The British & Irish Football Thread

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

Very good result tonight for your team Tob. Not long seen the result on Sports Today.

Great match. Good start to the season Ocean.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

No MOTD for my lot. Just Channel 5! Excuse me while I cry!

Originally Posted by Martoto

Ch5 isn't too bad. There's more football. Less hot air.

And no Shearer analysis amounting to "x team needs to head and kick the ball more if they expect to win."

Have checked and the Championship highlights programme is on at 9 pm tomorrow night. The presenter I think used to present Match of the Day 2. And with Lineker and Shearer not being on the Channel 5 show, I'll check it out. One of Shearer's favourite words when he expresses his disapproval of a team is 'pathetic'.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

Have checked and the Championship highlights programme is on at 9 pm tomorrow night. The presenter I think used to present Match of the Day 2. And with Lineker and Shearer not being on the Channel 5 show, I'll check it out. One of Shearer's favourite words when he expresses his disapproval of a team is 'pathetic'.

We are playing on Sunday but I will still watch it Ocean.

[tob]

What a game but that open mentally we have will never go away under Wenger you can't allow players to not hold their position and have no discipline in the team and expect to get away with results like this if we were playing a Man.United or Chelsea tonight it be a different story.
Happy with a opening win and our attacking players were on great form but the defence was poor tonight with no protection from midfield.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Best of luck tonight tob.

Thanks Geoff , Steedeel and OceanBlue.

[tob]

Best of luck tomorrow Geoff and OceanBlue and on Sunday Steedeel.

[Geoff D]

Hahahahaaaaaa, Palace get smashed at home by 'uddersfield. I was gonna post my usual pessimistic prediction ("I've got a bad feeling about this..." etc etc) but I thought I'd give it a rest for at least one game, that turned out well didn't it?

One lifelong ticket to the Palace rollercoaster please!

[Geoff D]

And the worst thing is it's not like Palace were caught cold by a few sucker punches, as by all accounts they were just awful and simply didn't have a clue under the 3-4-3 system. People said to keep faith in Fat Sam and they were right, but this looks like it's not going to end well for de Boer and Palace. Putting round pegs in round holes and getting there in the end is one thing, but instigating a brand new system which this squad is simply not good enough to implement is quite another.

If he's still in a job by Christmas I'll be very, very surprised.

Good win for Ocean's eleven today though.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

And the worst thing is it's not like Palace were caught cold by a few sucker punches, as by all accounts they were just awful and simply didn't have a clue under the 3-4-3 system. People said to keep faith in Fat Sam and they were right, but this looks like it's not going to end well for de Boer and Palace. Putting round pegs in round holes and getting there in the end is one thing, but instigating a brand new system which this squad is simply not good enough to implement is quite another.

If he's still in a job by Christmas I'll be very, very surprised.

Good win for Ocean's eleven today though.

It's very hard post big Sam. He has teams so well organised and motivated that when someone wants to mix it up, it's always going to be a slog at first. I didn't see too much positive yesterday Geoff. Like you say, the players didn't seem to know what they were doing. I fear for Palace unless they can get settled into the managers system quick. On the upside, they have players who can get them up the table should someone else come in.

[Geoff D]

The irony is that it's already been proven by Pardew's tenure that this passing game just doesn't work, the players simply aren't quick enough of mind and skilled enough of technique to be able to move the ball around at pace. It took Fat Sam months to drill it out of them but now de Boer has reversed all that and we're back to square pegs in round holes and generally looking completely clueless.

They didn't even look that bad in that Asian cup thingy against Liverpool but in a properly competitive environment they were out-hustled, out-muscled and out-worked by the hungry Terriers who've no doubt studied how to beat Palace: give them the ball (57% possession). Then press them, harangue them, niggle them, don't give them any time and keep kicking the shit out of the wingers to stifle the attacking outlet. So simple, but so effective.

It's gonna be another soul-sucking season of drudgery for Palace but hey, this is our lot in life. At least Brighton got beat though.

[Steedeel]

Get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

[Geoff D]

Good win that Steedy and I'm glad Grabban's getting in the goals, he's a former Palace lad so best of luck to him.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Good win that Steedy and I'm glad Grabban's getting in the goals, he's a former Palace lad so best of luck to him.

Two great goals today, MCgeady ripped them apart. What a master stroke to get him in. If Grabban can keep getting on the end of those crosses, it could be a very good season. Cattermole and Ndong look good and finally, we look like a good counter attacking team.

[Steedeel]

Well done GVortex. I see Pickford made an outstanding save towards the end. Expect loads more of them.

Ocean, what did you think about your boys?

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Well done GVortex. I see Pickford made an outstanding save towards the end. Expect loads more of them.

Ocean, what did you think about your boys?

Thanks bud. I'm happy about the winning start to our campaign, but we definitely need to improve offensively. Koeman will have to tinker a lot with out lineup to get the right results, and we definitely develop our young players. I'm glad Rooney got off to a positive start for the club. He'll need to do that all year long, especially in the absence of Lukaku.

On another note, welcome to the fold Sigursson. We finally got the deal done. I guess this will mean Barkley is expendable at some point once he heals from current injury.

[Geoff D]

Just a point tonight Steedy but at least you're still unbeaten. In Palace news, Zaha will be out for a least a month after he got kicked around on Saturday. Thanks again, Huddersfield!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Just a point tonight Steedy but at least you're still unbeaten. In Palace news, Zaha will be out for a least a month after he got kicked around on Saturday. Thanks again, Huddersfield!

I will take that Geoff. 3 games in six days. We were hanging on but like you say, unbeaten. 3 points against Leeds on Saturday will be ideal now.

Saw the Zaha news Geoff. A blow!

[Martoto]

I have a good feeling for Celtic taking a 5-0 lead into the second leg of the CL play off.

It could just happen.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Well done GVortex. I see Pickford made an outstanding save towards the end. Expect loads more of them.

Ocean, what did you think about your boys?

Sorry I haven't been on here since last Friday night. Had things on my mind. A surprise win for us against Bournemouth last Saturday afternoon (that's me thinking pessimistic again). I think Bournemouth have spent more money than us so far during the current transfer window. Did see Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2 last weekend (why did Shearer have to be one of the pundits on both shows? Does he have it in his contract to be on the first and last Match of the Days of the season?). Like our new signing Hegazi. Yes, most of our goals are created by set-pieces, but as long as we get a steady flow of goals, that's what matters.

We signed a fourth player a few days ago, Gareth Barry on a (I think) one year deal, with an option for a second year.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Thanks bud. I'm happy about the winning start to our campaign, but we definitely need to improve offensively. Koeman will have to tinker a lot with out lineup to get the right results, and we definitely develop our young players. I'm glad Rooney got off to a positive start for the club. He'll need to do that all year long, especially in the absence of Lukaku.

On another note, welcome to the fold Sigursson. We finally got the deal done. I guess this will mean Barkley is expendable at some point once he heals from current injury.

Good engine room style player him. Everton are putting together a nice top six side I think.