Title: Spyin Kop - Liverpool v Crystal Palace Saturday 05th October
Post by: thew on October 2, 2013, 07:37:43 pm
  Liverpool v Crystal Palace Saturday 05th October Anfield Kick Off: 3pm This Saturday sees Liverpool play host to Crystal Palace at Anfield. Liverpool will be desperate to keep to winning ways – coming into the game on the back of a good away win at Sunderland, sitting a credible 2nd in the table, with 13 points from 6 games so far this season. Last out Palace lost away to Southampton (the less said about Southampton the better) and sit 2nd from bottom with a solitary win – although unquestionably robbed of other results, not least by a diving Ashley Young. November 2004, the last time this league fixture was played at Anfield. Won 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick from… … … Milan Baros! Baros bagged a 90th minute penalty-spot winner to avoid a Joonas Kolkka inspired bananaskin. Of all the players at Anfield that day, only Speroni remains at his club. Speroni was yet to break into the Palace first team, having joined the club that season. Fast forward to 2013 and he is most experienced player in the team with nearly 300 first team appearances for the Eagles to his name; a stark reminder of just how long they have been out of the top flight. To get the view of some Palace fans before the game, I roped in some of the Selhurst faithful to share their thoughts - enjoy  1. Following on from an incredible season last season that culminated in the defeat of rivals Brighton in the play-off semi-final, and a last gasp winner from Phillips in the play-off final - Crystal Palace have had a tough start to life in the Premiership – what are your thoughts on the season so far? Putneyeagle1: It has been nothing other than expected – it was always going to be a tough ask, and as Olly has said the premiership has improved significantly since he was last there with Blackpool manager. We need to hang in there – to coin D-Ream things can only get better! AM: It’s not been a great start in terms of points on the board, but we’ve competed against most sides and not been hammered yet….Win, lose or draw this season, Palace fans just need to enjoy being in the Premiership and get on with it, I’m still pinching myself. Lombardo: The start hasn’t been great but we have to realise the class we are playing against now, it will be very hard to take points off teams. In our opening games we have played the likes of Spurs, Man U, Swansea and Southampton to name a few, so I would have expected us to be bottom 3 at this stage. 2. Given that points have been hard to come by so far, there have been inevitable calls for a change in manager – what are your thoughts on Holloway, and the job he has done since taking over from Dougie Freedman a year ago? Putneyeagle1: Freedom would have never have made the offensive subs that Olly made in the second leg at the withdean with the game and tie scoreless, and for this reason I would stick with him regardless of what happens this season – I am pretty sure that this will not happen, but we have a massive plus in having good owners AM: To be calling for Holloway to get the sack is ridiculous, take Wilfried Zaha out the equation and he got a very ordinary side up and out of the Championship. Signing 16 players in the summer needs time to gel and chopping the manager who brought them in after 6 games would quite frankly be ludicrous. Give him some time and drop the expectations. Lombardo: Holloway deserves a lot of credit for steadying the ship after Freedman left Palace sitting top of the league. Holloway joined with increasing expectations, he has proved his worth by getting Palace promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 10 years. He deserves time to get his new squad to gel, with so many players brought in over the summer it was inevitable the season would start slowly. 3. June 2010 saw Palace saved from administration – how have the new owners acquitted themselves since, and what are the clubs ambitions for the future? Putneyeagle1: Way ahead of schedule – a year ago I thought that fast forward a year, we could be in league 1, so to be in the promised land is to beyond my wildest dreams – some fans need to remember that AM: They have been brilliant. They were honest when they took over and said they wouldn’t be bank rolling the club and chucking millions at it, they have done it efficiently and without much fuss. Huge change to the days of Goldberg and Simon Jordan, although someone needs to have a word with Parrish about his bonce. Shocking. Lombardo: The board done a great job appointing Holloway in the first place and it shows how stable they have made the club. Before the new owners arrived we wouldn’t have been able to appoint someone high profile like Holloway. The owners have developed the training ground and have plans to develop the stadium which can only help improve us and attract better players. 4. It’s been a while since the two clubs met, what are your best and worst memories from this fixture? Putneyeagle1: Worst has to be listening on the radio as the goals rattled in Sept 89 – Best, fast forward 7 months, 4-3 at Villa Park and redemption – I can still remember as a 16 year old going past the Old Wembley on the football special, and disbelief that we would be there under a month later! AM: Due to my age I don’t remember the 89/90s classics…most memorable for me would be Marco Reich’s finish when we beat the reigning European Champions in the League Cup at Selhurst Park in the mid 00’s. Worst memory – losing 6-1 at home to them on the first day of the season. Lombardo: Best and worst memories both come from the 89 -90 season. Worst losing 9-0 at Anfield in John Aldridge’s last game for Liverpool. Aldridge come on just to take a penalty, which took the biscuit. Best memory was beating Liverpool 4-3 the same season to reach our first FA Cup Final, no one gave us a chance given the result at Anfield earlier in the season. 5. Which of your players have impressed you this season? Anyone not performed as well as expected? Putneyeagle1: Some of our so called championship players have stepped up – Joel Ward and Dean Moxey in particular are playing several levels above their station – Disappointments? I don’t want to go down that road yet, but goals would be nice, and we need a man to hit the back of the net regularly AM: Moxey and Ward have been solid, as has Jedinak in the middle of midfield. Pleased with the signing of Puncheon, it’s a shame he isn’t on a permanent deal but he looks like he could open up a defence. Main issue are the strikers, Chamakh, Jerome, Gayle, let’s be fair it’s not Premiership, but it’s the stongest we’ve had in years. Lombardo: Dean Moxley has had a couple of standout performances at the back for Palace and Mile Jedinak has been brilliant in midfield. We haven’t been attacking enough, so it is hard to see what the new strikers look like. Cameron Jerome and Jason Puncheon look like they have Premiership class and they could be so important for us. 6. On to the game now, who are the form players and danger men in your team – who has the potential to cause us problems on Saturday? Putneyeagle1: We are probably going to try and bore you to death and go for 0-0! – I would say Dwight Gayle – He came within inches of us taking the Lead at The Theatre of Has Beens AM: Tough question….Puncheon needs to have a good game and I would put him as our most dangerous. We either go for it, push on and make Liverpool’s wide men defend, or we camp outside our box and try and hit them on the break. I think it’ll be the latter. Lombardo: Barry Bannon has only had a couple of games for us but he looks very comfortable on the ball and could make things happen. Cameron Jerome’s power and pace could cause some problems, he has been sub in his opening games and I’d like to see him start against Liverpool. 7. Which of our players (if any) has impressed so far this season, and who has the potential to cause you problems? Putneyeagle1: How long have I got here?? All of them! In particular Sturridge and now Suarez has taken you to another level – it could be a long afternoon AM: Coutinho. What a great buy and I’m glad he isn’t playing this Saturday. However, Sturridge has obviously had a great start to the campaign, add Suarez into the occasion and could be a long afternoon. Lombardo: Sturridge and Suarez against Sunderland looked very impressive, their link up play is brilliant. They will get goals and scare most defences in the premiership. I think Brendan Rodgers deserves credit for changing the goal keeper, Mignolet has good presence and looks like he could hold the number spot for many years. 8. Who do you think will win the title this season, where do you think both Palace and Liverpool will finish? Putneyeagle1: Am going to stick my neck out..Arsenal – Liverpool 5th, Palace 4th from bottom with a miraculous last day escape at The Cottage (we can but dream) AM: Manchester City. Ridiculous squad. Liverpool – 6th. I think Spurs will pip them to 5th but who wants Europa League football? As for Palace we’ll keep fighting away at the bottom of the table, if we can beat the bottom 10 teams at home and pick up the odd win away 17th may well be possible. Lombardo: I am going for Manchester City to win the Premiership closely followed by Chelsea. I think Liverpool will finish 6th. As for Palace, bottom 3 realistically but maybe if the new signings gel 4th bottom..which would be brilliant. 9. It looks likely that we’ll continue with our 3-5-2 formation – how do you expect Holloway to line up the team, and who will be in the first 11? Putneyeagle1: Probably the same as Saturday, with one upfront – we look a bit toothless at the moment, so we will pack the midfield – I cannot see where the goals are coming from! Lombardo: He will line up in a way to try and stop Liverpool having too much possession in our own half. So a strong back 4 with Jedinak and Dikgacoi as the muscle in midfield. We will no doubt go for one up top probably Chamakh but I hope Cameron Jerome starts instead. 10. And finally, score predictions please. Putneyeagle1:4-0 Liverpool – this result will not relegate us – Fulham at home next is massive! AM: 3-0 Liverpool Lombardo: My heart says 1-1 and my head says 2-0 to Liverpool. Either way a great away day at Anfield whatever the score! |
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