{"id":7606,"date":"2023-03-18T17:35:23","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T17:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=7606"},"modified":"2023-03-20T09:40:40","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T09:40:40","slug":"shatter-crystal-palace-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=7606","title":{"rendered":"Shatter Crystal Palace, Please"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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And so, in what has undoubtedly been the most exciting PL title race for at least 19 years, we are down to the last 11 games. I was sorely tempted to make this preview a 2-word Just Win<\/strong> piece of reductionism, however, on reflection, there were perhaps a few things to say about the week\u2019s events and whether \u2018tis wiser to suffer the slings and arrows etc, etc. Was that the question?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Before That – The Second Lump of PL Sugar<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday\u2019s game against Palace is our last before the interlull and marks the end of a 14-game run in the league since the World Cup. As you will no doubt recall the 14 games prior to the World Cup saw us open-up a 5-point lead at the top of the table, in 1st<\/sup>place, which, just to be clear, is higher than all the other places. How have things gone since? In an eventful post-Qatar couple of months, we have suffered the loss of Jes\u00fas, delighted in the ascension of Eddie & Leo, endured some winter wobbles, and, of late, roared our team to 5 occasionally heart-stopping league wins in a row. At the end of all that we find ourselves still 5 points clear and with an opportunity this Saturday to make it 8 as Man Shitteh are otherwise engaged. So, in answer to my own question \u2013 it has gone pretty damn swimmingly league-wise despite what the increasingly desperate Northern punditry would have you believe. We have not folded at the first setback, we have not panicked, we have not lost confidence and we have re-found Jes\u00fas. We will be top after the interlull, our fate will be in our hands, and there will be nothing our nation state competitors and all their money can do except pray our nerve fails. Well, unless they take a leaf out of Barca\u2019s book and just bribe the referees I suppose, I should add \u2018allegedly\u2019 as of course there are so very, very many possible reasons you would give millions of euros to a senior referee for a non-existent report other than blatant corruption. Anyway, I digress BMBD-ly and to come back to the point \u2013 we are still top and the second lump of sugar has been just as sweet as the first. Now kids, please check with your dentist before you try this at home but I personally am looking forward to that third lump in my great big shiny trophy after the interlull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Opposition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palace were formed in 1905 and have won nothing of any import since. Irritatingly, their only two opportunities in FA Cup finals both ended in defeats to Man Surrey. So, a bust on the previous 118 futile years – what then of this season? Well, three things of note I suppose, firstly they lost 2-0 to The Arsenal in the first game of the season, an important win as it happens. We showed a steely determination to hold our lead and a ruthless streak to finish them off near the end. We welcomed the phenomenon that is SALIBA! and banished any lingering shreds of disappointment from the previous season.  Secondly, they took Sambi on loan, which is obviously helpful. However, I find myself with more ambiguous feelings on the third \u2013 to wit the panicky dismissal of Patrick Vieira this week. In a way it is good for PV4 to shake off the mediocrity that is Palace and to have gotten some PL management experience under his belt, on the other hand, as with Kompany the decision doesn\u2019t sit well with me. Whilst Kompany made some sound points around the expectations Palace should have with their current squad – (i.e. it\u2019s a poor bunch and Patrick has done well to keep them out of the relegation zone), my own annoyance was the \u201cenormous regret\u201d nonsense from Parish. Personally, I think the mendacious hypocrite leaked the upcoming story himself a couple of days before to smooth the way. Anyway, I certainly won\u2019t feel enormous regret if the decision backfires and Palace get relegated, in fact I will laugh happily and raise a glass to PV4.  Let\u2019s set them on their way with a sound thrashing tomorrow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh yes, I almost forgot their team. Usual bunch basically, Zaha, Ayew, Mitchell, Schlupp, Eze maybe. No Sambi obviously. They had not had a shot on target in three games apparently until taking three unproductive ones in their 0-1 defeat to Brighton on Wednesday. Nor have they won in ages so barring a no-manager bounce of extraordinary proportions we should be able to take care of them handily if we play well. A couple of early goals to settle my<\/s> our nerves and shatter theirs would be just the ticket. Of course, if we don\u2019t play well, then we will have to grind it out, but we have shown recently that we are quite capable of grinding like Cliff Thorburn when needs must. For those of you born after 1985, Cliff Thorburn was the brand name of a popular cure for insomnia in the 1980s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Starting XI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be honest I do not know who is fit now and who is not. I am guessing that William will be available and that our other players will have come out of Thursday\u2019s exertions with a clean bill of health. If so, I would expect the team below\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramsdale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin William Gabriel Zin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8de Partey Xhaka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka Leo Gabi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would not be at all surprised if that XI is not correct. One worry would be Ben playing far more than we intended but I see few options at RB with Tomi seemingly crocked again, and the other better \u2018problem\u2019 would be if Jes\u00fas is seen as ready to start. If William isn\u2019t fit, then I expect Rob will start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of who starts, I trust the core of this team is good enough for three points today. A clean sheet and no injuries would be very nice side dishes to go with our 8-point lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After having failed to get a shot on target in three of their last four games and no goals in four games, it seems annoyingly inevitable that Palace will score today so I will go for a 4-1 win at 20-1 for The Arsenal. Hopefully, Jes\u00fas will get himself back on the scoresheet and Rammy will save a penalty (winks). Sporting who?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of you attending the game from near or far I hope your planes, trains and automobiles deliver you safe and sound and for the rest of us may we enjoy the game from a comfy sofa with a beverage of choice near to hand. Thanks to you all who have read this far and COYGs!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And so, in what has undoubtedly been the most exciting PL title race for at least 19 years, we are down to the last 11 games. I was sorely tempted to make this preview a 2-word Just Win piece of reductionism, however, on reflection, there were perhaps a few things to say about the week\u2019s events and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7606"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7606"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7614,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7606\/revisions\/7614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}