Caveats remain: Bratislava and Anderlecht are yet to qualify.
“Faithful” is more inclusive than [Palace] “boys”.
Celta Vigo is the only team that really fits in the opening line of the 2nd verse (at least from those who have currently qualified) and is difficult to rhyme with.
Here’s my (revised) attempt at a Europa League chant:
Is this the way to Bratislava?
Fenerbache, Anderlecht, Braga
Palace faithful on the lager
Europa League awaits for me.
Show me the way to Celta Vigo,
Bologna, Lille and FC Porto,
With Oli Glasner running the show,
Europa League awaits for me.
It was a really special day. Our best atmosphere and performance at Wembley in my lifetime.
I defy anyone to look at this and still say integration isn't working in the UK.
Just watching MOTD and still unsure how Van Hecke wasn't given a straight red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Still think both of Palace's red cards were correct, all four yellows
Best atmosphere I can recall at Selhurst in years (particularly the last 10 minutes).
I don’t know much but I know about football.
Clarkson is right. Brexit has made travelling to the EU with any kind of professional equipment, nightmarish. Carnets for cameras etc is a bureaucratic, expensive waste of time. But it applies to loads of industries, esp musicians/performing artists etc.
www.thetimes.com/article/5356...
Adam Wharton is set to return to full training this week. 💪
Wharton had been doing some individual training on the grass as he works his way back up to full fitness following groin surgery. 🤕
(Dom Smith) #CPFC
Difficult for Guehi to realise in the moment (Mbeumo didn’t know either, because he would have touched the ball first but for Guehi’s intervention). The decision (VAR encroachment) was right in law but a really harsh outcome for us.
The biggest takeaway from the game today? If a penalty taker hits the frame of the goal (without it touching the goalkeeper), let the taker have the rebound (because it results in an indirect free-kick to the defending team).
Looked like a slightly awkward clearance from Lacroix otherwise and made the space for Eze to play the through ball. Sarr’s been impressive and seems to be getting better/growing in confidence.
It’s also why we’re so effective away from home. The foundation is a stable back 3 but we don’t play through the 2 CM’s every time (we do that to slow the game down/control it when we go ahead instead).
One of the best things about OG is he’s not afraid to go direct. Suck them in with neat football -> go long/ball over the top -> win the flick on (optional) -> stretch them with our pace.
The “I hate it when we do that” crowd (boomers) wouldn’t have enjoyed the build up to our 1st goal yesterday but it’s the way we created the gaping hole in the middle of the park (which meant we went from back to front in 3 passes, before JP finished with aplomb).
Imagine discussions are already ongoing/shall begin shortly as there’s no way we’ll be happy going into next season with OG on <= 12 months left. He’s probably our best manager since Coppell (in my lifetime) and it would be inexcusable not to back him.
Sad thing is you used to get the ‘Extended Highlights’ (circa 9-15 minutes) free too.
This is spot on. And it goes to show how important the spine of the team is. Our wing backs didn’t even (have) to contribute yesterday.
Hughes has held that midfield together and has been transformative under OG. Probably our 4th choice central midfielder before Oli’s arrival and it’s difficult to drop him now. Wonderful to see and clearly a personality in the dressing room too.
Shout out to Kamada who’s looked more assured in the last 3 games. Has gone from: looking out of depth centrally -> Eze’s understudy (wide/front 3) -> being impactful playing both. Long may it continue.
An attacking LWB (Diouf) makes us a different proposition altogether. May mean that Munoz can’t bomb on as much but we’ll be less one dimensional.
Give Oli Glasner and Mateta whatever they want by the way. JP is the most important player in our squad right now and OG has performed miracles given rotation in CM and shuffling around of the back 3/4.
Sarr is absolutely integral to how we play. Whether he pushes further wide or plays off Mateta, his pace means their defenders sit off another 5 yards (which is particularly effective when he turns them around/they have their backs to goal). His hold up play and passing were better yesterday too.
I was a guest of a West Ham fan yesterday (so some play acting was involved) but I was confident when the teams were announced that we wouldn’t lose (notably Somerville’s omission and Sarr’s inclusion). Thought we dominated bar a 10-minute period after we scored.
NEW Mateta t-shirt ✅
pnmfootballart.etsy.com/listing/1841...
Sportsbank, a sports investment group, has been granted exclusivity to invest into John Textor's Eagle Football Holdings, with a view to Palace staying in the group.
Deal is separate to the exclusivity granted to a U.S.-Saudi group to buy Eagle's 45% stake in #CPFC
www.nytimes.com/athletic/604...
Professor Alexis Jay, who led a 7-year review of sexual abuse which reported in 2022, says starting a new inquiry would delay any implementation of her own recommendations:
Yup.
Look at choas of Muñoz passes. Looks like he was playing as right winger. #cpfc
@mclachbot.com
Just because the Saliba incident is unusual, doesn’t make it “not a penalty”. I think it’s an excellent decision from Anthony Taylor (and I hate Brighton).