With the visit of Manchester United next on the agenda at Selhurst Park, we had a chat with Dale from fan group Stretty News to find out his thoughts on the season and the game.
Q. How has your season gone?
Okay. Not brilliant but not rubbish either. I do see an improvement from last season while there have been few encouraging signs. The aim was to get back into the Champions League and it looks like we will achieve that by the skin of our teeth.
Q. Has Louis van Gaal made the impact you expect or not?
I think we all got a bit giddy when Louis van Gaal was appointed. Then, quickly, people began writing him off and if you study his career, there is nothing he enjoys more than proving people wrong. What I will say is I expected the standard of football to be better.
Q. What do you expect in the summer in terms of changes in personnel?
If United get Champions League football expect big names. Hopefully they offer something this time around.
Q. A lot has been made of Falcao but having seen him play, what are your views on the striker?
I genuinely feel for Falcao and should not laugh whenever I am asked this but he is having a terrible time. The knee injury last season did not help and neither did rushing him back with the World Cup in sight for Colombia. However, when it was announced that he was joining us from Monaco on loan, we were all excited like children at Christmas. In hindsight, I am happy we did not make the mistake of signing him permanently.
Q. Is the post Fergie era a tougher proposition than anyone expected?
It did not have to be this difficult. Appointing David Moyes last season slowed the process down.
Q. There is a general feeling that the new television deal will make the gap between the Premier League and the Championship even bigger than ever. Do you think this is good football?
Good for football? There is already too much money in the sport and football fans have to pay the consequences. What worries me most is a continuation of inflated ticket pricing. Will it create more of divide between the Premier League and Championship? Probably, but I do not think the people making these decisions care about that.
Q. What have you made of Palace this season?
Doing well and considerably close to the top half of the league. Yannick Bolasie is a real talent and I expect he will find a bigger club and make Palace a nice amount of cash.
Q. Which United player should Palace be wary of and which player from the Palace line up are you concerned about?
There are no players that fill me with any confidence after that West Bromwich Albion performance and last weekend. For Palace, Yannick Bolasie has impressed me so will be one that will threaten our backline with his pace.
Q. Your prediction?
A 2-1 win for United.
Q. And finally, please share with us anything that you would like to promote.
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