So I listened to Palace yet again throw away 3 points in the last 15 minutes of a match.
It is starting to become the story of the second half of our season, and while I admire the Doog's positive attitude where we play well in defeat, I think he needs to toughen up and expect more from his players when we throw points away. After all, if we add up just some of the points we have thrown away this season (Blackpool, Bristol City, Coventry), we would be there or thereabouts.
Yes Coventry are capable of playing good football and are fighting for survival. But we are supposed to be fighting for a place in the Premiership, and if the radio commentary is to be believed, some of our senior players were not at the races tonight.
The trouble is that it is so maddening given how well we are capable of playing. If we go to Burnley on Saturday and beat them (which we are well capable of doing), while I will be delighted, it will kind of prove the point I am making here.
Too late for a play-off push?
posted on 8/3/12
sgbilko (U1175) even with AJ we finished a sad 15th or 16th that season we were way off the mark, even though we were pre-season favorites to bounce straight back up.
which Season are you regarding? :S
I thought we were talking about the 04/05 Season; where we held Our Own in some games, & just got unlucky towards the end.
By the way, there’s nothing wrong with having a little ambition for the Club.
I think all Palace Fans would have taken mid-table this season after the last 2-years.
However, IF there’s a chance of going the extra mile in the remaining games, than why not take it? No-one thought we’d have a decent Cup run until we had an opportunity.
Agree, with Cayman Islands Eagle (U6516) post! 100%
I think it’ll be the Perfect Season, IF We went Up & qphaha went down!
posted on 8/3/12
Well if we're talking about perfect seasons then how about the weed and sc*m of South London get relegated too. I feel bad for Portsmouth fans so how about one of them go into administration while we're at it? Then to round off a perfect season how about charlton pathetic slip into a play-off place and don't get promoted!
Here's to wishful thinking!
I agree that if we could make the play-offs and get promoted then let's go for it! I think we have better owners than last time we made it to the PL so hopefully they won't throw the money away and use it to improve CPFC in the long term. Look at Blackpool for example. That would be the ideal situation (except for the relegation part obviously)
But on the other hand look at the teams that have gone up when they weren't ready and where are they now? Derby & Hull spring to mind but there must be more.
It seems like we all agree that this season has been a success and would love to even get in the play-offs. But where do you realistically think we will finish this year based on current form, etc? I would say about 12th-14th
posted on 8/3/12
I've been saying it for a few years now:- There is no reason why a team from the Championship should not make it in the Premier League, look at Newcastle, Swansea, WBA, and Norwich, all been promoted in the last two years, all doing very nicely.
You English need to stop whinging about the standard of football in the Championship, it is better than most Premier Leagues in Europe. All bar the elite clubs would struggle in the Championship, proof of that was how well Birmingham did in the Europa League, only losing out on goal difference, yet Birmingham are hardly setting the Championship alight even with all their big name players.
The Championship is getting closer to the Premier league every year, here in Holland there is not one side would fair well over the season in the Championship not even Ajax, or PSV, would do well on a week too week basis, ok on a good day they would win against anyone but not on a weekly basis.
PSV were beaten 2-6 at home last weekend, and Ajax were thumped 6-0 a few weeks back, so you see how the mighty fall, neither of those two clubs would even finish a playoff place in the Championship.
As a former player and coach it pains me to say that about my own league which like a lot of other leagues are in free fall.
posted on 9/3/12
MonThePalace (U9978) how about the weed and sc*m of South London get relegated too. how about one of them go into administration while we're at it? Then to round off a perfect season how about charlton pathetic slip into a play-off place and don't get promoted!
reply....a bit tongue-in-cheek??? Short-term wise! Yeah that would be the Perfect Season, but long term, what’s a Club without they’re local rivals around them? Plus, it gives both Clubs that extra push given they want to finish above each other.
""But where do you realistically think we will finish this year based on current form, etc?"" Well, only 7pts off the P/Os. :D but, just a shame we haven't had a consistent striker to put the ball in the onion bag. Yet at the same time, I suppose it’s good to see options. I mean, one week Ambrose gets a goal; the next Zaha makes his mark. So, when we are against whoever we’re playing, that team isn’t marking Our main man, as with the variety, we don’t really have a individually best player.
Bottom line; it’s in Our own hands. & at this stage no game is straightforward given there’s Clubs either want to get Promoted themselves, or like us the last 2-seasons, want to survive relegation.
posted on 9/3/12
sgbilko (U1175) I've been saying it for a few years now:- There is no reason why a team from the Championship should not make it in the Premier League, look at Newcastle, Swansea, WBA, and Norwich, all been promoted in the last two years, all doing very nicely.
Newcastle? Championship? No disrespect, but Really?! Chris Hughton did do a fantastic job in taking them back up, and never deserved (even tho we all knew it was coming- like Warnock & qphaha) the sack. BUT, even Stevie Wonder could have gotten Newcastle Promoted!
""Birmingham are hardly setting the Championship alight even with all their big name players.""
Other than, Zigic...at a stretch ( no pun intended what big name players??
""Ajax, or PSV"" It’s difficult to judge how a foreign Club would fair in this league ( well I know we have the Welsh), given it could go either way, they could be at the top given Champions players will want to be attracted to the big name, or be like Cardiff, flirt with the playoffs than ‘Bottle It’.
""The Championship is getting closer to the Premier league every year"" Well the ticket prices definitely are!!!
""You English need to stop whinging about the standard of football in the Championship"" When have we? :S
posted on 9/3/12
paulholden84
Other than, Zigic...at a stretch ( no pun intended what big name players.
Try! Myhill, Caldwell, Spector, King, Carr, Cauldwell, N'Daw, Gomis, Huseklepp, Townsend, Ibanez, Davies, Elliott, Burke.
for size, they have 11 full internationals in their squad, 12 if you include Foster who is on lone to WBA, they also have a number of U21 internationals.
So I repeat my statement "Birmingham are hardly setting the Championship alight even with all their big name players".
Perhaps you can't judge Foriegn clubs, but I can, I'm 62 now and all my working life until last year I've played and worked in football here in Europe thats 45 years, and I'm surrounded(less than an Hours drive) by clubs that are in the higher positions in their respective leagues, so I get to see a lot of football every week including the Championship which in my opinion is of a very high standard, so your lucky, you should come over here a watch a game or two you would very quickly have a different opinion.
posted on 9/3/12
Haha I was speaking with a friend and they mentioned what if charlton didn't get promoted, or millwall got relegated, etc and it went on like that so when you mentioned the perfect season I was just repeating it. I spoke with a charlton fan when we were in administration and he hoped we would go out of business and I was surprised that any football fan would want that, even to your rivals. But then again I hate millwall more than anything!
I agree with sgbilko that the standard in the Championship is high and it's shown by the players we get eg. Boyd is the SPL's all time top goalscorer and comes to the Championship, ok he doesn't do anything but he's left Rangers for the Championship. That's why when they say about introducing Rangers (if there is a Rangers) or Celtic to English football they should start in the Premiership seems stupid to me.
posted on 9/3/12
MonThePalace I agree I am pretty sure that both Rangers & Celtic would struggle in the Championship, they would not cope with the day to day rigours of the Championship, they are no better than any of the top 5 clubs here in Holland and none of those would finish in a playoff position, and thats being painfully honest and from a Dutchman.
You only needed to look at the Dutch squad that played England only 3 of those play in their own league, Ron Vlaar Feyernoord, Erik Pieters PSV, and Luuk De Jong FC Twente, thats a sad state of affairs, how many from the England squad play abroad? none.
posted on 9/3/12
So I repeat my statement "Birmingham are hardly setting the Championship alight"
But don’t you think, if they weren’t concentrating on the Europa League, they would have been in a better position, than they currently are? Plus, they could mathematically finish in the autos.
As for the players you mentioned...Try!
Carr - won’t he be retiring soon?
Why isn’t Myhill playing at his contracted Club? wBa.
Caldwell was released when his contract expired at both Burnley & Wigan.
Spector was released by West Ham
N'Daw is on loan & hasn’t played that many games.
Gomis was a free agent
Loanie Huseklepp hasn’t scored that many goals.
Townsend- too early to tell. But has been loaned out abit.
Ibanez- what I said about Carr.
Elliott did well for Burnley.
Burke sould be in the Prem, but for whatever reason he’s not!
King- thug!
Davis- here’s a link... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7015660.stm
How many of these Big name players would get into a Big named Club?
By the way, I doubt many Championship players would turndown Parkhead or Ibrox, if they were in the Championship. But I agree, that either Club shouldn't start in the Premiership. League 2 maybe.
posted on 9/3/12
Nice attept to justify your comment but they are all players of International standard, and most are known names in the game, can't say that about most Palace players.
Birmingham have a squad full of Internationally experienced seasoned players, and I do not see Man U, Man C, Arsenal, Chelsea, or any other club playing in Europe their league form has not dipped, infact most that are still in Euro competitions are up there in their respective leagues fighting for a place next season.
Birmingham have dropped 9 pts from 18 since the beginning of Feb, hardly promotion form, by the way Palace have picked up 10 from 18 in the same period.