Well we've got managerless Hull in the Cup on the weekend - which is kind of a free game. However - we really need to win that game to build confidence - a clean sheet would be nice. I believe we've been given a game that could change our season with that home match against Arsenal. We won't be expected to win it, but if we somehow manage to do it - the confidence will surely be flowing again - especially if we can get a win at Hull in the cup on Saturday. At least it's nice to be able to look forward from this point.
1point from a possible 9 for Sam at Palace - not quite the messiah start Palace had hoped for. He would have been really targeting this game to get him 3 points. We have some difficult games coming up but we have teams in our sights now and some above are on really bad runs - like Watford.
Bet BBC Cardiff will be in meltdown that we've given ourselves a fighting chance..... Pass the smelling salts to Rob Phillips.
We have done it before and we can do it again. They aint perfect either. lets see what the next two weeks bring,tonight gave the new guy a chance to start from a position of hope. If he has got what it takes (and playing teams like Arsenal, Liverpool and Man city is more his normal fare) then we could be ok.
His goal will go down as the goal that kept us in the PL. We cannot underestimate how big a goal this will be.
So that's the reason Palace lost....... Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce: "What went wrong? Not enough recovery time, no doubt about that. the energy of the players just couldn't get us in the faces of Swansea, they had an extra day and that told. You could see that. "Our lads put so much in against Arsenal and you saw the effects of that. It wasn't an even playing field. "It's difficult to take. We have all the science we have, we know the fatigue levels and the high intensity runs the players make and we knew they wouldn't be able to make them tonight. And they couldn't. Perhaps I picked the wrong side, I should have changed four or five. "Whether you're tired or not you have to play and I told them that at half time. I was baffled with our first-half display, we were lumping the ball to Christian Benteke and who told them to do that? They were confused. "It was a blatant penalty on Christian Benteke, outrageous that it wasn't given. That would have been a great lift."
That game was a pleasure to watch. Was it perfect? No. Did we make some mistakes? Yes. Should they have had two penalties? Probably at least one. Did we go into our shell in the second half? Yes, but understandable away from home on such a poor run. It was a pleasure to watch because that was my Swansea. That was the silky Swans. We passed well, we moved the opposition about, we retained the ball on the whole. We created chance after chance in the first half. When we conceded, we had another gear and drove home our superiority to find another goal - then played them off the park until the final whistle. And Angel Rangel... That run. That awareness to stay onside. That touch off the chest. That snap-second, half-volleyed, weaker-foot finish. That accident in my pants. Hope. Nothing more at this stage. But, we have some hope at f***ing last.
Think I am going to enjoy the rest of my break! Load of Germans around me - I wonder if any are Bayern fans
Boom boom Look like a difference of opinion in the Palace camp.... Crystal Palace defender Damien Delaney is told that Sam Allardyce blamed the defeat on the fact Swansea had an extra day's recovery: "It's possible but as a player at this level you should be fit enough."
A great win, rare but very very welcome at this critical stage. Gone from -30% last week to +75% now in the right direction at last, there will be bumps but no more ruts i hope.
I think this feeling of hope comes from the fact that we didn't sneak a win against the run of play (like that Southampton match a few seasons ago), we actually deserved the win. That's a big plus in my book.
With Fernandez, Ki, Taylor all playing I thought we were in for a right pasting but all credit to the team who all stood strong today, all except you know who. Fabianski was there when needed and helped lower my heart rate a few times Naughton was solid on either flank and played well up field. Must start in the future. Fernandez played better than he has for a while, was decent around the pitch, good in the area but lost concentration again which could have led to a penalty; lucky the ref was on our side for a change. He made a few dodgy passes too but with games under his belt these mistakes should fade. After todays' performance, for me at least, he's earned his place back. Mawson played well again and as with Fernandez, the more games he plays the better he'll get. I'd like to see them have the time to develop a partnership. Taylor, I hate to be negative but the best thing he did was go off injured imo. He gave the ball away far too often in attack and his clumsiness in defence could have cost us. When he passes the ball his end product is poor and usually below par. He's intercepted far too easily which puts pressure on the players around him. Although he did make a crucial block in the area, once, he is, imo, becoming a liability. I felt so much safer when Naughton switched to the left when Taylor left the field. Its Kingsley every game imo, or Naughton if we bring in that Barca right we've been tracking. All hail his Royal Highness Prince Angel Rangel Midfield was good, Fulton was Solid, so was Cork. Siggy worked his socks off for the team again and ran himself into the ground, as usual, Routledge was great and Fer was such a cocky fekker when he came on he made me laugh out loud. Great to see Ki play football again. He's been crap for so long I'd forgotten how good he can be which, I suppose, is why I've been so pissed off with him. Still, I'm glad he's back and this time I hope he stays. Loriente, what a Guy, MOM performance imo. Fought for the team all over the pitch and showed himself to be a class act. Borja should be ashamed of himself sitting on the bench watching him play and not running along side him. He's our new hero. Happy, knackered and in need of a drink, so cheers boys, well done, 15 pts earned, only 25 to go.
