I often use the above phrase with the reason being that it’s very true.
I didn’t quite say the Brighton game was a must win, but I did say getting the points would be monumental. That was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but certainly our position looks a lot better than it would if we’d lost.
And this might sound a bit strange (and it’s the funny old part), but I don’t feel that this match is quite so vital to us. The two clubs below us, Leeds and Watford, are both away, to Brighton and Leicester respectively and I just don’t see both of them winning and dropping us to the spot just above the bottom three, who can’t catch us (yet!).
I think the reaason I don’t quite so much urgency is because we broke that losing run that was putting everyone on a downer. Whereas if we do lose this one, well, it’s just one game.
Of course a win would be superb and it’s certainly not too big an ask, as although the Eagles are in tenth place, they’re only three points above us. And the other funny thing is that if we were to win 3-0, we’d actually go above them because of goals scored.
Just when I’d somehow got it in my head that Palace were going really well. Given our shocking run of results recently, they obviously haven’t been going that well at all.
Squad news and on our part, the good news is that Trezeguet has trained all week, with a view to getting him to train next week and then hopefully get him some minutes for the U-23’s. He’s obviously still a while away, but he’ll be coming back at a time when squads are usually a bit thin because of it being, well, the winter, where injuries tend to happen more easily and wimps just don’t want to get cold.
As I suggested last time, I feel he’ll be a typical type of Gerrard player, because of his energy and I’ll be welcoming him back.
Traore is still weeks away, which is disappointing, because he can be a good option.
As for Sanson, “Sanson has trained fully. He’ll travel with us and be part of the squad” said Gerrard.
He won’t be starting then, I’d say. Nothing new about that, is there? The wondering of us fans continues.
Luiz is back in the squad too, which is good news, but I don’t get the impression that he’ll be starting either.
As for Palace, James McAuthur will be out after a muscle tear. Odsonne Edouard may feature, along with Nathan Ferguson after both have recovered from injuries.
Palace are this season’s draw experts up to now and it seems very, very easy for me to make that my prediction.
But then it’s always easiest to go for the draw isn’t it? You’re never 100% wrong, whichever way the result goes.
So, just for once, I really think I ought to predict one way or the other.
Patrick Viera has got Palace pretty well organised, but they’re nowhere near unbeatable.
Benteke is my main worry, particularly if he gets his head on the end of one, but Mings played well last week, so hopefully he can cope with him. That’s assuming we man-mark, that is, which seems so obviously the right thing to do.
I can’t say I noticed how our defence set up to defend against Brighton, mainly because they were pretty toothless and never threatened much, but I do hope we move away from zonal marking, as I’ve never really liked it. It’s too easy for defenders to absolve themselves of any responsibility and blame each other, to my mind.
I predicted a draw against Brighton, but said I could see us losing.
And typical me, I got it wrong again and we won.
I’m tempted to predict a draw, with the same probable loss, but d’you know what?
I’m going for the win. I can see us being mostly poor again, as the team will obviously take a while to get used to any new methods etc and we’re obviously short of a couple of personnel, particularly in the middle.
But I can also see the new manager bounce continuing, meaning we somehow dig the result out again via something out of the blue.
I’m saying 1-0.
Yes, that’s right. To us.
UTV!
Comments
54 responses to “Palace – Villa; It’s a funny old game”
So I’m predicting the win.
That’s knackered that then 🙁
Must admit that I don’t know how good Palace are.
Viera has been getting a lot of publicity there, but then again, it’s a London team, with a manager who was famous as a player at a more glamourous (in those days) London team, so he would, wouldn’t he.
If last week’s result wasn’t a fluke, and with a full week’s new-regime-coaching with all the international players back, I’d hope we could do even better than 0-1, but I’ll take that any day.
Well, he’s got them to a place where they aren’t losing the vast majority, so he’s doing ok.
But are they vastly superior to Brighton? I don’t think so.
But yes, a lot of the publicity is down to Viera, who was in fairness, a great player.
But then we’ve got our own top ex-player haven’t we? 🙂
Palace will definitely offer a bigger attacking threat and in Zaha, Benteke & Eduoarde they have a lethal combination up front. Add in Gallagher in mid field and they are likely to cause us quite a few problems.
They can concede though but are on a seven game unbeaten run, currently the best in the EPL.
Villa have lost 5 of our last six matches at CP and the last three in a row. Overall we have (yet another) abysmal record against a London team in London. Heavens knows when we last won at CP!
As a player Viera never lost against Villa – 9 wins / 2 draws!
So we’re due a win except we won’t will we because we enhance teams records not ruin them and, if Palace avoid defeat, it will be their longest unbeaten run in the EPL.
On this one I’m minded to go with that excellent pundit Lawro 🙂 who called it right against Brighton.
1-1 it is then
Health Warning – I rarely, if ever get a prediction correct! 🙂
I’m a firm believer in the Law of Averages.
All long runs must end sometime, and the longer they’ve gone on, the more likely they are to end soon!
Heh heh, I like it.
Hitch, you are the new site statto 🙂
Just as I’ve been contrarian in taking advantage of a fair crash in the market today and buying a couple of bits and bobs, so I’m going to do the same and call that seven game unbeaten run out.
I’m even more convinced we’ll sneak this, because it’s about time us doing other clubs favours stopped.
And I’m hoping Stevie G is just the man to stop it.
🙂
What can I say – a saddo QS in my working life,
I’m far from confident but I think the new manager bounce will get us a draw tomorrow. We will have to be resolute though and hopefully put in a good first half performance for once. I think Stevie G will start the same team as the one against Brighton unless he swaps Nakamba for Luiz.
It’s good or worrying to see the positive predictions on here though. 😬
Holte, if I predict us to lose all the time, I get condemned for being too negative.
I’m due a win prediction, I think.
Yep, I’d go with the same team too.
I watched a compilation of Gerrard’s greatest goals today. Good grief. I’m expecting our players to start smashing 30+ yarders into the top corner sooner rather than later. Who would like first go? Step up, McGinn, Ings, Luiz…all capable, to name just 3. Shooting from range is like ad-libbing for an actor – it takes big balls as you could end up looking a wally. Top players need to have that confidence and swagger to believe that they can do that kind of thing. Gerrard was unbelievable. I hope some of that magic rubs off…
Magic Villa Balls???
Big ones. Big, magic, Villa, balls…
I find the association of the words “claret”, “blue” and “balls” strangely unsettling, for some reason…
Here’s a piece about Chukwuemeka saying he won’t sign a new contract.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/26/aston-villa-carney-chukwuemeka-will-not-sign-new-contract
Now I understand his frustration and there is still time for Villa to change his view. But, and this is why I suspect there’s more to the story, if he goes to a Man City, for instance, on what basis does he think he’ll get more first team game time?
Interesting team news.
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Bailey, Young, Ramsey, Watkins
Ings, Buendia, Sanson and El Ghazi all on the bench
Showing as 4-2-3-1 formation.
Either Ings or Watkins needed dropping and Ollie’s goals have obviously given him a reprieve.
Buendia was another obvious one really.
4-2-3-1?
Yorke wide mid then? With Bailey on the other side with Ramsey doing whatever.
That midfield is as weak as piss in an Aussy bar..
Yorke – blimey, did we get him on a free as well.
“No you can’t be manager but get your kit on”
🙂
Oh and Sanson on the bench again.
Is that the best run of fitness we’ve had out of him?
DazN 6 has the game.
Yes!
Targett shot, I think it was.
1-0
Targett hits the target!!!!
Mings hurt elbow in the face …. back in the game …
Whisper it quietly, but we’re the better side.
And whisper it even more quietly;
Mings is great!
He should play for England.. Palace teams are rough and we got a ref in his first game , that’s our luck.. e should have had a pen …
Luiz on for Ramsey.
Makes sense, I suppose.
Rest the lad and get Luiz minutes to build up speed.
Dunno if anyone has BBC Final Score on but what a terrible show! Diversity. Diversity. Diversity.
Ah, the British Brainwashing Corporation?
It was by far my favourite channel, until last year.
I prefer the Bullshit Broadcasting Corporation.
Absurdity, more like Bum Bum. Or stupidity. Terrible, indeed.
What’s Luiz done???!!!
Looked over the top but change from red to yellow .
Luiz very lucky man, he shouldn’t have been seen on after saying he wants to go …
VAR working in our favour for once????
Bbc say Bailey had a good game…
Buendia on for Young.
Fresh legs and minutes for the former.
Fat Arse!!!!! Get in!!!!!!
McGinn curler.
Lovely 2-0!
Great goal John McGinn – he’s broken his losing streak UTV