Life is Never Dull When You Go To Hull... Actually It Is!

A cold, damp, midweek away trip to Hull ended goalless on Tuesday night. A dull and lacklustre affair was almost stolen by Palace with the last kick of the match. Yet apart from that Zaha chance which was saved by goalkeeper Stockdale, both sides were wasteful in front of goal. The home side had the best of the possession without being able to score.

Palace was without in form striker Glenn Murray who was suspended following picking up a booking against Leeds United. Brazilian playmaker Andre Moritz remained on the bench with Owen Garvan and Jermaine Easter starting. As a result there was not a lot for the hardy band of travelling Palace fans to get excited about. Indeed were I not staying overnight in Manchester I may have been frustrated by the madness of travelling all the way to Hull for a midweek away fixture. Massive credit should go to the supporters who made the trips to Leeds and Hull in the past week. A point away at this stage of the season in North Lincolnshire/West Yorkshire may prove massively important come the end of the season.

Hull playmaker Elmohamedy was very busy in the first half creating chances for Robert Koren but Hull was wasteful in front of goal. In the second half Aaron Wilbraham replaced Jermaine Easter up front but Palace was still generally missing their recent attacking sparkle. Robbie Brady was lucky to stay on the pitch for Hull when he pulled his man back and he was last man. Much to my and 300 other Palace fans frustrations he escaped with a booking. Had it been down the other end I am sure Palace would have been down to 10 men. The referee bottled it.

Bolasie did not have his best match in a Palace shirt on Tuesday but he clearly tried. He got through one on one with Stockdale but screwed his shot wide. Speroni saved the points for Palace when a strong hand kept out Aaron Mcleans late drive as the final ten minutes proved the most eventful of the game. For all of the possession Hull had during the match, through Bolasie and Zaha, Palace had the best clear cut chances in the game. Apart from the chance for Bolasie, Wilf Zaha could have taken all three points for the Eagles but for a brilliant Stockdale save with the last kick of the match.

On Saturday Palace face that lot from down the A23 in the Selhurst leg of the Derby. Glenn Murray will return from suspension for the derby in what following the Leeds defeat is Ian Holloway’s first big test as Palace manager. It is his first challenge as boss with this team before facing his old team Blackpool in a fortnight. Given the previous managers record in derby matches certain improvement and greater sparkle will be required from the team for Saturdays big match.

Palace 3 – 0 Derby County: - Terrific!!!

Palace extended their lead at the top of the Championship with this fantastic 3 – 0 victory. Goals from Glenn Murray and the Brazilian, Andre Moritz, who is rapidly becoming a Lombardo esque cult-hero figure in the Palace midfield. Indeed enigmatic midfielder Moritz is proving more than an able replacement for the previous midfield maestro at palace Darren Ambrose, now at Birmingham City. The pair will meet at St. Andrews on 15^th December. Moritz has now scored three goals in his last three consecutive appearances for Palace as we continue our surge to the top of the league table.

Wilf Zaha took the headlines prior to the match due to his six minute England cameo in Sweden last week. What a talent Zaha is. Right from the first time I saw him play against Leicester City under George Burley in troubled times. Through to his influential displays under Freedman over the last two years against Manchester United and recently Vs Wolves, he truly is a credit to himself and our club. What a fillet it is for Crystal Palace FC that as a Championship team the academy is again producing talent for the national side. Zaha follows in the path of players from Peter Taylor to Ian Wright as Crystal Palace again gets a player to national honours for England from below the top flight.

I share Ian Holloways hope it was not a political call up meant to pressurise Zaha because of his Ivorian roots. The media storm over Zaha’s call up shows what unfair pressure he is under at a young age to make a decision and is poor PR from Roy Hodgson and the FA. What is not in doubt is he is the best talent I have ever seen at Palace and deserves the recognition he is receiving. Hopefully he will be an England international for a long time to come.

On Saturday Ian Holloway showed what a settled talented side he has at his disposal and what an experienced tactician he is at this level. I had heard that the 1 – 2 away win at Peterborough last weekend was dominant. Yet I honestly cannot remember watching a performance like this weekends’ 3 – 0 win against Derby from Palace at Selhurst in all my time as a season ticket holder since 1998. There are simply no words to explain how a settled back four, pace from the wings on both sides, and creativity from the engine room in the middle of the park combined to allow Murray to run riot producing an emphatic 3 – 0 win.

Talented Derby teenager Will Hughes tested Julian Speroni once producing a great save. This is all I can remember Derby creating all game. To be fair at present no team in the Championship can live with Palace at this current level and that is why they are top of the Championship.

Ian Holloway has come to Crystal Palace with the club in a unique position in its history. We are playing in a style and fashion I have never seen before in the twenty two years I have being supporting the club since the age of eight. I cannot explain why or how we are playing in this fashion now. I will leave it to those more schooled and experienced in the analysis of Crystal Palace then me to explain why. All I can say is I feel privileged and honoured to be enjoying such football, with the likes of Zaha, Moritz, and Bolasie blowing me away every week.

If the club and its supporters have been on a journey together since 2010 saved the club in that fateful year, than perhaps what we are witnessing on the pitch now is the culmination of that journey. When I was honoured to receive the ‘Fan of the Year’ Award in 2010 I, like any Palace supporter could only have hoped and imagined what great steps the four co-owners have taken, and quite rapidly too to turn the clubs fortunes around. Could the culmination of the survival journey be Crystal Palace’s return to the Premier League? That is now a definite possibility, yet even if not massive credit should go to 2010 for stabilising the club. Rooting Palace back in its local community and at a competitively high level in the Championship in the process.

It took a mere twelve minutes for Murray to breakdown the Rams defences from a Bolasie corner with a header in front of nearly 16,500 at Selhurst on Saturday. From that point on domination met calm assurance as Palace destroyed their visitors to extend their lead over Cardiff City at the top of the division. On 58 minutes Derby continued to crumble as Moritz superbly smashed home a second for Palace off a Murray knockdown from a Parr clearance. A third goal came on 82 minutes as Murray picked up a brace slamming home a shot following a maizey run through the defence. The rout was complete. A tired Rams side had long since given up the ghost.

Palace travel to former boss’s Neil Warnock’s Leeds United on Saturday Afternoon. What a press conference that could be as Holloway and Warnock cross swords in South Yorkshire. It will be a tough week for palace. Hull City and another former boss in the much maligned Steve Bruce lie in wait on Tuesday. Before Palace face Brighton on the first day of advent. First Leeds United though and no doubt Delaney and Ramage will have to work hard at the centre of defence as Ellend Road will be buoyed by the prospect of GFH’s completed takeover and all the Arab riches it so promises.       

Welcome Ollie and What a Start!

(Written from NZ)


Top of the league and well deserved! True it is still only November and I missed the goal spree of 7 in 2 matches while visiting relatives. Yet it cannot be argued that Palace is in a false position because they are not. Twelve matches without defeat is the proof of that. An exciting new manager, Ian Holloway, is a big name appointment that was brought about in unexpected circumstances by the departure of Dougie Freedman as he felt he had taken the club as far as he could.

Regardless Freedman has left Palace in fantastic shape. This is shown by the professionalism of the squad during the caretaker period, when without a manager they continued the unbeaten run. Indeed this was a point acknowledged by Holloway himself when he observed what fantastic shape Crystal Palace was left in by Freedman upon his departure, both in terms of infrastructure and professionalism of the squad. Perhaps this is Freedman’s lasting legacy to the club showing his ability as a new young manager. We should be grateful to him and wish him the best in his future as he holds a place in my heart.

A slightly more circumspect view than in the immediate aftermath of the managerial change but on with the show and welcome Ian Holloway! Seven goals in two home matches against Blackburn and Ipswich continued the good work of Lennie Lawrence and Curtis Fleming and the professionalism and hardworking bond of the players. The unbeaten run now stretches to twelve matches. Ian Holloway wants to be a part of that spirit, and apparently (I was not there) a rousing half time speech from Holloway when introduced to the crowd against Blackburn helped inspire a 2 – 0 victory. He was blown away by the ability of the squad in front of him and has given up a good job where he has done very well and achieved a lot at Blackpool to choose to take the opportunity with Palace.

As a result how Crystal Palace is perceived as a football club is changing, growing if you like. By those in the game Palace are seen as a good prospect for promotion this season and as a result Holloway sees Palace as a new opportunity and wants to play his part in that. Glenn Murray on goal scoring form, Wilf Zaha the best player outside the top flight in England make Palace a frightening prospect for opponents, and a joy to watch for supporters. Ipswich were to find this out to their peril in Holloway’s first game in charge.

Following a 2 – 0 win against Blackburn, Ipswich bore the brunt of a rampant Palace as they suffered a 5 – 0 hammering. Glenn Murray netted his second hat-trick of the season with two goals from the spot and he still had the time to miss a penalty. Goals from Bolasie and Moritz framed the Murray hat-trick as Holloway reportedly had to pinch himself to believe how fortunate he was to pick up a job in such good circumstances. Now Ollie just wants to play his part in what is becoming quite an adventure.

My next live game is Derby County on 17th November and this post is written from New Zealand. The fact I am so far away from watching Palace live, following online as the Eagles reach the top of the league gives me time to reflect on how we got here as well as the managerial change. I have reconciled my own feelings about Freedman, wish him well in the future, and thank him for the team he has left behind. The great thing is Ian Holloway is an experienced safe pair of hands who will continue his predecessors’ good work with enthusiasm and great fun.

Regardless of how the season ends we should congratulate ourselves on where we are, enjoy it, and work hard to stay there! Good luck Ollie!! 

Leicester City 1 – 2 Crystal Palace

A cold and sunny autumn afternoon greeted Crystal Palace as they looked for their first ever victory at Leicester’s King Power, formerly Walkers Stadium. This would not be an easy assignment but roared on by a proud sell out away support the Eagles were looking to stretch their unbeaten run to ten matches. Goalkeeper Julian Speroni made his 250^th career first team appearance. Congratulations Jules an achievement to be truly proud of!

Speroni was on good form early on saving well from the lively David Nugent who was supplied by useful crosses from ex Fleetwood man James Vardy. It was Palace who had the better of the early exchanges with Bolasie and Zaha combining well to feed the lone strike man Murray to cause havoc with the Foxes backline. It was this combination that allowed Jonathan Parr to get forward down the left and really test Leicester’s shot stopper Kasper Schmeichel (son of former Manchester United keeper Peter). Yannick Bolasie also went close with a shot from distance.

The breakthrough came on 23 minutes to the delight of a packed away end. A dominant start was rewarded from a set piece when a corner from the left was only parried clear by Schmeichel and Leicester’s defence failed to get any distance on the clearance. Palace defender Damien Delaney, his career enjoying a new lease of life at Crystal Palace kept the ball down and on target to smash through a crowd and give Palace the lead. 1 – 0 became 2 – 0 a mere five minutes later on 28 minutes when another central defender, Peter Ramage, got in on the act. An identical set piece corner was met by Ramage’s unmarked head as he planted the header firmly past the helpless Schmechiel. 2 – 0 and the Palace fans were in raptures.

Given the situation Palace fans deserve a massive amount of credit. Mimicked and mocked by Leicester’s fans as they stole many of our favourite terrace songs and chants. (Imitation is the greatest form of flattery after all!) ‘You’ve nicked all our songs, you’ve nicked all our songs, and shall we write a song for you?’ rang around the away end. Humour was getting us through it and the most important fact; we were taking Leicester’s 100% home record and stretching our unbeaten run to ten games in the process.

At times Palace lived dangerously Speroni made some great saves illustrating why he is such a reliable stalwart between the posts. He now has an appearance record of 250 games equivalent to a quarter of a millennium of appearances. Owen Garvan did well to clear another Nugent effort off the line from a corner with his head. Yet throughout the lively Murray was a threat and Zaha again tormented the Leicester defence, making reference to why he is valued so highly at Crystal Palace and admired and prized by the rest of the country. The fantastic midfield partnership between Mile Jedinak and KG Digkacoi gave steel to the defensive line, keeping the door closed at the back whilst being the engine room for the pace and creativity going forward.

The entire team deserve credit and a massive pat on the back for the professionalism and desire they have shown for the fans in the past week. At Barnsley and Leicester there was no quarter given as they refused to use the situation to justify any sort of excuses. I like a lot of supporters truly appreciate them all for that fact. Despite a stoppage time consolation from Andy King for Leicester Palace won 2 – 1. The result was greeted with delirium by a support that will always be there because of the special club Crystal Palace is. Although hurting there can be no doubt Dougie Freedman has played his part in making sure Crystal Palace remains standing and remains standing with a fantastic legacy in place.

The job for the next man is to continue the job by going in and just managing without reference to supporters emotions because the right pragmatic approach now could have unexpected but great results at the end of the season.    

n.b Blackburn, Ipswich and Peterborough United blog posts may be created late, outside the UK or not at all. Blog returns as per usual for Derby County on 17th  November.                                                        

Samuel

 

     

 

  

Misty Night Misty Minds Yet a Proud Point All the Same!

A first half goal from Glenn Murray was cancelled out by a good strike from Barnsley’s David Perkins just four minutes from the end at Oakwell as the game ended 1 – 1. A difficult night for Crystal Palace both the players and supporters given the managerial situation was characterised by fantastic professionalism from the players backed by loud, proud, and passionate support from the fans. A small band of supporters left stunned and shell shocked by earlier events backed the team and appreciated their efforts in difficult circumstances.

Joel Ward came in for the suspended Dean Moxey as Delaney partnered Ramage in the centre of defence. With Jonathan Parr at left back Andre Moritz came in for the suspended Zaha with Murray playing up front. Garvan, KG and Bolasie and Jedinak played across the midfield. Palace took the lead through a well worked team goal. KG broke up play and combined with the lively Moritz to spread the ball wide to Parr who crossed for Murray to knock in to the net continuing his recent impressive goal scoring record. Palace had a platform to build upon that unfortunately they could not capitalise upon. Yet an impressive defensive performance spearheaded by hard work from the entire team saw the backline breached a mere four minutes from time from a strike from distance.

Potentially Palace lost touch with the top of the table but under the circumstances the team worked incredibly hard and carried a threat on the counter all night through the pace and creativity of Bolasie and Moritz. When one considers Zaha’s absence the depth of Palace’s squad away from home, without a manager Palace have a deeper squad than they have had for a number of seasons. Some of the credit for this could go to Freedman.

Barnsley came into the match in the second half but Palace’s defending was solid and well organised a possible characteristic of Lennie Lawrence and Curtis Fleming who deserve credit for the way they prepared the team and the tactical preparation that went into the game on short notice. The hard work and passion put into the performance by the players was a credit to the team and shows what a great club Crystal Palace is to support. Backed by a loud travelling support Palace left South Yorkshire with a hard earned useful point. Palace travel to league leaders Leicester City on Saturday

    

So Dougie WHY BOLTON?

Immediately prior to our last match Dougie freedman went to odds on favourite for the Bolton Wanderers job. Yesterday afternoon prior to our match against Barnsley Dougie took the job.

Off the back of his first managerial job in football where he cut his teeth in management, an untested rookie with a previously unquestioned legendary status at Crystal Palace walked out on Palace for Bolton. Over ninety games a win ratio of 35.5% why Bolton and does this record and experience really qualify him to work for a club that see themselves through their own eyes as bigger than Palace? Without any legendary status behind him to fall back on and after trumpeting advice to the likes of Wilfried Zaha to stick with the club until the end of the season and try and achieve something and not move before he is ready the question that sticks in my throat is should he not try taking his own advice?

After one managerial job and ninety games like Zaha and Williams as players Freedman has a lot to learn as a manager and with a win ratio of 35.5% a very good Carling Cup run last season and a six match unbeaten run that won Septembers manager of the month award masks a record of one win in 35 games. Between our semi final defeat and first victory this season against Sheffield Wednesday our only victory in the League was Barnsley at home. The start of the season yielded no points from the first three games and indeed had we lost to Charlton he could have been sacked. Yet rightly our board stuck with him on more than one occasion so to go now off the back of six good results smacks of opportunism on Freedman’s part and could be a decision that gets found out.

Clubs that do not appreciate their history often struggle with their identity but Palace does not have this problem. We understand our history and we are fair minded on average players and love our heroes. Dougie was a hero and we all should appreciate the vital part in our history Freedman has played, be it his 11 minute hat-trick against Grimsby in 1996, his club saving goal against Stockport in 2001 or his equally crucial role in Paul Hart’s management team at Hillsbrough in 2010. Yet the reality is now Freedman can only be part of our history and a very divisive figure in that history! His present day decision to walk out for Bolton because he sees them as better suited to serve his ambition to manage in the Premier League is deeply conflicting and divisive on supporters’ emotions towards him. Personally I love Dougie for what he has done for our club but I now feel confused and upset as though an eighteen year relationship has ended suddenly with no chance of being reconciled.

Whatever Freedman’s place in Crystal Palace history his recent conduct smacks of lies and hypocrisy. Telling Zaha to stay and develop at the club before walking away himself without proving himself as a manager first, and stating publicly in the press he does not leave ‘jobs half done’ before walking out for reasons that must be financial when he is close to achievement with Palace, makes the situation for supporters difficult to understand.

Freedman is a coach with a lot of potential yet if it goes wrong for him at Bolton he may have no fallback position because he has split Palace fans emotions in possibly a worse way then Steve Bruce. I stated in my very first Blog post in October 2011 Dougie Freedman was like a guardian of the Palace, a cult hero if you like which makes Freedman’s decision to leave when he was so close to something with apparent lack of care for the supporters given his status at the club confusing, hard to fathom, raw, and painful.

Dougie Freedman managed Crystal Palace from January 2011 – October 2012: 90 matches 32 wins 32 losses 26 draws. Win percentage 35.5%

 

Derby Ends All Square as Palace’s Unbeaten Run Continues!

On Fulltime Palace sit two points off the top of the table following a tempestuous and Physical encounter with rivals Millwall ended all square at Selhurst Park. Was this the curse of the Manager/Player of the Month double Palace had won as the Eagles were pulled back from 2 – 0 up against bitter rivals in front of an expectant and vibrant crowd? Goals in the form of a penalty from Liam Trotter and a bundled second half equaliser from Mark Beevers rescued a point for a physical Millwall.

The penalty saw Palace defender Dean Moxey sent off for deliberate handball stopping a goal bound shot on the line. As a result of the red card Jonathan Parr replaced Owen Garvan to play at left back, and later in the second half, Joel Ward replaced Darcy Blake to play at right back with Ramage partnering Delaney at centre back. Liam Trotter converted the penalty but Palace led 2 – 1 at the break after Millwall wasted a golden chance to equalise when a header rebounded off the crossbar and Ramage cleared. Damien Delaney put Palace 2 – 0 up before the penalty scoring his second goal in as many games with a header unmarked from a free kick. This followed a crisp drive from Mile Jedinak that put the Eagles in front rewarding early pressure.

A physical game saw eleven bookings with Bolasie, Zaha, Delaney, the dismissed Moxey, and goal scorer Jedinak all caught out by the card happy Phil Dowd. Yet the moment that clearly changed the momentum of the match came on 42 minutes when Moxey received his second yellow card and conceded a penalty as Palace failed to make it through to the break with a two goal cushion in tacked. After Trotter scored the penalty the second half was always going to be tough for Freedman’s men as Millwall had the numerical advantage Palace were going to have to work hard defensively to hold on in the second half.

Palace’s attacking instinct so prevalent over the last few matches was gone in the second half as Millwall took control in a dominant second half performance. They exploited their numerical advantage and prevented Palace from winning their sixth straight game yet Palace still remain unbeaten in eight matches. On 77 minutes Beevers prevented Palace going top with a bundled equaliser for Millwall. A tempestuous and physical game ended 2 – 2. In the context of the season this could prove a very useful point. Later results meant Palace cut the deficit to two points at the top of the league with leaders Leicester to come away next Saturday. With Palace also to play Barnsley on Tuesday today’s’ point could be very important.

The unbeaten run continues and although it is frustrating to give away a two goal lead at home, especially to bitter rivals, perhaps it shows some of the defensive frailty and naivety that lets down our excellent attacking play at times. The physical know how and brutality of Millwall’s play ultimately isolated many of our more creative players. Yet ultimately it comes down to the style of play you would prefer to watch and personally give me Freedman’s honest brand of attacking play above Kenny Jackett’s physical and aggressive style of play Millwall adopted any day of the week. Ultimately needs must and if that is the style of play they need to adopt in order to get a result because they cannot cope with Palace’s better play than ultimately Jackett has no choice but to play in that fashion.

This result could prove a valuable lesson to Palace in order to make progress during the remainder of the season. Learn from defensive mistakes, keep the attacking flair and much could be possible in the remainder of the season. The season continues at Oakwell against Barnsley on Tuesday night.