The official Albion v Palace build-up banter and p*ss-taking thread [Palace fans welcome]

[RupertsFlan]

Good analysis - but then you throw in the derby mix and literally anything can happen and frequently does. For me your red card at Selhurst was a direct result of your lad letting the occasion get to him.

We haven't had Garvan for a few months now. I think he's a wonderful player and wonder where we would be now if he had stayed fit...

That is a fair call. Being there I thought Dunk had been done a little injustice - getting home and seeing it on TV I hate to say it was a straight red. However the look on his face as he made the walk back to the dressing room did suggest to me that the whole thing had just got to him - poor control, silly lunge and although there was potential mitigation it was really on that it was the first foul of the entire game - a big decision for the ref to make.

However we have been screaming all year for refs to be brave and make the big calls regardless of the time of the game or the situation so to be frank no complaints.

I will be more comfortable with Upson, Bridge and Bruno (who after some appalling games has started to look like the player we signed) - my concern is that El Abd who has been outstanding will try to 'goad' certain players - the thought of Bolaise and Zaha cutting in and running at him make me feel a little queazy.

However same at the other end - I dont see huge pace for Nigel's and if we are a little attack minded then Buckley, orlandi, Vicente should help Ulloa cause real problems for them.

I think this will come down to who takes the chance in their periods of domination. We could easily play football in front of them for 70% of the game and still get gubbed.

I am dreading it, I cant wait, I hate the thought of the game and have never been so excited. Emotions all over the place.

It will be an early night on SAturday. I just hope I am on the grog around 4pm on Sunday celebrating an epic results over the PIkey scum. However, hate them or despise them they are a very good side and have played excellent football.

Would be lovely to watch their capitulation on Sunday........but of course I'd take a smash and grab 1-0.

Bring it on.

 

[Glenn-Murray]

GM - Why would you be surprised if you scored less than three? You haven't done it at all away from home this season. Obviously its possible, but not doing it against the second tightest home defence when you haven't managed to do it against any of the worst couldn't really come as a surprise.

Us scoring two would be statistically more likely given that you have conceded more than once away on several occasions. However, this would come as a surprise to a lot of us. It has been so frustrating watching a side as technically good as Brighton's not getting the points that repeated dominance in matches suggests it might, that a lot of us have become pessimistic about our chances against any of the strong sides in the division. This is magnified when comparing our lot with yours, as you seem to be having one of those seasons where players like Murray, Garvan and Bolasie have performed at levels that their previous records would have given no indication of being likely on a consistent basis.

I'd be surprised if we scored less than three because of the way we're playing at the moment. We're creating chances (and good ones) for 90 minutes and with an on-form Kevin Phillips and Murray combination we're putting goals past everyone.

Frankly I'm amazed that we haven't scored even more than we have. We're second top scorers in the division (Watford are a few ahead of us) but really we're not very clinical. Only Glenn and Phillips score with any real consistency, Zaha has learned to finish but he's much more of a creator. I think we'll miss Dobbie as the lad has a ferocious shot on him and can take a mean free kick (as we saw in his goal against Bristol City).

Every game we seem to miss a few ridiculously easy chances so if we're even slightly less wasteful than usual then we'll be in good shape for a riot. We've already put 4 past Hull last week. Murray should be very motivated to add to his 30 goals already this season, Super Kevin Phillips loves scoring against Brighton, and Zaha will want to impress in his last derby game for Palace

I'm just worried about the defense. Our full backs pretty much play as wingers while our actual wide-men play in the old "inside forward" position. We're left most of the time with just two center backs and Jedinak sat in front of them. Holloway hasn't changed this system once so far so it's likely he'll keep it for our game on Sunday. While we all have every confidence in Jedinak, and while Delaney and Ramage are extremely passionate and committed, if you attack and break with any real pace/strength, we could be in big trouble.

Expect a high scoring game with goals from both teams. Unless you set up defensively, which IMHO would be playing straight into our hands. Holloway sets up to control the game with posession and quick passes to bring Zaha/Bolasie/Williams into play and create chances for Murray/Super Kev. If you sit back this only becomes easier, and we will have less cause to worry about our fragile defense. Regardless, we're almost certain to score so if you want to win the game you'll need to put two past us at the very least.

 

[shaolinpunk]

Every game we seem to miss a few ridiculously easy chances so if we're even slightly less wasteful than usual then we'll be in good shape for a riot.

That quote could easily sum up large parts of our season, never mind yours! So many glorious chances spurned that come back to haunt us when the opposition scores their one chance

 

[Glenn-Murray]

That quote could easily sum up large parts of our season, never mind yours! So many glorious chances spurned that come back to haunt us when the opposition scores their one chance

Reading back it sounds rather greedy that I'm complaining about poor finishing when we've got a 30 goal striker in Glenn Murray and there are still 9 games left of the season!

 

[Stato]

You know you're away do you? You weren't certain to score against Wednesday, Huddersfield or Burnley: three of your last five away games.

Given that you have failed to score in about a fifth of your away games this season and haven't scored more than two in any away game, do you fear that your analysis, that you're almost certain to score and would be surprised if you didn't get three, could be subject to a touch of user bias?

 

[Glenn-Murray]

You know you're away do you? You weren't certain to score against Wednesday, Huddersfield or Burnley: three of your last five away games.

Given that you have failed to score in about a fifth of your away games this season and haven't scored more than two in any away game, do you fear that your analysis, that you're almost certain to score and would be surprised if you didn't get three, could be subject to a touch of user bias?

We can't play on shit pitches. At all. We're abysmal on a cabbage patch because our wingers can't run with the ball, and our midfielders can't play. The pitch at Selhurst is very good and it's good at The Amex as well. The conditions and size of the pitch are perfect for us.

How we didn't beat Burnley I have no idea. We missed so many easy chances and they scored a wonder goal late on after being dominated for 90 minutes. Hillsborough was far from perfect but not as bad as Huddersfield, and we really should have beaten Wednesday too. We've been robbed on a few occasions this season but I suppose you can't win them all.

 

[Stato]

Your analysis is, understandably, concentrated on your own side. However, that is one side of the equation. Of the current top six, four have played at the Amex. None of them came expecting to score three. Three quarters of them failed to score at all. Granted the other team, Watford are, with Arsenal, one of the two teams to score three at the Amex this season. However, they have repeated this feat at quite a few grounds throughout the championship this year, whereas Palace are yet to do it at any opponent's ground. Of course Holloway could have studied in detail how Watford did it, but given his recent lack of awareness of Watford's set up, he doesn't strike me as a manager whose strength is in studying the opposition.

I am not saying that your side is not capable, but perhaps your expectations may be skewed by the one sided affair at Selhurst. Remember that we played without a good portion of our first choice defence, pushed Bridcutt to full back and had one player less for eighty minutes. You still needed two penalties, the first of which was widely regarded as questionable, to score three.

Just be aware that, should the luck turn and the match changing incidents go the other way this time around, Holloway's open style of play could be made for a Brighton side more used to having to break down two deep lying banks of four to get a result.

 

[jimhigham]

No sound analysis in this post. I'm just bricking it and fearful of another Palace humiliation.

 

[CPFC G]

So who out of the Palace lot on here got tickets for Sunday?

Yep got a ticket, 7 of us coming down Saturday lunchtime.

 

[PsychoPaul]

I was quoting Mellotron photo title, hence the capitals, mind you I could have sort of used Sleeper Cell thou a bit vague... besides what player has 5th choice centre back on his shirt again?

 

[PsychoPaul]

Yep got a ticket, 7 of us coming down Saturday lunchtime.

Gonna be good to be able to wind the weed up across the terraces rather than virtually eh!

 

[Bean]

We'll lose yet again.

 

[Se20]

Nice crafty edit to the thread title
That's sure to stop the Palarse trolls reacting isn't it !!!

 

[Horses Arse]

Re: The official Albion v Pikey Nigels build-up thread [Caravan dwellers welcome]

With the way Holloway sets up the ream, I can't see us sitting back and defending. With Zaha, Bolaise, Williams,and possibly Moritz in the middle, it's a very attack minded team,

Ream? Mind on something else at the weekend?

 

[Horses Arse]

Re: The official Albion v Pikey Nigels build-up thread [Caravan dwellers welcome]

We can't play on shit pitches. At all. We're abysmal on a cabbage patch because our wingers can't run with the ball, and our midfielders can't play. The pitch at Selhurst is very good and it's good at The Amex as well. The conditions and size of the pitch are perfect for us.

How we didn't beat Burnley I have no idea. We missed so many easy chances and they scored a wonder goal late on after being dominated for 90 minutes. Hillsborough was far from perfect but not as bad as Huddersfield, and we really should have beaten Wednesday too. We've been robbed on a few occasions this season but I suppose you can't win them all.

Yawn

 

[Horses Arse]

Re: The official Albion v Pikey Nigels build-up thread [Caravan dwellers welcome]

Reading back it sounds rather greedy that I'm complaining about poor finishing when we've got a 30 goal striker in Glenn Murray and there are still 9 games left of the season!

Yawn

 

[Horses Arse]

Re: The official Albion v Pikey Nigels build-up thread [Caravan dwellers welcome]

I'd be surprised if we scored less than three because of the way we're playing at the moment. We're creating chances (and good ones) for 90 minutes and with an on-form Kevin Phillips and Murray combination we're putting goals past everyone.

Frankly I'm amazed that we haven't scored even more than we have. We're second top scorers in the division (Watford are a few ahead of us) but really we're not very clinical. Only Glenn and Phillips score with any real consistency, Zaha has learned to finish but he's much more of a creator. I think we'll miss Dobbie as the lad has a ferocious shot on him and can take a mean free kick (as we saw in his goal against Bristol City).

Every game we seem to miss a few ridiculously easy chances so if we're even slightly less wasteful than usual then we'll be in good shape for a riot. We've already put 4 past Hull last week. Murray should be very motivated to add to his 30 goals already this season, Super Kevin Phillips loves scoring against Brighton, and Zaha will want to impress in his last derby game for Palace

I'm just worried about the defense. Our full backs pretty much play as wingers while our actual wide-men play in the old "inside forward" position. We're left most of the time with just two center backs and Jedinak sat in front of them. Holloway hasn't changed this system once so far so it's likely he'll keep it for our game on Sunday. While we all have every confidence in Jedinak, and while Delaney and Ramage are extremely passionate and committed, if you attack and break with any real pace/strength, we could be in big trouble.

Expect a high scoring game with goals from both teams. Unless you set up defensively, which IMHO would be playing straight into our hands. Holloway sets up to control the game with posession and quick passes to bring Zaha/Bolasie/Williams into play and create chances for Murray/Super Kev. If you sit back this only becomes easier, and we will have less cause to worry about our fragile defense. Regardless, we're almost certain to score so if you want to win the game you'll need to put two past us at the very least.

Snore

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

I want to beat you 'orrible lot not just because it's Palace (although some bragging rights back would be nice - for the record I think ground and attendances < beating one another and league position. Granted other (strange) folk on here don't) but I plain and simply can't have you lot going up.

This season has been a massive fluke for you. You were one of the favourites to go down, you didn't have a pot to piss in. You had "that Brighton ****" and a young lad with fancy foot work but no end product (Palace supporters synopsis on my table at the Oaks last year). But it's all clicked for you. That young lad became unplayable and "that Brighton ****" well, I don't think he got close to 30 goals a season for us in the third or fourth division! If he carries on like he is going he's going to be close to a 40 goal a season man. Add to that the Brizzle City reject you plucked out from no where who tore us to shreds, Jediwarrior (or whatever his name is) who you claim is better than Bridcutt (haven't seen enough of the former to comment) and a solid back line it's safe to say you've had a great season! Even your manager (and Palace legend) jumping ship only de-railed you slightly.

BUT

I can't have you going up and I'll tell you why:

Firstly like I said it's been a massive fluke! Zaha will be gone we already know that. If you don't go up Murray will be sold and you'll be sensible to cash in on him whilst his stock is high. You'll still have to replace him though and replacing a 40 goal a season striker is near on impossible without spending massively. If Jedimaster is as good as you lot make out someone will be in for him (as I'm sure they will for Bridcutt). You may well keep your back line, Spironi has shown in the past he's no ambition to play at a higher level and the rest aren't world beaters just solid second division players. You'll go back to being mid to lower half of the table side IMO.

Secondly Holloway is a dick! Before he went up with Blackpool I thought he was a berk who just came out with daft comments now and again. He didn't get the air time to affect my life in any significant way. Then SSN were going to him to ask him about anything and everything from the fiscal state of Greece to what his nan had for dinner last week. It got boring after the first week. By the third week I wanted to launch my coffee table through my telly every time his turnip eating face came on it. It's safe to say I don't like the bloke and now he's gone to your horrible lot it's another reason to wish ill on him. If you go up I think I'll cancel my sky sport subscription as I don't think I could take having to replace my TV every other day!

Thirdly I can't stand you lot. Simple as that. Your fans are smug wankers but I'll admit you've got every reason to be smug over us. You've been by far the better side over us for pretty much all of my lifetime on this rock. If you go up you'll probably come straight back down (as would we) but the money that would generate for you would ensure you'll be there or thereabouts for several seasons coming.

I'm not fussed about us going up, of course I'd like us to but it wouldn't be the end of the world if we didn't. It would be a ****ing nightmare if you lot go up though! If you were to offer me neither of us going up now I'd happily take that and look forward to another season of fun and games next year.

I would say enjoy the game next week but I wouldn't mean it. I hope it's a totally miserable experience for you and the rest of the red and blue mcockney wannabees who are going to infest our town next week.

UTAFOP

Marvellous rant. And quite right too

 

[TrevorDove]

Yawn

Brilliant - when ever I see one that bore's posts, I'll read it in a mono tone voice before losing interest - he such as deluded little Nigel - he must be cracking company, ha ha.

For the record, I reckon we will bottle it again - the tide will turn in our favour over the coming years, so my recommendation to the specials up the road is to enjoy it while you can - what goes around, comes around.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Reading back it sounds rather greedy that I'm complaining about poor finishing when we've got a 30 goal striker in Glenn Murray and there are still 9 games left of the season!

Good god you must be the life and soul of every party you tedious little prick.

Personally I think we'll lose but the doesn't stop you being the speckiest stripey Nigel we could wish to have on this board.