Crystal Palace (H) - Sun 14th Apr 2024 (2:00pm)

[Trumo]

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous.

 

I don't ask for much.

 

This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up.

 

It's pretty hard to motivate myself to start a match thread after such a chastening evening for the team the night before. Can sort of imagine how Dave must feel when he has to write match reports and other content when you feel so dispirited. They do say though that the best way to get over a setback is to clear your head and get back on the bike. This game, like nearly all of our remaining league fixtures for however long we last in the Europa League, takes place on a Sunday. And boy oh boy do we need to get back on the bike.

 

That said, last year's corresponding fixture saw us in similar form to this past week. It was also a microcosm of our malaise until the last couple of months of the season, as we were too easy to open up at the back. while lacking precision and ruthless efficiency up front. For all our possession football, we struggled to create real chances. Mo fired wide from inside the box, and Darwin was played in only to mishit his effort which bounced off the far post and stayed out. Then we got sucker-punched when Eze got between 2 of our players too easily on halfway and played a ball into Zaha's run. The Ivorian had stayed onside and had space and time to pick his spot, firing his effort into the far corner. The game's biggest talking point came in the second half when Darwin was goaded into retaliating by Palace defender Andersen, who duly hit the deck after being shot. Officials are like WWE refs in these situations, only looking at the retaliatory act rather than the cause. Actually, that's not quite an accurate comparison, and besides, I used to love Eddie Guerrero's shenanigans when the ref's back was turned or if he just so happened to have been 'accidentally' floored. Tierney was the ref, and Darwin was made to walk. His home debut was a dud and it's fair to say he's never really taken off after that. We did eventually get an equaliser, and what a goal it was too. Lucho picked up the ball in his customary left wing spot and dribbles his way through and around 3 or 4 weary Palace legs before hitting a rocket past the Palace keeper. We have seen similar goals from the likes of Sadio and Phil. Anyway, a point only as we continued our winless start to the season.

 

Palace replaced Hodgson with Oliver Glasner a couple of months ago. I don't really know how he's got on as from what I can tell, Palace's general results have followed a familiar trajectory. I know Eze has been in and out with injury issues, and I think Olise is out long term.

 

Whatever they've got, we can't allow them to show it. The crowd may get nervous and edgy if we don't start sharply, but my hope is that the players are so angered by what happened against the Mancs and Atalanta that they want to make every opponent pay for it. Starting with Palace. We've been getting players back from injury, but one or two that have played a lot recently are showing signs of mental fatigue. Those guys need a rest so the ones coming in are hopefully ready. Whoever is selected to start and be on the bench needs to be right up for the fight. I want ruthless efficiency and precision in attack, I want the midfield to dominate and I want the defence to be controlled and impenetrable. That requires maximum motivation, concentration, attitude and application from first minute to last. 3 points please. Get it done!

[Pete]

Win. That’s all. Just win. 

[Scott_M]

We need to get back to winning ways otherwise Klopp’s reign is going to end as a damp squid.

 

If I was VVD, I’d be getting everybody together earlier today or tomorrow and banging the drum. We’ve over come virtually every obstacle thrown at us this season (injuries, 10 men, rebuild of midfield etc), we shouldn’t be downhearted, we’re only 2nd on goal difference & above City, a final push and go for it.

 

I’d have Jota starting this and the other 10 should be our best side.

 

Just fucking win.

[Welsh]

None of this rotation bollocks. What's the point saving players fitness is there's nothing left to play for!

[Bobby Hundreds]

2 minutes ago, Welsh said:

None of this rotation bollocks. What's the point saving players fitness is there's nothing left to play for!

Yup the 3 points on the day are the only thing that matters.

[aws]

Best side we can field to try and win this.  A mix of youngsters, bench players  and injury returnees at Atlanta and then the best side we can field for the remainder of the league games.  

[Aventus]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

Win. That’s all. Just win. 

Win would be great, but I'd really want to see us make a bit of a statement here, we've been shit for ages and managed to grind results out, I think we need something to turn us into believers again, get the fans bouncing and start putting the shits up all our future opponents, because right now every team we play has the belief they can take something off us. 

 

Really going be hard to get massively excited about our trophy prospects if we go behind and then win 2-1 yet again, even if it is the 3 points. 

 

Big win, take that momentum into the Atalanta game, smash them, then we get all misty eyed and giddy about how Liverpool gives us these big emotional moments, and then we transcend into a higher level as we cruise our way past every team til the end of the season. 

[Pete]

1 minute ago, Aventus said:

Win would be great, but I'd really want to see us make a bit if a statement here, we've been shit for ages and managed to grind results out, I think we need something to turn us into believers again, get the fans bouncing and start putting the shits up all our future opponents, because right now every team we play has the belief they can take something off us. 

 

Really going be hard to get massively excited about our trophy prospects if we go behind and then win 2-1 yet again, even if it is the 3 points. 

 

Big win, take that momentum into the Atalanta game, smash them, then we get all misty eyed and giddy about how Liverpool gives us these big emotional moments, and then we transcend into a higher level as we cruise our way past every team til the end of the season. 

Or this. 

[El Rojo]

If the players can’t spur themselves into an angry response on Sunday, they never will.

 

No time for self-pity after last night  - we’re in a title race with a handful of games to go. Man up and win with the better players that we have.

[whtwht]

Put Danns on the bench. He should've got minutes against the Mancs.

[Dapower]

No rotation best team and give the lads a fucking speech before going out instead of just saying the same old shite and grinning fucking faces it’s the business end for fuck sake not all of us are millionaires that are going to sail into the fucking sunset 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Firstly, thanks to @Trumo for a much-needed shift of focus away from last night.

 

We need points and we could really do with the kind of performance to get people believing again.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[diamondjoe]

Is there anything to be said for a clean sheet?

[an tha]

Taking my lad this....he has never seen us lose....

[Elite]

A good win could shift our current downward trajectory. I want to see some fight from us from the off. Otherwise they can all get fucked.

[andyj]

I'm not fussed if we win 1-0 Arsenal will slip up at some point 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Wake me up in May.

[Bobby Hundreds]

You reckon Bajcetic could cover for Endo for a half who is playing like the batteries are dead. 

[VladimirIlyich]

11 hours ago, diamondjoe said:

Is there anything to be said for a clean sheet?

It usually means an ugly partner.

[BeefStroganoff]

Lock up the medical team and pick the best 11 to win the game.

 

And then do it again for 7-8 times. Like the old days Jurgen.

[VladimirIlyich]

The only cure for the current malaise is a three day bender where if you don't get drunk you stripped and chained to the busiest roundabout in the area. Anybody who doesn't fail a breath test is the victim of a dodgeball type punishment in training.

[manwiththestick]

Mad plan this but how about we score the first goal dead early and then continue to score a few more during the game whilst also not conceding any.

 

It just might work.

[BeefStroganoff]

1 minute ago, manwiththestick said:

Mad plan this but how about we score the first goal dead early and then continue to score a few more during the game whilst also not conceding any.

 

It just might work.

That’s outrageous!!! Get a grip of yourself man!!!

[George Costanza]

Going to be a tough, nervy game given how shit we've been at both ends of the pitch recently.  Would be nice to keep an clean sheet and out forwards being able to hit a barn door but i'm not holding my breath

[El Rojo]

To be honest, I’m not settling for the usual nervous afternoon crap.  I think the players owe us a proper performance after the last two shitshows. 
 

We’ve better players than Palace and some who’ve had a week’s rest or who only featured for a while on Thursday.

 

Do they want to win a title or not? Dictate the terms from the start tomorrow.

 

Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Nunez, Elliott 

 

Endo needs a rest and Salah’s clearly injured and shouldn’t be playing. Jones is worth playing into form. Jota and Trent on at 60 mins hopefully.