Category Archives: Football

Blackpool

We’re at home to Blackpool tomorrow, following a run of six games without a loss.  I had half-made a plan to go, but of my two principal matchgoing buddies one is on holiday and the other would rather go to the pub, and if the weather stays like this I may join him.  I will take a small radio with me and listen to the results from there.

 

Last Saturday’s last-minute equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday was cause for celebration, even though it was a match we should have won.  But a draw in which you were losing for most of the game is a good result, just as a draw in which you were winning for most of it is a bad one.  And we’re still in with a play-off chance, for now.


We’re on the road to nowhere

…after that appalling loss to Wolves at the weekend. But the weekend’s cheering footballing moment was Spurs beating Chelsea in the league cup final yesterday. I sort of hate them both, but I’ve hated Chelsea longer and for more noble reasons.


Wolves

If I weren’t getting my hair cut by the best hairdresser in the world (no, of course I’m not linking to her; I’m not stupid) tomorrow afternoon, I might have gone to Palace v Wolves. Wolves are two points and two places below us in the table, and if we lose this game I smell a nail in the coffin of our play-off chances. If chances can have coffins. And if (metaphorical) nails have a smell.
I will actually go to a real game at some point, rather than thinking of excuses not to.

Millwall

Tonight sees arguably the season’s most-anticipated fixture yet: Palace reserves v Millwall reserves at Bromley Town Football Club. Unbelievably, considering the likely demand for tickets, I have managed to procure one and I’ll be cheering south London’s finest (alright, second-finest) along with gusto. Results to be posted here just as soon as I remember, and don’t say I don’t put myself out for this blog.
Edit: it was a thrilling 0-0 draw.

1-1

Last night’s draw against Bristol City is too boring to write about, except to point out that once again we conceded in the last minute of play. I think that’s happened in approximately half of all the Palace games I’ve ever seen. Try to keep playing right through to the actual end, lads!


0-1

Well, that didn’t work at all, did it? We are now back down to tenth. Still, tenth is an ok place to be. In fact, maybe it’s the perfect place to be at this point in the season: if you’re guaranteed promotion or a play-off place this early on, some of the excitement fizzles out, until the last few games. And likewise if by February you’ve not bothered the top half of the table, the only excitement you’re likely to face is the possibility of relegation, which is the kind of excitement I can always do without. But 10th means we’ll be fighting for a top six finish right through to the end of the season. And really, that’s what it’s all about. And anyone who says “it’s not about the excitement, it’s about the results” is definitely not a Palace fan. In fact, they’re probably an Arsenal fan and not worth listening to at all.


2-0

Oh dear. Palace’s 15-game unbeaten run came to an end as soon as I started blogging their results. I’m going to ignore the next game and see whether we start to win again. Come on Colin!

Charlton

We’re away at Charlton tonight. If I wasn’t otherwise occupied I might have gone; the Valley is only round the corner and I’ve never been. I like visiting other sides’ grounds – it reminds me how lucky I am to support a team in whose ground it will forever be the 1980s (I genuinely mean that). It goes without saying that we must win.

1-1

Well, a point’s a point.

Plus, the match report in the Guardian only talks about Crystal Palace. I’ve read plenty of write-ups of games where you’d do well to spot that Palace had even been there, so it’s gratifying to see that the reverse is also sometimes true. Sorry Southampton.


Southampton

Palace are at home to Southampton tomorrow. If I could sacrifice an animal to guarantee a win, I would. Our odds are much shorter than theirs, which is always cause for concern.

Southampton are one of the sides who we know we’re better than, but who are often, incomprehensibly, doing quite a lot better than we are. See also: Charlton, Norwich, Sheffield United, Ipswich, Leicester, various others (it depends on the time of day). To have them way down in fourteenth (that’s FOURTEENTH) while we’re in fifth (that’s FIFTH) puts a whole new slant on playing them.


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