Forest 2 – 2 Palace; Murray Singing in the Rain as Billy Rescues Point Sharpish!

Crystal Palace’s Christmas Programme continued at a wet and rain sodden City Ground, as they tried to bounce back from defeat at Cardiff. A goal from Mile Jedinak put Palace into the lead on Boxing Day in Wales, but goals from Noone and Gunnarson meant Holloway’s men went home empty handed. The theme of not being able to hold onto a lead continued at the City Ground as the Eagles were again pegged back twice in stoppage time at the end of each half. A brace of goals from the Championships top marksman Glenn Murray, (22 goals) was cancelled out by a firecracker in first half injury time from Nottingham Forest’s Andy Reid. Then in second half stoppage time a strike from on loan Saints finisher Billy Sharp meant the game ended 2 – 2.

Holloway would have hoped his Palace side could have got back to winning ways after defeat on Boxing Day by exploiting Forest’s uncertainties. The turmoil surrounding the City Ground since the Boxing Day dismissal of Sean O’ Driscoll despite a 4 – 2 victory against Leeds United had led to the appointment of Alex Mcleish. It was unclear how Forest’s players and fans would react so Palace was looking to exploit the situation to their advantage. Palace started quickly taking the lead inside ten minutes when Murray slid in to complete a flowing team move. The move was started in midfield by enigmatic Brazilian Andre Moritz who spread the ball wide for Moxey to centre and Murray to score. Moritz replaced Garvan in the starting lineup from the Cardiff match and showed great range of passes to open up Forest from midfield, yet despite being on top palace could not add a crucial second goal in the first half.

Typical of recent matches despite controlling the game for long periods of the half Palace could not hold onto the lead. Forest upped the tempo and pressed Palace deep in their own half and in first half injury time Forest’s pressure paid off. Despite a stoic defensive performance in which Danny Gabbidon, Dean Moxey, and Jedinak starred with many great blocks and clearances in which they put their bodies on the line in order to break up play, nothing could be done about Andy Reid’s blockbuster that meant the sides were level 1 – 1 at the break.

In the second half again Palace pushed on. Wilfried Zaha had a quiet match yet his flash shot could have restored Crystal Palace’s lead. The weather conditions were atrocious but the quality of both teams football was of a high standard. Julian Speroni was kept busy and the central defensive partnership between Ramage and Gabbidon looked solid as Forest came into the game. When Jonathan Williams was introduced midway through the second half Palace switched to a 4-4-2 formation with Easter replacing Zaha and Moritz coming off. The assured control which the returning Williams brought to the midfield was a tonic to the travelling fans. His mazy forward runs combined with Easter to create the opening for Murray to restore Palace’s lead.

Murray controlled a looping header over Lee Camp steering the ball into the net on eighty one minutes to score what appeared to be the winning goal. Yet unfortunately a familiar recent frailty reoccurred for Holloway’s team as Palace failed to see out the result. On ninety three minutes Billy Sharp poached an equaliser. Sharp reacted first to a rebound off the post scoring into an empty net leaving Speroni stranded helpless in his penalty area. The result gave Alex Mcleish a point in his first game in charge of Nottingham Forest. The match ended 2 – 2.

An inability to hold onto a lead at crucial stages dogged Palace’s performance again at the City Ground. In what were very difficult playing conditions Palace did well to contain forest although familiar frailties re emerged. They just could not make the most of their opportunities by taking their chances to finish Forest off in what was a hard fought physical encounter. Work rate and endeavour was ever present as usual but unfortunately it was concentration that slipped at vital moments and this proved costly. Despite a current blip of one win in December we are still going into the New Year in fourth place a position any supporter would have bitten their hand off for if offered in August.

Despite another draw we played Wolverhampton Wanderers on New Year’s Day with our league position looking healthy and an exciting FA Cup tie against Stoke City to look forward too next weekend. Happy New Year!

  

Huddersfield Claim Point in Fiery Christmas Cracker!

Ex eagle Sean Scannell returned to Selhurst Park to make a point in a physical encounter that ended 1 – 1. The match saw two red cards, the first to Palace defender Damien Delaney as early as the eleventh minute. Returning Palace captain Mile Jedinak back from suspension, put a free kick narrowly wide early on but following the sending off Huddersfield found their way into the match. It was at this point Scannell made his mark. Forcing Joel Ward into a clumsy challenge in the box he won a penalty after exploiting gaps in the palace backline left by the dismissal. The reaction was immediate and one I did not agree with as former Palace favourite Scannell was booed for supposedly diving when in fact he was fouled.

Huddersfield failed to take advantage of their most clear cut opportunity of the half as Adam Clayton’s weak penalty was saved by Julian Speroni. On thirty nine minutes Town were punished for their carelessness as despite being down to ten men Palace took the lead. In a brilliant piece of interplay Bolasie flicked the ball through to Zaha who exploited the space created for him by Bolasie to smash the ball into the roof of the net. Zaha had been lively all game placing a shot narrowly wide earlier in the half. Palace led 1 – 0 despite making things harder for themselves than necessary but by working hard they got to the break in front appearing to have the measure of opponents low on confidence.

Julian Speroni had a busy match, as well as the penalty save he played well saving from Beckford and Norwood from distance, working hard to support a depleted defence. Danny Gabbidon replaced Owen Garvan to fill in at the back and Dean Moxey also replaced Joel Ward. Ex Eagle James Vaughan combined well with the Town midfield to keep their hosts on their toes and with fourteen minutes to go they got lucky. A tiring Palace side failed to clear a corner and as the weather conditions made things difficult Speroni was unsighted by Beckford as he let a scuffed Keith Southern drive slip through his gloves.

One all seemed a fair result but for a third match running a match which Palace led in and controlled for long periods slipped away because of a loss of concentration. It would be unfair to blame Speroni as he had a good game and had to work hard to cover for others recklessness in defence. This match exemplified pulsating and high tempo Championship football and due to an unforgiving refereeing performance neither side had eleven on the pitch at the final whistle. Bolasie was tricky and difficult to handle all day and when Anthony Gerrard was judged to have fouled Bolasie with a foot off the ground he was given a straight red card. Tempestuous refereeing, influential old boys, and poor concentration saw the game end all square as Palace lost ground on the leaders going to Cardiff on Boxing Day in third place.

2012 has been a year of steady progress for my beloved Eagles. We face Cardiff on Boxing Day, four points off the top with nothing to fear. After a scintillating 3 – 2 comeback win at Selhurst against the bluebirds earlier in the campaign, the chance to record a double over the leaders would send a message of intend to the rest of the division. If the Championship is a battle of resources Cardiff and Hull may have the upper hand but as performances have shown this is a side that plays stylish football, works hard, and deservedly has got plaudits and results. We welcomed Ian Holloway to the club this year and he has been excited by what he has seen as our academy received national recognition with a full England debut for Wilfried Zaha.

As we go into 2013 and the climax of this exciting season that has already witnessed a fourteen game unbeaten run I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy festive period. I hope the exciting football of Murray, Zaha, Bolasie, Joniesta and company gets what it deserves and a shot at Premier League football in the summer. Merry Christmas!  

 

Palace Cut Gap to Leaders despite Stalemate Blues!

The Christmas fixture list got underway on Saturday afternoon against Birmingham City at St Andrews. Glenn Murray’s nineteenth and twentieth goals of the season took him to the top of the goal scorers’ charts, but goals from Zigic and Papa Bouba Diop pegged Palace back to a consecutive 2 – 2 draw. After a bright start frustration was the order of the afternoon as Bouba Diop prevented Palace’s first victory in nine visits to St Andrews since 2004. The frustration was Birmingham’s goals came from obvious and preventable sources at times when concentration and organisation could have stopped them being scored.

This undermined all Palace’s earlier good work as Garvan and Bolasie  went close in the first half and the indomitable Murray scored a brace either side of the half time break. Both goals came from good work by Palace’s fullbacks Ward and Parr who set up the goals with good crosses. Birmingham’s favourite boo boy, Marlon King looked dangerous, but for the most part Palace coped with the threat well. Soaking up Birmingham pressure Palace broke through Bolasie on thirty five minutes and when Ward crossed Murray scored. A lead Murray would double on the hour mark with his twentieth goal of a superb season.

Two moments in the game that would prove crucial came early. At 0 – 0 Bolasie failed to score following another marauding box to box run only for England international Jack Butland to make the save. Again at 2 – 0 a key moment to make it three and win the game went begging. Moritz latched onto a through ball beating Butland to the ball, lifting it over him, only for the ball to clear the crossbar.

So it would prove and Palace would pay for their profligacy in front of goal. Throwing away a two goal lead for the second match running is not Championship winning form. Although in different circumstances to Blackpool last week and made less galling by Peterborough’s surprising win over Cardiff because the gap to the top is cut to two points. Yet the frustration remains in the careless and preventable nature of the goals conceded. Two free headers from set pieces. One goal scored by Zigic, the tallest player in the Championship. The other a header scored by Diop, one of the biggest players on the pitch. Both should be obvious targets for Palace players to pick up and have plans in place for in such situations.

It may seem unfair on Ian Holloway, but it seems unlikely that such late goals that have been conceded in the last week would have been conceded when Palace were on their earlier fourteen game unbeaten run. Yet Holloway has a difficult act to follow and he would be acutely aware of the need to cut out simple errors, concentrating on fitness till the end of matches, if the promotion run is to be sustained. It may be very unfair and premature to link recent late mistakes to the departures of the old backroom staff as Holloway needs his own staff in place and the January window to imprint his personality on the squad.

Whilst not wasting this golden opportunity for promotion with silly mistakes we should also not let pressure of expectation ware us down. Especially not if we consider the opportunity in front of us in the face of where Crystal Palace has come from in the last two years. On the field KG Dikgacoi was an excellent captain in the absence of the suspended Mile Jedinak. Garvan and Moritz also linked up well even if by starting Moritz lost his status as an impact substitute. These are all useful and important things for Holloway to consider as he tries to finish the job and mould Palace into a side capable of promotion.

After the frustration of a Zigic goal with his first touch the Birmingham comeback was complete on eighty two minutes when the ex Fulham, Portsmouth, and West Ham player Papa Bouba Diop headed home the equaliser. On the face of it more than a little frustrating but given our record in the past decade at St Andrews this could be a good point, more than useful in the battle for promotion if we beat or take points off Cardiff City in Wales on Boxing day.

On Saturday we play Huddersfield Town at Selhurst Park in the first meeting since the 2000/01 campaign when Huddersfield went down instead of us thanks to a certain goal we remember so fondly. It also sees the return of Sean Scannell and Alan Lee to Selhurst Park.

 

       

Palace Comeback Kids Fail to Hold on as Ollies Tangerine Dream Starts to Fade!

The visit of Ian Holloway’s former club, Blackpool, ended honours even at 2 – 2 following an eighty ninth minute equaliser from Nouha Dicko. The game did not start well for Palace as the team were lacking the recent attacking exuberance and fluency that had so personified recent performances. This was a laboured first half showing lacking the exhilaration that has propelled Palace to the top of the league with such style in recent weeks. On thirty seven minutes Blackpool scored the goal their control of the play deserved through Aston Villa loan player Nathan Delfouneso. Palace failed to deal with a ball into the box and Delfouneso bundled the ball into the net to give Blackpool a halftime lead.

It could have been worse but Blackpool failed to find the clinical finishing to go with their neat football in the build up play. Palace was on the back foot and looked as ordinary as they have all season. The band of Blackpool fans were quick to gleefully point out the score and what Holloway had left behind. Despite diligent performances from Blake, Delaney and Garvan, the Jedi and KG lacked their regular sparkle. Work was required from Holloway at halftime in the form of a team talk to inspire the lads. Reminding the tangerine dreamers of what they had lost in the meantime.

It worked because following a solid defensive performance from Peter Ramage, becoming mister reliable in Paddy McCarthy’s absence; Palace returned in the second half a different team. The comeback kids had returned. Far more attacking penetration came from the flanks and Palace was unrecognisable from their first half performance. The directness and cutting edge was back in their play that has been so effective in recent weeks. Bolasie had the beating of his man and on fifty two minutes the Palace surge at the start of the second half paid off. Zaha returned a Bolasie shot with a cross created by a wonderful piece of footwork, planting the ball on Garvan’s head for the equaliser.

The turnaround was complete when goal machine Glenn Murray got in on the act. Planting a header into the corner of the net past Matt Gilkes for his eighteenth goal of a very productive season. Fresh from a brace against former employees it was impossible for him not to influence the game with such service. Inventive wing play from Bolasie and Zaha and creative midfield work from influential substitute Moritz meant in an open game chances were coming at will. A chance was laid on a plate for Murray and he should have made it 3 – 1 when Bolasie, freed by Moritz, beat four players and with a marauding run, that took him the length of the field he played the defence splitting cross to Murray only for Gilkes to make the save. The save was crucial because it was Blackpool’s influential substitute Nouha Dicko’s turn to impact the game.

Blackpool were never out of the match. Even when Palace led Blackpool broke well and looked dangerous with fast, incisive, passing through the midfield into the final third. On eighty nine minutes this speed of passing allowed Wes Thomas to break to the by line and get his cross away allowing Dicko to smash in a last minute equaliser. He went wild! Running to the travelling supporters at the other end of the field, he revealed to all his six pack and pecks despite freezing December temperatures. Obviously delighted he got booked but this raised the temperature and soured tempers on the benches. Holloway did not take well to a glare from one of his former colleagues. Whoever it was glaring at Holloway they would do well to remember the good times.

The identity of the glarer remains known only to Holloway and although the tangerine dream is fading at least it was real, filling the minds of all those wearing tangerine with irreplaceable happy memories. Football is a game of changes and at least Holloway left Blackpool in the right way, acknowledging his affection for the club and its supporters. Sadly the same cannot be said for the certain ex Palace manager currently employed on the East Lancs Road. He still refuses to acknowledge his former clubs supporters in any fashion shape or form, playing with our emotions despite the feelings that ran so deep for him.

Still Holloway is in charge now and he is doing a fantastic job. We find ourselves in second place going into the Christmas period. One defeat since August, away to Leeds. Games over Christmas against leaders Cardiff, Forest, Huddersfield, and Wolves means things are certainly on the up. Next week we travel to Birmingham looking to continue our three game mini unbeaten run. We do this in the knowledge we are in excellent shape with a manager in Ian Holloway who can hold his head up high as a fantastically experienced, underrated manager. He knows how to treat supporters and has achieved a lot in the game he can be proud of at Plymouth, QPR, Leicester City, Blackpool and so far in his role at Palace.

Super Murray sees off Seagulls!

A brace from Glenn Murray and a penalty from Owen Garvan saw off Brighton 3 – 0 and sent Palace back to the top of the Championship for twenty four hours at least. The star of this fantastic Palace performance was the enigmatic fire cracker of a winger Yannick Bolasie. Albion found Bolasie too hot to handle all afternoon and when the tricky winger burst through on ten minutes he was brought down by defender Lewis Dunk. Dunk saw red for preventing a goal scoring opportunity giving Palace the man advantage for the remainder of the game. An advantage they would not relinquish.

Spearheaded by goal machine Glenn Murray Palace were energetic from the start pumped up by the atmosphere of a vibrant Palace support and all the intensity of the A23 derby. Murray continues to find his goal scoring touch notching up goals sixteen and seventeen for the season.  He has now scored nine goals in six matches since Ian Holloway took up the reigns as palace boss against Ipswich Town. To a large extent Murray was unplayable despite only just making the pitch from his sickbed. On thirty eight minutes a flying near post glancing header off a corner gave Palace the lead their dominance deserved. Brighton packed ten men behind the ball in a vain attempt to subdue Palace’s attacking intensity yet ultimately Bolasie and Zaha proved too skilful.

Mile Jedinak strong in midweek in Hull was a rock in midfield and supported by KG Dikgacoi we flooded the midfield and Brighton’s ten men could not cope with the attacking intensity. Garvan played the playmaker role and Bolasie and Zaha burst forward at will on the wings with Ward and Parr providing support from the fullback positions. This wing tenacity led to the first of two penalties on fifty four minutes from which Murray scored his second ending the game as a contest. At this point Moritz replaced fullback Ward who was excellent in defence but showed the managers intent with what was an attacking substitution.

Ian Holloway is an experienced head as a manager and in the matches I have watched at Selhurst since he has taken over he likes to make attacking substitutions. On this occasion it was rewarded as Palace’s attacking play earned a second penalty on seventy one minutes. Murray was fouled in the box and in an act of valour Brighton did not deserve described as professionalism by Holloway, Murray passed up the opportunity of a hat-trick against his former club, allowing Garvan to score the penalty. Albion supporters were again petty towards Murray he was once their hero who had got them promoted from league one. Even so Murray showed his class by not celebrating his goals in front of the Brighton fans despite provocation. It truly was a fantastic performance by Murray and Bolasie individually and the team in general especially when you consider Wilbraham replaced Murray on seventy four minutes as the superb centre forward was struggling with sickness.  

Holloways philosophy is going down well with the Palace faithful and there is little more Holloway can do to endear himself to supporters than beat Brighton 3 – 0 at home. By carrying on the momentum of the season with subtle tactical changes to get to the forty point mark before any other team in the Championship then promotion is a definite possibility. Indeed Holloway is more than aware of how fortunate he is to inherit such a talented professional squad from his predecessor. That is why he is determined to work hard to complete the job with the team that Dougie built.

Massive credit should go to the entire team for bouncing back from a tough week in Yorkshire to return themselves to the top of the league. Next comes Blackpool to join the party and that match holds its own intrigue all for its own reasons. Especially for our new hero jolly Ollie! Thanks very much lads. Eagles!!