 points the better. Otherwise, with each game, and teams catching us, the pressure and anxiety builds.

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If we want to play to our strengths then let's play 3-5-2.

Caceras suits the back 3, Jay-Rod and Long up upfront.

Wing backs Cedric and Bertrand.

Midfield triangle of Romeo (holding) with JWP and Davis

Didn't realise we had not won a home game since January. Must be due one then. Going to go for a 3-1 win for us.

Worried about this one; we will struggle to score and if Palace play anything like they did at the weekend then I can see them winning. A few tough fixtures coming up for us, need Gabbi and Austin back asap to get us over the line.

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The next 2 matches against Crystal Palace and WBA IMO are crucial, at the start of the season I would have had them down as some of the more winnable games but WBA are having a strong season and Palace are in a good vein of form recently. If we lose these 2 with us still having to play most of the top sides, it could be nervous times. I was hoping that the 3 matches this week would get us over the line but I would now be glad to get 2 or 3 points out of the next 2 games.

It's been a strange season with 2 matches a week earlier in the season with lots of rotation, then very few games over 2 months and losing key players for long periods of time, has made it very disjointed and for me difficult to judge the capability of Puel. Next season I hope things will be more settled and the injury gods will be more kind to us.

10 games left and if we repeat the return from the first games this season we will get 6 more points.

40 points will be enough right??

Crystal Palace LOST

West Bromwich ALBION LOST

Manchester CITY DRAW

CHELSEA LOST

Hull City LOST

LIVERPOOL DRAW

Arsenal LOST

MIDDLESBROUGH WON

Manchester united LOST

Stoke CITY DRAW

Back four tonight:

Caceres Stephens Yoshida Bertrand

W

Back four tonight:

 

Caceres Stephens Yoshida Bertrand

Why drop Cedric?

Didn't realise we had not won a home game since January. Must be due one then. Going to go for a 3-1 win for us.

In fairness I don't think we actually played at home in march did we?

I did say exactly that a few months back... we are often exposed at the back with our 'wing backs' very advanced... Three at the back would cover this risk ..

Also with Davis starting to flag it would load the midfield more and enable a more expansive attacking threat which is lacking without Gabbi...

Or you have to be simply wrong to think there is no chance of us going down. If we, heaven forbid, match our worst streak this season over the last games, one win in eight, we'll be right in the thick of it.

 

I certainly hope it won't happen, but plenty of teams "too good to go down" have been relegated. The sooner we get to 40 points the better. Otherwise, with each game, and teams catching us, the pressure and anxiety builds.

 

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On balance though West Ham have picked up one point in the last five games Stoke have picked up four points from their last five games only scoring three goals in the process. Plenty of teams around us are not doing so well either.

Every team from Watford down could theoretically be relegated but Boro and Sunderland look dead and buried so that's a lot of teams fighting it out for one place. The table is also skewed because we have two games in hand (not suggesting we will win them) makes it hard to judge our true position until we have caught up on those games.

If we want to play to our strengths then let's play 3-5-2.

 

Caceras suits the back 3, Jay-Rod and Long up upfront.

 

Wing backs Cedric and Bertrand.

 

Midfield triangle of Romeo (holding) with JWP and Davis

I'm very glad you and your son don't pick the team Andy.

If we want to play to our strengths then let's play 3-5-2.

 

Caceras suits the back 3, Jay-Rod and Long up upfront.

 

Wing backs Cedric and Bertrand.

 

Midfield triangle of Romeo (holding) with JWP and Davis

Have to say I thought this.

I can't see it happening however unfortunately

Back in November, I wrote this:-

Revised target for this season - 40 points.

I still feel the same way.

In fairness I don't think we actually played at home in march did we?

Nope, only played 2 games that entire month. In the PL we have actually only had 3 league games at home since jan 1st. Had 3 cup games at home in that time though.

IF we lost tonight and Hull beat Middlesbrough we will be far to close to the bottom 3 with a hard run in to come, plus key players injured.

However if we win tonight we'll be up to 9th and are march to a top half finish will continue with the boost of Gabbiadini to come back in soon.

Palace had a couple of defenders injured on Saturday, let's get at them and score some goals for once.

Plenty of tickets left still, lovely sunny day outside can still buy online and print off your ticket hopefully we can get over 30k attendance.

Not only are the players losing confidence and belief but so are the fans. Reading through this thread is quite disheartening, so many fans are very downbeat about our prospects for the season and even tonight's match. Time was when we assumed a home game meant 3 points (or 2) whichever year and in whichever league we happened to be. This is the worst I have known the pessimism to be at The Dell at St Mary's.

Little wonder, when we started this week's trio of matches there were 9 very winnable and valuable points up for grabs and grabbing them would have energised our season. Typically of Saints they failed at the first hurdle and now understandably there is an air of despondency about the place, players and fans alike.

Even without this negativity the recent form and rise of our opponents has ensured that it will be a very tough match that few can honestly claim we deserve to or will win. There is a difference between hope and reality and if we go about things in the way that we did in the second half on Saturday then we'll be very lucky indeed to come out of it with a point.

The tired old rhetoric of being clinical and all players have the responsibility of scoring not just the strikers doesn't wash anymore. Puel has had a whole season to sort this out and there is no magic potion that'll turn our strikers into world class goal getters overnight.

Sad days but many will be satisfied with a 1-1 tonight, that's how low expectation s are now.

Benteke, Zaha, Puncheon and Townsend are going to cause us all sorts of problems, especially on the break. I do fear it might not be pretty actually.

Or you have to be simply wrong to think there is no chance of us going down. If we, heaven forbid, match our worst streak this season over the last games, one win in eight, we'll be right in the thick of it.

 

I certainly hope it won't happen, but plenty of teams "too good to go down" have been relegated. The sooner we get to 40 points the better. Otherwise, with each game, and teams catching us, the pressure and anxiety builds.

 

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Quite. Low risk, especially if Gabbiadini is deemed fit in the next week or so but with Hull at home to Boro any Saints fan who thinks we don't have to be careful is a buffoon. As it happens, I've a feeling Boro will nick something at the KC and that we might nick a point off Palace - 1-1.

We were decent for the 1st 60 minutes on Sat but the midfield needs a big overhaul in the summer. Nobody bar Tadic gambles and sadly his finishing is woeful when we need goal threat. Thankfully, so was Afobe's in an even worse miss when they had us 2 on 1. Benteke and co will not miss those chances tonight. With Palace's missing defenders, Long is a must to stretch a makeshift back 4, draw fouls and our midfield have to step up to the plate. Time that PEH got another go and rest a tired JWP or Davis. It's a choice between Boufal and Tadic behind the striker and I'd risk Boufal as even out of form, he can commit defenders and can shoot.

Benteke, Zaha, Puncheon and Townsend are going to cause us all sorts of problems, especially on the break. I do fear it might not be pretty actually.

Watch Benteke peel off to far post near to cedric. unless we score early and get foothold in game i can see us getting caught on counter 2 or 3 times tonight. just dont see where the goals will come from. Long's pace will get him in good positions but his finishing is awful when he has time to pick his spot. Rodriquez has lost any decent pace he once had so hes less of a goal threat.

Apparently we have only won 5 league games at home this season ... yeah i guess that would explain the pessimism.

Get used to it we are on a hiding to nothing tonight and then it's WBA

And to cheer you up our run is diabolical

Apparently we have only won 5 league games at home this season ... yeah i guess that would explain the pessimism.

Add to that we have let in 20 of our 36 goals in the last 10 games. Leaking defence and no strikers in form at this stage of the season is not the best situation we could of hoped for.

That said I do think we will win tonight. It is a too important game to put in a crap performance. Puel will know that. Lose this one and chances are high we won't get much from the next three fixtures. On paper this is the easiest one of the next 4 games so I can see a 3-1 win for us. Lose it and we will be dragged into the ****.

Jesus h Christ take a chill pill you lot

You have to be quite thick to think there is any chance of us going down

We need points against top teams without in-form strikers, that's all.

Don't think anyone is suggesting we will go down.

 

Just a few annoyed we are even close to bottom 3, given our squad and previous seasons.

 

Wonder if they had a guy like you on the Hull forum 2 years ago. Recall they were 14th after 30 games, then won just 1 of the last 8 games and got relegated.

Think you just proved his point.

Have a bad feeling about this one. It has Benteke scoring all over it. 1-2

Have a bad feeling about this one. It has Benteke scoring all over it. 1-2

You can get odds of 14-1 for that result, so fill your boots

The players have pitched up in their Wembley suits for the game this evening...

Apparently we have only won 5 league games at home this season ... yeah i guess that would explain the pessimism.

Haven't Man U only won 6? So we are top 6 form :-)

Apparently we have only won 5 league games at home this season ... yeah i guess that would explain the pessimism.

And only scored 13 home league goals

Think he got a splinter at papa pig world

Or you have to be simply wrong to think there is no chance of us going down. If we, heaven forbid, match our worst streak this season over the last games, one win in eight, we'll be right in the thick of it.

 

I certainly hope it won't happen, but plenty of teams "too good to go down" have been relegated. The sooner we get to 40 points the better. Otherwise, with each game, and teams catching us, the pressure and anxiety builds.

 

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https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/

A well-known statistical website gives us a less than 1% chance of going down. LESS THAN 1%

Sunderland and Middlesbrough are as good as down, the final spot is between Hull and Swansea.

End of story. That same website says we will finish in 9th place. We're a much better team than the doom mongers (pun intended) want you all to think that we are.

A few recent games aside, Palace have been absolutely awful for a large part of this season. One of the recent wins they somehow did it without registering a shot on target (took a big deflection / OG for the winning 1-0 goal).

Lets see what teams we put out - we're due a win, are at home and both teams have a couple of important players out. Could be a good game (complete with some awful finishing).

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/

 

A well-known statistical website gives us a less than 1% chance of going down. LESS THAN 1%

 

Sunderland and Middlesbrough are as good as down, the final spot is between Hull and Swansea.

 

End of story. That same website says we will finish in 9th place. We're a much better team than the doom mongers (pun intended) want you all to think that we are.

Lies lies and damn stats, better teams than us have gone down. It's unlikely sure but Leicester were 5000-1 to win the league so let's not pretend bookies get things right all the time.

We have a very tough run in, our best defender is out, our goalscorers are out and anyone saying "everything is fine" is frankly mental.

We need to graft hard and not be complacent or we will be the 1%.

Lies lies and damn stats, better teams than us have gone down. It's unlikely sure but Leicester were 5000-1 to win the league so let's not pretend bookies get things right all the time.

 

We have a very tough run in, our best defender is out, our goalscorers are out and anyone saying "everything is fine" is frankly mental.

 

We need to graft hard and not be complacent or we will be the 1%.

Leicester's 5000-1 odds were at the start of the season, not in April.

I'm not taking the 'everything is fine' line, but everything isn't doom and gloom either

Even if we do go on a terrible run of form, a whole host of teams have to go on great runs to overtake us. That website predicts 36 points will be enough to stay up, and we're already on 34.

Even if we lose tonight, I still predict we'll finish in the top half

Rather than overreact to a recent disappointing home draw and bad performance, people need to use their heads and look at the bigger picture.

People are not saying we WILL get relegated but they are rightly aware of the need for a win tonight to avoid falling in to a dogfight.

We could do with getting past the 40 point mark assap.

I'm still hoping we can finish top half!

I'm still hoping we can finish top half!

I say every season if we actually won a cup I'd take 17th in the league so I think it would be churlish not to be happy with a mid table finish and a non winning cup final....