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High Flying Eagles – Crystal Palace Preview
Blues return after the international break to take on Ian Holloway’s high-flying Eagles at Selhurst Park today with Crystal Palace looking to firm up their promotion credentials. Blues however will be hopeful that they can cement their place in midtable as they look to avoid being pulled back into the relegation mixer.
Crystal Palace
Palace sit fourth in the Championship table, with sixty-five points from thirty-eight games, three points off an automatic promotion slot. Whilst their form is okay with three wins and a draw in their last six games it’s worth noting that they have only lost one game all season at home – and that was the opening league fixture to Watford back in August of last year.
Wilfried Zaha is suspended for this game but Palace are hopeful that Danny Gabbidon, Joel Ward and Alex Nimely will return after injury. New signing Aruna Dindane probably won’t feature due to a lack of match practice but former Blues target Stephen Dobbie is back in the squad after being ineligible for the trip to the Amex Stadium. Jacob Butterfield has returned to Norwich after his loan spell ended and Owen Garvan and Paddy McCarthy remain out.
Blues
Blues return from the international break with no further injuries than there were before it, and of the two that were unfit only Jonathan Spector remains a doubt. Mitch Hancox has recovered from his hamstring injury and could slot in at left back allowing Shane Ferguson to be pushed into a more attacking role, whilst Keith Fahey and Ravel Morrison could well start in the middle. Seventeen-year-old Academy starlet Koby Arthur could feature on the bench.
This is a tough one for Blues; Palace are a good side and their home record is formidable having won twelve of their nineteen games at Selhurst. They will be somewhat down without the Manchester United bound Zaha but I honestly think Blues will struggle with the pace of Yannick Bolasie and the artistry of Jonathan Williams in midfield. I think the best we can hope for is another battling performance as we have seen of late away from home and see what that brings us. A defeat in this game is by no means the end of the world, and as such I’m a little bit more relaxed about it than I have been in recent weeks.
The match is live on Sky Sports 1, 5:30pm kick off.
Tags: Crystal Palace, Jonathan Spector, Keith Fahey, Koby Arthur, Mitchell Hancox, Ravel Morrison
27 Responses to “High Flying Eagles – Crystal Palace Preview”
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HI Dan glad we are back on the subject of football again….. I wont be there this evening, as i will be
attending the Wolves game instead. Like you in your blog I am in agreement this will be tough game for
blues. But funny things happen in football I would like to think IMO maybe we might get shock result
there tonight fingers crossed draw or win will be bonus. Good luck you blue boys Kro
I do hope Clark will have faith to give Koby an opportunity to taste some 1st team experience in this game.. Kro
Not sensible to play Koby Arthur at all tonight. Why give every scout an opportunity to see him from the comfort of their armchair?
Stupid comment. Don’t let an enthusiastic young pro play in case scouts ONLY ever scout from Sky televised games????!!! Dear god…..
You’re the kind of fan who selfishly wishes we can hold onto all our talent forever to stifle an otherwise blossoming career and potential as opposed to actually letting them be what they should.
Good luck to Koby Arthur. Hope he gets minutes and he can become a star.
KRO
Para 1 – I didn’t say scouts only scout from the TV. As for being stupid that it subjective, not objective. IMO you are being very naive about the world of football business
Para 2 – You have no idea about my views on whether we should keep our youngsters when it could be in their best interests to sell them (your words, not mine)
Neil, did you actually read what he put ? Agree with his view or not, but have respect for his right to have it..He was makingf a point, as he is entitled.Very unlike you to reply in that vein.
Yep you’re right Chas. quickly read, misinterpreted and a dumbass response.
Sorry Julian!
KRO
fancy us for a draw tonight – cant go but will be on a barge with four other blues listening to radio – KRO
If we won this…. what a kicker-in-the-face
for the anti-blues and anti-Clarks
It’s taken awhile, but Lee Clark has bitten the bullet and changed things for the better.
But after Palace’s recent mauling at Briighton and Murrays new “Big deal”..they must be on an upper- reverb and renewal – so I’d really be happy with a point. this evening.
Lee’s only problem has been surrounding himself with “comfort players”
A Blues team with some confidence at last.
Although Boro were a poor side I though we put in an impressive away performance. It’s pleasing that we actually have players in form and appear to be tighter at the back. I expect Ravel to have another strong game and Nathan (if he plays) and Fergi to impose themselves down the flanks. Some of Palace’s football this season has been excellent but our form of late (only Forest and Bolton have more points from the last ten games in the top 12) has very pleasing and providing Fahey can put a full shift in To combat their strong midfield I expect us to get something tonight.
As long as the boys give there best I’ll be happy, let’s hope its better than our previous TV appearances this season.
Not confident of getting a result, but confident the team will turn up and put in a decent showing, and sometimes that’s all you can ask for.
got to have a little faith marky mark we are bluenoses 4-0 against palace shows that we turned the corner, its up to us as fans who are behind team and manager to show the positivity, anything can happen in football get wembley play off ticket at the ready lol
Blast from the past……the other side of pro football..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21974559
we want five ha HA HAMMMERIING……………. Wish i gone now bring on the wolves…….
clark we love you inclarkwetrust we are blue we white we are f**k Diamond white lalala
I was one who called for lee Clark to be sacked and whilst I still am not convinced by him, I have to praise him and the team for a fantastic result. Get rid of the owners asap and then we can look forward to next season. well done blues.
we are 10th 7 points from the play off who’s believer………..c’mon c’mon kro
What a brilliant result for the lads.Well done ..
They passed well, they tackled well, they used their brains. A great performance. Burke’s absence was good for Redmond who was able to go on the right wing. Good to hear the Blues travelling support loud and clear too.
and this what needed down St.Andrew on monday against the wolves 20,000 bluenoses singing their hearts our for the lads………………
what a result and a clean sheet aswell. well done blues.kro
forget the b*ii sh*t in the boardroom get behind the lads and manager fill st.Andrew with keep right on to the end of the road , and sent those’s yam yam on their way………….
Where exactly did that performance come from? Best away showing since the 5-1 away at Newcastle in the Cup (2007?)
Fantastic performance throughout the team.
Wow,i did not see this one coming after a season of mostly mediocrity & off the field turmoil.
Could be interesting to see how the next few results go & if Forest,Leicester & Brighton bottle it.
WHEY HEY HEY!!!! WHAT A F***** ‘ RESULT!!! And 4-0 didn’t flatter us either!!!
Lee Clark a shite manager, what the F*** do I know about football!!!
Redmond and Morrison the difference in my opinion, they always seem to play really well together – as they did against Cardiff but didn’t get the breaks, that and finally dropping Caudwell – suddently with Davies and Robinson at centre-back we look secure at the back once more, and it’s allowed Hancox more game time to develop, and he links well with Ferguson (what a screamer for the 4th – can’t remember the last time I saw Blues score with such a precision free-kick!!)
It’s taken a lot of pain and anguish and mistakes – but maybe Clark has found the right formula at last. I’m not sure whether by design or accident, but even I can’t knock the bloke on this one – WELL DONE BLUES, WELL DONE LEE CLARK.
‘Lee Clark a shite manager, what the F*** do I know about football!!!’ Nothing.
Unfortunately you know a lot about insults and abuse like the other so called fans on here who have slaughtered Lee all season long.
Blues my ar*e. Wouldn’t know the meaning of support.
Great result by the loanees and the kids.
Cold down there but worth the trip.
Tactics spot on and the team very much ‘on it’
This was an outstanding result, Palaces first home loss I think, and makes an awful lot of internet warriors who never go look very very stupid. Ram it right down their throats Lee and KRO.