Preston (LC2); Palace Still Under Siege as Cup Magic Fails to Bring any Relief!

2012 is not proving fun on the road for Palace. Even our old friend the League Cup in its new guise as the Capital One Cup failed to offer a spark and indeed deserted Palace on Tuesday night. The competition responsible for so many good nights last time around, giving Dougie the opportunity to blood youngsters, this year served up a painful dose of reality as for the second time in a week, this time in Preston Palace were hammered 4 – 1.

Goals from Nicky Wroe (2), Alpo Sodje and Jefferey Monakana put Palace to the sword with Aaron Wilbraham responding for Palace at 2 – 0 down with his first goal for the club, not enough to prevent a 4 – 1 humiliation. A second defensive capitulation in a week left Palace embarrassed to lower league opposition and with plenty of food for thought. With time in the transfer window rapidly running out, the trip to the Valley to play Charlton in a televised match on 14^th September is flashing like a warning beacon for all to see with the very futures of Dougie Freedman and Lennie Lawrence at the football club coming into sharp focus especially off the back of a poor performance or another capitulation.

My own view however is one should at least give Dougie Freedman time to work with the squad between now and January and build on a togetherness and team spirit that served us so well last season. Very little now can be done to change the makeup of the squad. It is Dougie’s squad and nothing can be gained in the short term from making a change and stopping Freedman from working with the team. I just wish something could be done the fitness and conditioning of the team.

Being positive Palace were competitive at Middlesbrough in the league last Saturday and the return of Jonny Williams to the first team at Preston must have been the bright spot of the night to those Eagles fans that travelled (which I confess this time to not actually being amongst) and can only be a good thing. Three of the next four matches are at home and will have the Selhurst crowd behind the team so despite not being easy games the team can pick up points and move up the table. If we can use the remainder of the transfer window to find a striker then hopefully we as supporters can lift the mood on the pitch to pull through the difficult challenges ahead by evoking the spirit of 2010 just in time for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday.

 

Palace Still Pointless as Dougie Makes His Move in the Market!

Pitch black. 4:45AM. Feeling fatigued I gather myself with thoughts of what are going to be a long series of train journeys hopefully punctuated by the boost of our first three points of the season on Teesside Vs Middlesbrough. Conservatively a six hundred mile round trip to Teesside awaited and judging by the fortunes of my Reading supporting friends we were at least (un)lucky enough to get the match on. Buoyed by the signings on Friday of Bristol City’s Yannick Bolassi, Darcy Blake from Cardiff and Brazilian Andre Moritz, the question on my mind at the start of the journey was could this be a start of a change in our fortunes?

As outer London, Peterborough, the Midlands and York shot by on the train to Darlington going through to Middlesbrough past a varied rural, urban, and industrial landscape I had one major hope of an improved performance and a reaction to the heavy defeat suffered in Bristol on Tuesday night. This was my first visit to the Riverside and an impressive modern structure awaited my arrival. A similar design but on a bigger scale to Derby County’s Pride Park, the stadiums large capacity made it look positively cavernous with a Championship attendance of a mere 18,000 people inside it. It struck me as I wondered around outside before kick off if Middlesbrough are struggling to get back into the Premier League with such a great stadium just how competitive the Championship actually is and just how difficult it can be to compete given the financial realities Crystal Palace have to face up to and operate within.

To the match and a competitive opening 42 minutes followed. Darcy Blake made a difference in defence tightening things up at the back and Yannick Bolassi looked eager, exciting and full of energy running on the wing. The Brazilian Moritz was on the bench. In the first half Middlesbrough tried to gain control of possession in midfield, pressurising Garvan and Jedinak and neutralising Wilf Zaha. This tactic gained its first reward on 42 minutes when Hines flick header off a corner found the net to give Middlesbrough a 1 – 0 half time lead. In the second half poor defending from a free kick led to a second Boro goal and a poor excuse to play some sixties music following a goal from Zamamma. (Where’s 'Zamamma’ gone in case you were interested, irony I think.) At 2 – 0 down Palace started to play, a penalty won and converted by Jermaine Easter halved the deficit to 2 – 1 and at this point the introduction of Brazilian Moritz linked up play and for twenty minutes or so and the Boro were on the back foot and Palace’s endeavour was creating chances without ever quite breaking through.

This was a far improved performance from Bristol without actually getting a result. With twenty minutes or so left Jermaine Easter went off injured and the young, raw and hungry talents of Kwesi Appaih were on show in a cameo appearance that nearly brought its own rewards and towards the end Palace were unlucky not to knick a draw. If you are going to go down to a defeat a long way from home Palace did it in the proper fashion showing endeavour and trying, still in with a chance of getting something from the game right until the end despite eventually losing 2 – 1.

The return journey from Middlesbrough back home was long, but uneventful and after crossing London from Kings Cross I was home soon after eleven in time to catch the end of Match of the Day. My overwhelming feeling on the days football was resigned frustration because despite positive moves in the transfer market that may not yet be over thanks to the room for manoeuvre given to the club by the transfer of Victor Moses, I still feel Dougie Freedman may be up against it however he eventually plays his cards. The reality of football to me is I support Palace regardless but it is increasingly difficult to compete in what is becoming a harshly money orientated industry. Yet one only hopes the passion of the fans, owners, and management alike unites to pull in the same direction to get us through difficult times on the pitch.

The distractions of the Capital One Cup second round await and an away tie Vs Preston North End on Tuesday night and I will give brief mention to the tie ahead of my next blog post and the visit of the Owls of Sheffield Wednesday at Selhurst at the weekend. Forgiven as I am sure we all are for condemning them to their fate in 2010.  

 

 

  

Brutal Bristol Off Mark As Eagles Crash!

Sometimes when writing about the club you love and are passionate about, raw hard facts and honesty should stand above emotion and sentiment. After a 4 – 1 thrashing where Bristol City played Palace off the park in the cold light of day series reflection would be sensible. City took their chances and on the night they were impressively clinical but were never really tested and their fans would readily admit they probably learned little about their team this season in terms of being put under any pressure.

After the Watford match I wrote Watford will give many teams in the Championship a game this season and there is no need for panic. Freedman’s got a plan. Now I am honestly not sure. Ipswich beat Watford on Tuesday and Bristol City after losing on opening weekend virtually just had to wait for errors to score four easy goals, my conclusion therefore is the two results shed more light on the problems for Crystal Palace than any supposed chances in the league for Bristol City or Watford. Each of the four goals conceded at Ashton Gate resulted from individual errors and a lack of cohesion as a team especially in defence. This is alarming as it has been in defence that has been such a pillar of strength in the teams battle for results over the past few seasons.

There can be no doubt that Paddy McCarthy’s leadership qualities and defensive influence is being missed due to injury, in the meantime the defence looks makeshift and fearful. With Zaha in the team the team does make chances but there remains questions over ever having the possibility to convert those chances if the team play in the fashion they did on Tuesday making dreadful defensive errors. Freedman’s status as my hero and a club legend will never be questioned and is not in doubt, yet there is a reality that has to be acknowledged and indeed facts must stand above sentiment in football. The last victory for Palace in the league came in March at home to Barnsley, we are yet to win away in the league in 2012, and Palace currently have won 1 game in the last 23. These issues have to be acknowledged, it is very well asking for time to adjust but after watching in Bristol I fear Freedman is out of his depth.

What happened in preseason in terms of transfer policy and fitness conditioning in relation to early injuries picked up by McCarthy, Murray and Easter? The departures of Clyne, Scannell and Ambrose must have generated some income and there can be no doubt the influence of Ambrose and importance of Clyne need replacing and the owners say they have increased the funds available for transfers. Yet 10 days before the transfer window closes the squad is threadbare and apart from talented youngsters who the manager seems suddenly reluctant to play is lacking strength in depth. Hopefully Dougie will turn it around and as much as I hope he does the lack of wins is worrying and is a sequence that needs breaking. The Cup run enjoyable as it was masked poor league form and bad results that has continued into this season.

There is plenty of time to turn this around and though it is no means a crisis yet people need to be honest. Everyone understands how crucial it is not to overstretch financially given our very recent past but why can we not attract players to the club within a set budget if the money is there? After being in Bristol I fear for freedman because even only two games in the same difficulties with the team remain.

I fear in the short term at least things may not work out for Freedman and this is an illustration of how my heart as a Palace fan is breaking, split by the reality of results and performances despite desperately wanting Freedman to succeed personally because he is my great Palace hero. In conclusion this draws me back to my main point there can be no room for sentiment in football.

My plans for Middlesbrough are in place, a long way and a challenging journey no doubt. Unsure I will travel back having witnessed three points for Palace but no doubt it will be fun. It is Palace so always travel in hope rather than expectation.     

 

Season 2012/13 : Zola’s budding Watford shine as Palace youngsters wilt in the heat!

Football returned to Selhurst on Saturday with the visit of Watford who themselves under new management and ownership of the Italian Pozzo Family and Gianfranco Zola, would prove to be a somewhat unknown proposition and indeed a tricky opponent come the end of the day. A long preseason was replaced by competitive football following an extended break thanks to the euphoria of the London 2012 Olympics. The sunshine was ready to mark the event with the game being played in soaring temperatures against the backdrop of the hottest day of the year.

A reasonable preseason where we recorded victories against Aldershot, Swindon Town, Dulwich Hamlets, was followed by victory against Exeter City in the League Cup. These were countered by defeats to Margate, Welling Utd, and Reading, however most of the talk focussed on Dougie Freedman’s transfer policy. The arrivals of Joel Ward from Portsmouth, Aaron Martin on loan from Southampton and Aaron Wilbraham from Norwich City as well as the permanent return of Peter Ramage from QPR was countered by the extended transfer saga of Nathanial  Clyne to Southampton and the departures of Sean Scannell to Huddersfield, Darren Ambrose to Birmingham and Anthony Gardner to Sheffield Wednesday.

The main discussion point revolved around the firepower upfront with the lack of a goal scorer to support Murray and Easter upfront and feed off the pace and creativity of Wilf Zaha and Jonathan Williams. Yet the reality is the transfer window is not yet closed and Freedman will be well aware of the squads’ weaknesses and where it could be strengthened. He also has the ability to work within tight financial realities without risking the clubs future, but still has the ability to put together a young and hungry squad capable of fighting in the Championship.

The Watford match saw debuts for Ward, Ramage, and Martin in defence and Wilbraham up front as McCarthy, Williams, Easter, and Murray were all missing due to knocks. A solid first half saw Palace go in 2 – 1 up at halftime thanks to a brace from the forgotten man of the team in Owen Garvan who will need to step out of Ambrose’s shadow following his departure to Birmingham if Palace are to progress. The story of the game was defensive uncertainty with three first half headers in the box spurned by Watford, at that point a warning of things to come.

Watford’s first half equaliser was a Julian Speroni mistake and indeed Julian did not have a great game on Saturday but when you consider the number of points he has earned and rescued for Palace in his time at the club one should not be too critical. This was reflected by the noise from the Holmesdale and the chants and songs of encouragement that rained down in support of him. The reality of the situation is no one would be more annoyed or frustrated and desperate to put the situation right then Jules himself because that is just the mark of the professional he is. He may well get the opportunity to put things right against Bristol City on Tuesday.

The atritional nature of the weather played its part in the second half and the style with which Watford held the ball and passed it around and through Palace in an energy sapping fashion to palace in a fashion introduced by Zola should be admired. The reality remained Palace gifted Watford their most potent opportunities by defensive errors, a lack of concentration and an inability to cope well with the hot conditions. Two goals in the last four minutes for Watford meant they won the game 3 – 2 with the second Watford goal another Speroni error and the winner a defensive mistake that compounded Palace’s inability to close out the match.

Although the lack of concentration must have been a frustration to the manager he rightfully focussed on group responsibility and team ethic rather than individual blame but there can be little doubt the fans biggest frustration was the lack of potent striking options to capitalise on Zaha’s creativity to put the ball in the net and convert chances to goals. Long term this may only be solved from above with the owners finding options from outside the club in the transfer market but due to the financial realities of the club this may not be an easy option. It may be business elsewhere though and the transfer of ex Palace starlet Victor Moses from Wigan to Chelsea that helps the situation along. However the problem is solved it is clear another striker is more than needed. In the meantime I believe Dougie Freedman has the ability to maximise his options to get the best out of a young dynamic hard working and unpredictable squad starting away to Bristol City on Tuesday.

It is a long season and although it is frustrating to lose 3 – 2 to Zola’s budding Watford team lessons can be learned. Creativity is abundant in this Palace side, Speroni will return to form and if we learn lessons defensively with the return of McCarthy the team will be a harder unit to breakdown and add something going forward the team could be in business. Watford played a very impressive brand of football and many Championship sides will struggle against them. There is no need for panic as the manager has a clear pathway that has led to steady improvements and progress in the eighteen months he has been in charge.

Two difficult away games lie ahead in a week against Bristol City and then a long trip follows up to Middlesbrough. Pick up points now and things could look different when the transfer window closes and the team returns to Selhurst on September 1^st.