Season Expectations

Like many, my expectations have been revised in recent weeks!

I’d snatch your arms off for another 12 points and a run to the latter stages of the conference.
I think we are as capable of winning it as anyone else, but I don’t subscribe to the notion that because we’re a EPL team we SHOULD win it. Even the so called “lesser teams” can prove very tricky opponents as we have found out ourselves against Larnaca.

We will have to find our form and can only get to the final if we are at our best - that seems a tad unrealistic at the moment given our current plight…….but we all live in hope! (except grumpymort and doombear) 😄

After an unexpectedly tumultuous season and failing to grasp the opportunity to kick on as a club - it now boils down to preserving our status in the Premier League and starting a rebuild under a new manager. Sad really. 🙁
 
Not currently looking further than the next couple of games.

Brighton, would be great to grab a draw. Then we have 3 biggies:

Burnley, Zrinjski and Wolves.

3 wins there and we can start looking forward.
 
MrRobbo said:
Not currently looking further than the next couple of games.

Brighton, would be great to grab a draw. Then we have 3 biggies:

Burnley, Zrinjski and Wolves.

3 wins there and we can start looking forward.
Click to expand...
If we cant win them 3 with the squad we have now, it points firmly to one man.
 
MrRobbo said:
Not currently looking further than the next couple of games.

Brighton, would be great to grab a draw. Then we have 3 biggies:

Burnley, Zrinjski and Wolves.

3 wins there and we can start looking forward.
Click to expand...
We haven't won in 2 months or 12 games, the odds on us winning 3 out of the next 4 are about 500/1.

We will end up about 14th in the Premier and leave the Conference at QF stage..
 
If we do not 6 points out of Burnley and Wolves we will be completely immersed in the battle for the 3rd relegation spot.
We are in it now of course but it will be complete without those 6 points.
 
Last season was that perfect combination. We had a squad of talented young players who were well suited to a style of football where you have less possession but hit teams on the break with pace. Glasner’s 3 at the back gave us a solid defence while the energy of Munoz going forward and the more defensive capabilities of Mitchell created opportunities to score. Added to that we had Wharton’s ability to find a pass in midfield, Hughes tenacity, and Kamada’s positional awareness plus Mateta hitting a purple patch. In that team we could afford to have the luxury of Eze knowing he was capable of moments of brilliance and goals from midfield and set pieces. In Glasner we had a coach who knew how to get the best out of the system with the best press in the league. He was also a manager who wins cups. It made for the best year in our clubs history and we should be grateful to everyone at the club for the joy that brought.
Our current predicament is down to a combination of factors. Losing Eze’s goals from midfield at the same time as Mateta hitting the worst form of his career has been a major factor. Lack of squad rotation at a busy time of the season, whether due to a lack of summer signings by Parish or a lack of ability to prioritise competitions, use the squad, or change the system on Glasner’s part, has been disastrous. AFCON and injuries have hit us at the worst possible time. Teams have learned how we will play and how to counter our threat while our coach’s intransigence has meant we’ve failed to adapt. All this leaves us where we currently sit just above the relegation spots.
From here to the end of the season we have a more reasonable schedule, our missing players are coming back, and we have added to the squad. I don’t believe Glasner has become a bad manager overnight or that he isn’t motivated to succeed. His talk of a reset suggests he will get down to business and we will rediscover our form. If Riad can stay fit we can get back to being defensively sound. Munoz will get back to fitness and Mitchell will continue being Mitchell. Our midfield is now much as it was before. Up front we have a new centre forward, Sarr back, and Guessand and Johnson to add depth.
All in all I’m optimistic that things will improve and we will finish in or around our usual position in the league. I’m not sure Glasner can do his cup thing and win us the Conference League but you never know. This is Palace after all.
 
Today is such a big day for us. Beyond the rivalry, if we win we're up to 13th, 9 points clear of West Ham, above Brighton and Spurs and just 5 points behind Everton in 8th.

Also, with games against Burnley and Wolves next, we'd have a genuine chance of 7/9 points from 3 games which would put us safe and right back into the mix for a top half finish.

Lose, and the pressure on those games becomes massive and they could put us in serious peril.

With the squad now looking the healthiest it's been for ages, if we can get a couple of wins we could still finish top 10 and win the Conference League. So, let's hope we bloody win.
 
Whilst walking the dog just now I was thinking about our plight and OG's comment that we are still playing the 3rd best season out of the last 10, in terms of points after 26 matches. True, but, the thought of that dreaded relegation. Just the word alone sends shivers down my spine. In the past, and with that i mean the four decades (jeeez 4 decades!!!) covering the 70's, 80's 90's & 00's relegation was an occupation hazard of supporting the Palace. Rather like prison was for Fletch in the series Porridge for those old enough to remember. I just used to get on with it, the proverbial yoyo team. Now, however, I'm not made of such stern stuff and so i return to my shivers in the spine. Agh.
 
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