I love Paul Merson's prediction. He said if Watford score first we would win, but if Palace score first they will win......then he predicts the final score will be 1-1.....priceless.
There was no response to the preview rota thread, so I put one together quickly. I'm not precious, the mods can delete this one.
There was a response 25 mins before this went up. Apologies if the 22nd is a bit late. Been busy at work and with Christmas stuff. Thought it would be good to go up tonight. I'll let someone with better modskillz merge or whatever once mine's online.
Reminds me of another Merson jem.... "They are the sort of team you either really love or really hate .....I quite like them"
Watford FC v Crystal Palace FC - 26/12/16 "The thing is, them Italians..." A bue and red flag is draped over the backs of a pair of seats on the 20:07 Virgin Trains Euston to Liverpool Lime Street service on 27 May 2013. Two men and their two young daughters are sat opposite one another in front of this display. The right hand of each man grasps a tin of Carling. "Right, they didn't turn up, you know?" "I know. Love it." "They don't know how to turn up, those Italians." "You're right. You're right." A phone rings. "Alright Pricey? Oi oi! I know! *****ing unreal mate!" "We are Premier League, say we are Premier League!" "Hahah, yes! Get in there mate. Get *****ing in there." A hacking cough; phlegm is brought up and then back down. "I *****ing knew we would do it. Johnny Foreigners that lot, I tell ya. They won't do it for you. They won't do it." FOR TWO *****ING HOURS this was me, sat across the aisle from these (rightly) pleased drunks on my trip back home to Merseyside. I want to be indifferent about Palace, but that trip home was unbearable, and it's not that I want to beat Palace every time we play them to get them back at them for anything at all, it's just that I always remember how I felt that day whenever we line up against them. This fixture is painful because of those memories. Football's a b*****d. THE HOLMESDALE FANATICS I thought I'd get to the most important aspect of the Palace first. Those loveable superfans - 'fanatics', if you will - the Holmesdale Fanatics. The group was formed in 2005 by six wise Eagles. Tito Cucchiaroni and Beppe Rossi met in the local Greene King eleven years ago, and come up with the idea of singing at football games. They met with their mutual friend Benito Mussolini, who got in contact with Dr. Steve Parish, then manager of the club, and it was agreed that as long as the three sober voices of Alexander Shprygin, Vjenceslav Žuvela and Ante Dori* were involved in the direction of the Fantastics, there would be no issues as far as the club was concerned. Thus, a legend was born. Today, the members love to sing loudly, display banners and wave flags in their natural habitat, the Holmesdale Road Stand of Selhurst Park. The actions and influence of the Fantastic Fanatics has helped inspire Watford's very own '1881 Movement', and it's all fun, games and love songs where this supporters group is concerned. Everyone loves a good sing song, and South Londoners have good voices to boot. Sing your hearts out for the lads, lads! ALAN PARDEW "Form is temporary, class is permanent. - Alan 'Pards' Pardew Alan Pardew is a sort of embarrassing uncle type, who loves to dance and stuff. Yes, we all like to laugh at the man, but the hounding of the Palace manager by the club's own fans over the past month or two is bang out of order. Sure, they've been bad, but is this kind of thing really called for? Friends of the Palace Ross Jenkins played for Palace back in the day, Old Salvo Mr Adrian Mariappa is back where he belongs after a spell in South Norwood, Adlene Guedioura used to like it in South London but now he likes it in south Herts. And of course there's Kevin Phillips too. CURRENT FORM Palace have been in some bad form lately, with one clear exception (that I've made clearer with the use of different colours). Check this out. Swansea City 5-4 Crystal Palace (26/11/16) Crystal Palace 3-0 Southampton (03/12/16) Hull City 3-3 Crystal Palace (10/12/16) Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United (14/12/16) Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea (17/12/16) (Watford are also kind of bad right now.) What the experts say... "This is going to be a hard game. Both teams need to win. I just don't see it with Palace at the minute, they are a funny team. In fairness, Watford are exactly same!" - Paul Merson "The nation will continue to be a central pole of identification, even if more and more nations come to share common economic and political forms of organisation." - Francis ***uyama "Macroeconomic policy can never be devoid of politics: it involves fundamental trade-offs and affects different groups differently." - Joseph Stiglitz "I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people. I love the attitudes of Italians." - Sir Elton John VERY IMPORTANT STAT Palace have played Watford twice before on Boxing Day in their history, winning 2-0 in 1949 but losing by the same scoreline in 1952. (Thanks, Opta.) OBLIGATORY FUNNY GIFS SO funny! #comedy SORRY THIS IS A BIT LATE FOR SOME, AND PROBABLY NOT VERY GOOD. MY NEXT ONE MIGHT BE BETTER.
I..I..I've seen it, in my nightmares. Zaha skins Holebas for the 7th time, lofts a ball to the back post where Benteke uses Zuniga as a step-ladder and heads home. Then..no..not..again "He's just too good for you, he's just too good for you"
Crap timing with Pardew being sacked. Sods law the new manager will be appointed the Palace players will have a blinder trying to impress him.
My word Mildew didn't half spout some twaddle! I don't think I've ever dreaded a match more,the irritating blighters are bound to be up for it now. Not overly confident as you may have detected. Wretched.:dismay:
Palace are doing ****. Real bags of poo I hadn't even noticed. I presumed they were mid lower table. They'll beat us, they always do. With their stupid black jumpy men (cf: jump street, the homosexual fraternity, ham and eggs) They will win, zaha ( is he still with them or Danns or some other ****y) or Phillips or some other ****er will do us over, or a new manager. But I still remember that away day at smellhurst where we won few years ago cant remember the forgettable but likeable watford player who scored mind, but still in this century. Was it the American guy? Anyway squashed legs They always have a ****er who can score against us. You see how many points I have? I didn't get that by betting on us when we won't win, we aren't getting a Boxing Day present this year, no way.
What's wrong at palace? Zaha is decent and wins a few free kicks. Benteke is decent. Dann always scores me points in ffl. Cabaye was a coup. Bolasie was good but they've cashed out on Townsend. So half decent squad but terrible in 2016. Mercenaries? Lack of a team spirit? Pardew known to only be any good for 6 months? Defence not good enough? Townsend and zaha too inconsistent? Cabaye not bothered and just here for the pay check? No, none of the above. Its karma for Wembley. Same way that leicester getting relegated will make me smile, palace struggling will always raise the corners of my chops into a smile. Ive been good this year, dear Santa.... Watford win please.
Sacking Pardew has got Walter worried. Might have to change tactics etc. http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...rystal-palace-will-help-watford-a3426981.html
(Insert goalscorer's name)'s scoring all around us Hornets singing, having fun It's the season, love and understanding Merry Christmas, Palace scum
I have a very bad feeling about this. Big Sam appointed Xmas eve, has half a day defence coaching, enough to shut us out with our powder puff attacking form. We've had our once-in-a-blue-moon good telly performance vs Everton so back to the usual league 1 fare for the watching millions. Zaha trips over his shoelaces for Palarses 89 minute pen. It's all written in the stars ... 3-0 to us it is then
Heard some stats boffin being interviewed on TalkSport yesterday and he was explaining one of the reasons why Andros Townsend was hugely overpriced from a number crunching point of view... he keeps shooting from miles out even though he only scores 2% of his attempts, thus wasting promising attacks through his selfishness. So that's nailed on that one of his long-range daisy cutters will go straight through Gomes to secure a 1-0 win...
I've got a really good feeling about this one. I'll unfortunately (shhhhh don't tell highgrade) not be attending this so will be firmly entrenched in an armchair somewhere north of Watford Gap, beer in hand, with Christmas jumper donned. Hopefully we will have a couple of key players back from injury. Prodl at the back, Success and Okaka could be massive if they are all playing and the latter firing (I'm not sure of their injury status so don't quote me on that). Definitely got a good feeling about this one. Something like 3-0 I reckon. Put your house on it.* *Don't put your house on it.
I'm glad someone's cheery! I just get the same horrid feeling I used to experience when we played Backseat Pleat and his mob. Can we bring back Peter Kennedy?
Gomes Holebas Prodl Britos Janmaat Amrabat Behrami Capoue Success Deeney Okaka My most likely lineup that (depending on injuries) we will probably play?
Gomes Janmaat Britos Prodl Holebas Behrami Gueds Capoue Amrabat Okaka Success Tis the season to dream.
Despite all his athleticism and eagerness, Gueds just seems to give the ball away in dangerous areas far too much for my liking.
Agreed. He's certainly not perfect. But I think we should play higher energy play in the middle to win the ball back, not let Cabaye settle and get the ball to our front three as quickly as possible. He will also arrive at the edge of the box, and gives another option for Okaka to knock it down to. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It looks like Big Sam will be in ... depends how quickly he will change them from the more open play of Pardew. Palace fans are in for a different type of football. We really need to score early in this one... hope it's not a bore draw ...
This will be a Championship quality game. The team who hoofs it the best and gets away with the most fouls will be the winner.
