Palace Launchpad

[Uphill]

Interesting article in today's Sunday Times by Martin Samuel encouraged by our Europa League qualification:

Palace’s elite launchpad​

Having won the Conference League, the wisdom is that Crystal Palace were better off outside the Europa League after all last season. The Conference League is a more manageable competition and Palace were well matched against all opponents. Yet the winners of the Europa League were Aston Villa. And while they were 20 points and 11 places ahead of Palace this season, when the teams met it produced a 3-0 aggregate Palace win — the scoreline when they played at Villa Park in August, followed by a goalless draw at Selhurst Park in January. So who knows what might have been? It does suggest, however, that Palace have no reason at all to be intimidated by the Europa League next season and should enter with the firm intention of using it as a springboard to the biggest club competition of all.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

You can’t read anything into our performances against Villa, they had a poor start when we beat them at Villa park, it’s how you perform over 38 games, the league table doesn’t lie. It definitely did us a favour dropping down to the conference, we wouldn’t even have got out of the group if we’d been in the Europa league imo
I know Forest got to the semi’s despite being near the foot of the table, I just couldn’t have seen us performing like they did in that tournament with our small squad
But next seasons a different matter, I can’t see us winning the Europa, but we’ve gained massive European experience this season and hopefully we’ll be better equipped next season for a good go at it

 

[beak]

Launchpad after Jeff Bezos 's effort launchpad can bite you in the gluteus maximus i am to put it mildly very wary of the forthcoming season and think the manager whoever they are could make us or break us.

 

[Part Time James]

Interesting article in today's Sunday Times by Martin Samuel encouraged by our Europa League qualification:

Palace’s elite launchpad​

Having won the Conference League, the wisdom is that Crystal Palace were better off outside the Europa League after all last season. The Conference League is a more manageable competition and Palace were well matched against all opponents. Yet the winners of the Europa League were Aston Villa. And while they were 20 points and 11 places ahead of Palace this season, when the teams met it produced a 3-0 aggregate Palace win — the scoreline when they played at Villa Park in August, followed by a goalless draw at Selhurst Park in January. So who knows what might have been? It does suggest, however, that Palace have no reason at all to be intimidated by the Europa League next season and should enter with the firm intention of using it as a springboard to the biggest club competition of all.

This could be another sliding doors moment. If we recruit a decent manager, keep most of our key players and bulk out the squad then I really don't see why we can't elevate our status further via the Europa League. If we do the opposite then it could be 1992 all over again. Now I know that sounds like a big "if" but our last manager recruitment turned out ok. There aren't many players we need to convince to stay, and some luck with some cheaper signings (remember that Eze, Olise and Wharton weren't expensive) is totally plausible.