Inquisitive Aquila
Member
They say 'Context is key' but that seems to be submerged by vitriol and an almost desperate need to be proved right, in many discussions for example when England are losing. Claims that the manager/coach has lost the dressing room, the players are not trying are easy to make when it suits a narrative.
This season we started so well a confident team playing almost instinctively but then ran into multiple injuries which caused significant disruption, results deteriorated as did confidence. A small squad is one thing when there are players of quality to come in, it is another when beyond the first team the quality drops off. A lack of confidence causes teams to be safety first passing the ball sideways afraid of making mistakes. The return from injury does not immediately lift the confidence and results as those returning need matches to get back into the swing of things. It is no surprise that Sarr has had the biggest impact as at least at AFCON he had some match time. If we had defended properly against Burnley we would have had three league wins in a row and be sitting 9th not that bad.
I always thought Steve Coppell was our best manager but I do believe Oliver Glasner surpassed him last year. There have been some comments that Coppell was way better, however history suggests things are not that different.
In 90-91 we finished third at a time when football was a lot more even. Oxford; Luton; Wolves and Nottingham Forest won the league cup in the ten years preceeding our first FA cup final. West Ham; Coventry and Wimbledon won the FA Cup during this time. Aston Villa and Ipswich won European trophies. In 91-92 Leeds won the last First division before the Premier league in their second season since promotion. Our 90-91 season saw eight players start more than 90% of the games, Mark Bright missed the first six games and then started 90% of the rest. When you have the same players playing week in and week out, just as during our long unbeaten run.
Just as now there was upset in 91-92, the storm clouds were building a Channel 4 documentary was about to be aired accusing Ron Noades of racism. The following Saturday at home to the champions Arsenal the atmosphere was weird, Palace did not turn up and Arsenal did not need to get out of first gear to win 4-1. The following Saturday we won 3-2 at Oldham to go fifth, Pat Murphy I remember praising Wright, Bright and Salako saying they would insure another good season for Palace. Within 48 hours Wright was an Arsenal player, the following week Salako had a serious injury and was out for the season. Mark Bright kept scoring but when the goals dried up Palace won just two out of 17 league games. Both wins 1-0 one at home to a team destined for relegation and the other against a team that finished in the bottom third, sound familiar?
However, there is one game that really stands out on the 1st February 1992 against Coventry. Andy Gray who had been transfer listed missed a penalty and had a shocker, he was booed constantly after the miss and was substituted never to play for Palace again.
A couple of quotes from newspapers about that game:
"Sure, Palace have their problems with Andy Gray transfer listed, Marco Gabbiandini jettisoned and Steve Coppell in trouble with the FA".
"Noades and manager Steve Coppell are to meet fed up fans at a meeting on 20 February. Noades argued "All I know is there was an immediate improvement in the players` attitude when Andy was put up for sale and Marco went to Derby".
Does any of this sound familiar?
In the 1992 year book there is an article entitled Injuries hit Palace for six.
Not just Salako but Shaw missed most of the season. Thomas missed over a quarter of the season, with Young and Mcgoldrick missing chunks of the season.
Just imagine what the reaction to these events would have been if there had been online forums then!
This season we started so well a confident team playing almost instinctively but then ran into multiple injuries which caused significant disruption, results deteriorated as did confidence. A small squad is one thing when there are players of quality to come in, it is another when beyond the first team the quality drops off. A lack of confidence causes teams to be safety first passing the ball sideways afraid of making mistakes. The return from injury does not immediately lift the confidence and results as those returning need matches to get back into the swing of things. It is no surprise that Sarr has had the biggest impact as at least at AFCON he had some match time. If we had defended properly against Burnley we would have had three league wins in a row and be sitting 9th not that bad.
I always thought Steve Coppell was our best manager but I do believe Oliver Glasner surpassed him last year. There have been some comments that Coppell was way better, however history suggests things are not that different.
In 90-91 we finished third at a time when football was a lot more even. Oxford; Luton; Wolves and Nottingham Forest won the league cup in the ten years preceeding our first FA cup final. West Ham; Coventry and Wimbledon won the FA Cup during this time. Aston Villa and Ipswich won European trophies. In 91-92 Leeds won the last First division before the Premier league in their second season since promotion. Our 90-91 season saw eight players start more than 90% of the games, Mark Bright missed the first six games and then started 90% of the rest. When you have the same players playing week in and week out, just as during our long unbeaten run.
Just as now there was upset in 91-92, the storm clouds were building a Channel 4 documentary was about to be aired accusing Ron Noades of racism. The following Saturday at home to the champions Arsenal the atmosphere was weird, Palace did not turn up and Arsenal did not need to get out of first gear to win 4-1. The following Saturday we won 3-2 at Oldham to go fifth, Pat Murphy I remember praising Wright, Bright and Salako saying they would insure another good season for Palace. Within 48 hours Wright was an Arsenal player, the following week Salako had a serious injury and was out for the season. Mark Bright kept scoring but when the goals dried up Palace won just two out of 17 league games. Both wins 1-0 one at home to a team destined for relegation and the other against a team that finished in the bottom third, sound familiar?
However, there is one game that really stands out on the 1st February 1992 against Coventry. Andy Gray who had been transfer listed missed a penalty and had a shocker, he was booed constantly after the miss and was substituted never to play for Palace again.
A couple of quotes from newspapers about that game:
"Sure, Palace have their problems with Andy Gray transfer listed, Marco Gabbiandini jettisoned and Steve Coppell in trouble with the FA".
"Noades and manager Steve Coppell are to meet fed up fans at a meeting on 20 February. Noades argued "All I know is there was an immediate improvement in the players` attitude when Andy was put up for sale and Marco went to Derby".
Does any of this sound familiar?
In the 1992 year book there is an article entitled Injuries hit Palace for six.
Not just Salako but Shaw missed most of the season. Thomas missed over a quarter of the season, with Young and Mcgoldrick missing chunks of the season.
Just imagine what the reaction to these events would have been if there had been online forums then!