And so it happened… Magic of Cup sees Palace reach Wembley!

So it transpires after a difficult and disappointing 2016 there is light at the end of the tunnel as goals from Bolasie and Wickham meant Palace made the cup final after an impressive 2 – 1 victory emulated the side of 1990 in reaching an FA Cup final. Loud and Proud and very colourful.

 A magical day that I enjoyed very much was topped off by the appearance of the very happy Steve Coppell who had returned to watch his team emulate his achievement of 1990.

There have been many moments in time where I have felt lucky to achieve so much and do many fantastic things however from the end of the season I will be finishing my blog to concentrate on working for the licence vichelars association in Ascot in late 2016.

Much love, thank you let’s hope we win the Cup.

Samuel Burch

West Ham United 2 – 2 Crystal Palace

Goals from Damian Delaney and Dwight Gayle for Palace and Lanzini and Payet for West Ham meant the match ended 2 – 2. Yet the game changed when Kouyate was sent off on sixty-seven minutes. The decision to send off Kouyate was a controversial one as Mark Clatenberg chose red after the player made a controversial lunge on Gayle. This was Crystal Palace’s first point of 2016 and it drew a dent in West Ham’s top four aspirations as they are behind Arsenal and Manchester City.

 A good performance from Palace saw Damian Delaney gave them the lead early doors before West Ham came back with two quick goals to lead 2 – 1 at half time. Yet Gayle’s seventy-fifth-minute equalizer meant Palace moved a point further clear of trouble.

Palace moved a point further away from the relegation zone and a point closer to survival going into next week’s crucial clash against Norwich City at Selhurst Park. Clearly not distracted by an FA Cup semi Final against Watford, Palace played some attractive and flowing football and the point means with seven games left this season they should have enough points in hand to avoid relegation.

Palace make Wembley on a Mad stad evening 0 – 2

A penalty from Johan Cabaye and a late strike from Frazier Campbell meant Palace booked a trip to Wembley to Celebrate reaching the FA Cup semi final for the first time in 15 years in 1995.  stating it would be a challenge this time Pardew will lead his side out at Wembley for the first time in a cup competition since 1990/91, when Palace played both in the FA cup final and Zenith Data systems Cup.

Now Palace await an opponent from Mondays Draw, as a trip to Wembley may light up Palace’s league form with a 0 – 12 record which unless improved is relegation form. Emulating Wigan and winning the FA Cup but going down may eventually be seen as historically significant even if pragmatists may see relegation as financially disastrous and a failure.

Yet the game itself was comfortable for Palace with Cabaye controlling midfield and Papis Soure doing very well on the left hand side. Reading failed to grasp the nettle and Palace looked dominant for much of the match yet it was not until the last ten minutes that the breakthrough goals from Cabaye (Pen) and Campbell came out as Palace secured the victory.

Table toppers Leicester City come to Selhurst Park next Saturday hoping to carry their good form into the league and damage Leicester’s title ambitions.

Sunderland 2 – 2 Crystal Palace

Two goals from Conner Wickham for Palace and goals from NDoye and Borini meant events at the Stadium of Light ended 2 – 2. Two goals in six minutes from Conner Wickham put Palace 2 – 1 up before Borini’s equaliser.

The point lifts Sunderland out of the bottom three and means Palace pick up their first point in ten matches. It is with some relief that Sunderland lift themselves out of the bottom three. As for Palace their bad form continues winless since playing Stoke on the 19^th December dropping to 14^th place in that time.

Palace’s next match is against Liverpool while Sunderland face Southampton at St Mary’s Indeed Conner Wickham the ex- Sunderland player has found some form and this can be seen as a positive for Pardew going forward to the FA Cup quarter final against Reading. Pardew needs to drive this Palace team forward if they want to secure premier league status and the extra TV money that comes with it. 

Yet in reality football is a global product and relegation would be a nightmare given the fact that Palace’s history is littered with failures heroic and otherwise and means relegation would be a disastrous result. Yet alternatively should Palace secure six more points and survival, the FA Cup could make the season a memorable one. 

FA CUP 4th ROUND: Tottenham Hotspur 0 – 1 Crystal Palace

A fine Palace performance in the FA Cup the best in a generation saw Crystal Palace advance into the quarter finals of the FA Cup for the first time in ten years. Palace competed well in the first half and took the lead through Martin Kelly in the forty first minute of the first half.

Palace had great Swathes of possession but failed to generate any great attacking potency. The midfield was anchored by Joe Ledley, Yohan Cabaye Wilf Zaha and the effective return of Yannick Bolasie. Defensively Palace were formidable with Centre Back partnership in Scott Dann and Damian Delaney looking very good. Right back Martin Kelly scored the winner for the Eagles and on the other flank Joel Ward was collectively solid enough to see Tottenham off.

Players like Wilfried Zaha came to the fore indeed Zaha probably had his best game since his return to the club. Pardew will be a delighted manager with Palace’s progress to set up a quarter final in Berkshire against Reading. Two league games against West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland could see Palace safe in the Premier League by April with the cup offering a sparkling end to the season.

Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Watford

Two goals from Troy Deeney extended Palace’s winless streak to nine matches. Palace’s goal was scored by Palace debutant Emanuel Adebayeur but Palace lacked a cutting edge in the midfield as Watford dominated with Agallo and Deeney up front.

Early pressure from Deeney and Agallo pushed Palace back and truly tested the Palace backline. 

After Deeney scored for Watford, the Eagles equalised via Emanuel Adebayeur who scored on his debut. Yet in the second half Watford regained their control and when Troy Deeney scored his and Watford’s second and winning goal. Palace had no response from this point on. With Conner Wickham wasteful and Papis Soure needlessly sent off and given a three match ban the eagles were truly having a disastrous day.

So with Watford pretty now in 8^th place Palace are forced to face up to a lack of balance in the squad and poor tactical intelligence amongst the squad. A key issue that Pardew needs to improve on. 

The Eagles are forced to move on to an FA Cup 5^th round tie Vs Tottenham Hotspurs at White Hart Lane, and then a league game against former boss Tony Pulis and WBA. 

Swansea City 1 – 1 Crystal Palace

A Scott Dann equaliser from a Yohan Cabaye earned Palace an equaliser in South Wales. Swansea took the lead. Swansea took the lead and looked the better in the first half, when a foray forward earned Swansea a free kick, from which Gylfy Sigurdson gave the Welsh team the lead.

In driving rain throughout Swansea controlled possession but Palace did look lively on the break. In the second half Palace started well pushing forward getting a corner and from a mistake in the Swansea defence Scott Dann Slammed home the equaliser.

After six matches without a win this point may prove to be very useful in the short term as the point closer to survival which should be the prime aim given the early season talk about Europe. Survival and forty points should be the main aim. Palace face Watford next Saturday and then travel to spurs in the fifth round of the Fa Cup