Our greatest strength is this league’s greatest weakness. Do NOT send negative criticism towards Wilfried Zaha.
It is always a difficult game when you are away from home against a relegation candidate, us Palace fans have been there many times over the years and arguably, at most points in most seasons, are still there. Lump it up-field to a big bloke and hope he gets his head on it or just simply bully the opposing players within the laws of the game – shout-outs to Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce, gone but not forgotten.
It does not take a genius to recognise teams in this league with lower footballing class will resort to kicking lumps out of their opposition, when you have a player as naturally gifted at ruining full-backs weekends like Wilfried Zaha does, you get used to it.
I was actually in the car for the first half, obtained an injury in my right calf celebrating the goal. I am sure the majority of Twitter will now claim I am not a real fan because I chose to see my Nan over making the 400 mile-round trip to Huddersfield, but to those people I have to say, she cooks a naughty chicken tikka and there is not many things in this universe that will keep me from that.
Anyway, back to football. On paper, we win this game. We have got the class to be a top eight team, but putting that potential onto the pitch is about as difficult asking for extra bacon on your double cheeseburger at McDonalds.
My main frustration with Palace at the moment is the management. It is frustrating because I absolutely adore Roy Hodgson, his achievements last season are in the history books. It is a fairytale – ‘South London Lad Saves Boyhood Team’. It is evident he knows this league, which is why it is impossible to understand why he absolutely refuses to make tactical substitutions. We got away with it against Huddersfield Town, luckily against lesser opposition. I worry that if that is at Anfield or Stamford Bridge, without a substitution against world class opposition, we will start throwing points away unnecessarily.
The Premier League proved last season that twenty points can decide European nights or relegation fights, this has not just been an issue this season, it has been as issue since Roy joined us. We all want perfection, compared to previous managers Roy is a diamond. This is a situation where a very divided fan-base such as ours, is completely in agreement when we say ‘Roy, change it up!’
Why is Max Meyer not coming on in tight games where there is a goal between us. If he is not fully fit after the six or so weeks he has been with us, he has to be fit for at least thirty minutes of game time. We’ve seen his quality from the bench against the likes of Watford, which is why we need clarification as to why in tight games like this one why he isn’t brought on to cause trouble when legs begin to tire.
Aside from that, we can all agree that Zaha is way too good for any team ever to exist in world football. I will be sitting in my armchair watching Bargain Hunt in 2057 telling my grandchildren about Wilf. We all know he’s unbelievable, even Chris Sutton does, but the bloke has an unbelievably pathetic need to stay relevant and controversial. I cannot put this into words every time I write an article but I have an urge to, that is what love does to you.
I will end with a round-up of mutual feelings across the Palace fan base – Wilfried Zaha is a family member, Max Meyer needs to play football, substitutions are actually legal in this sport, the yellow kit is absolutely beautiful, so is Robbie Savage and Monday’s are beautiful with three points coming back to Selhurst.
