FA Cup - The Road To Wembley - We Made it to The Final

Unbiased?
What have Palace achieved that makes them so much bigger? Why do you even care? From what I see the two clubs are quite similar. A little bit unfashionable to support but years in the Premier League is changing that. Not really won anything of note.
Catchment area, I would think Watford have a bigger catchment area as we have Bucks, where many fans come from, as well as Herts where as Palace's is more compact. Of course North London is part of that area where we can get fans from and do. Season tickets at Arsenal and Spurs are in the four figures so parents maybe look at Watford and think I'll take my kids there which is exactly what happened to me 40 years ago. Do Palace have the potential to grow, yes they probably have but it is limited as they will not ever be a top 6 side so the best they can hope for is probably the kind of season we are having, later stages of a cup competition and top half in the league with a chance of the getting in to Europe.
Your point about fans from further up north not going to Watford but carrying on to Spurs or Arsenal is maybe valid but there is the extra costs of watching those teams. On the flip side of this who in their right mind is going to travel to Selhurst Park to watch a game of football. Absolute nightmare to drive to and from and an utter dive when you get there.

 

that comment literally means nothing

 

CPFC are simply a marginal backwater South London club, and have regressed to a point where they are now in the shadow of Brighton.

That's painful if you think about it.

 

So why are you three points off the relegation zone?

 

Palace are a rival club. We don't like them. They don't like us. The problem for both clubs though is that no one cares

 

Maybe Palace do have potential to be bigger. But why has it been untapped for all this time? There must be a reason?

From the outside looking in, it appears that the owners and board are terrible in terms of where they put their investment - huge wages, big transfer fees for a squad that doesn’t seem to improve year on year. And a succession of managers all in the same mould - Warnock, Pulis, Pardew, Allardyce, Hodgson.... the moment the owners tried something different with De Boer, the players didn’t buy into it and he was hounded out. That may well have been the correct decision but it does beg the question of quite how the club expect to progress in the manner it’s being claimed they can?

Maybe the club isn’t a mess. And maybe the CP fans are correct to think the club could be so much more than it is. But to me, it looks like they are quite content standing still each year. Hovering above relegation each year before pulling away in the last few weeks.

Palace might well have the benefit of better catchment areas, larger fanbases, increased likelihood of ground redevelopment. But they aren’t making the most of that opportunity and have not shown they want to. So boasting about the above is a moot point.

 

You are having one good season. Surely you're wise enough to know next season everything can change. Last time I checked we were above Brighton... correct me if i'm wrong.

You describe Palace in those terms, what's your description of Watford then???

 

Its not one good season though is it, that’s you completely missing the glaringly obvious. Since being bought by the Pozzos our overall trajectory is up, surely anybody including you can see that?

They took us over as a struggling championship club and now we’re 8th in the Premier league. Try plotting that on a graph, it’s called progress. They’ve significantly upgraded the squad the ground and infrastructure every season. This season isn’t luck, it’s the product of 7 years of their ownership. They’ve also consistently replaced managers at the right times with better managers, again no accident. They don’t do a palace and appoint tired old dinosaurs.

I know that must really upset palace fans, seeing as you’re consistently treading water at the bottom of the league with no signs of any progress, but it’s just the way it is.

 

WFC and CPFC have ended the last 3 seasons within 3 points of each other, showing how close we normally are in terms of end result. As clubs we are very similar in terms of achievements and potential prospects. That does not mean we like each other or that one is in a better area than the other, each side can argue their case based on their own (biased) opinion.

This thread is going to be really tiresome if people just slag each other off for the next 3 weeks.

 

I find it amazing that in the 6 years Palace have been in the Premier League, Selhurst Park has continued to rot. Nothing, not even a lick of paint to brighten the place up.

 

In 2010 we went into administration, we were saved by the cpfc 2010 consortium led by Parish. On the last day of that season we saved ourselves from relegation and possible liquidation with a 2-2 draw away at sheff wed. 3 seasons later we were promoted and have now subsequently been in the premier league for 6 seasons. Don't talk to me about 'no sign of progress'. You sit there and say 'constantly treading water' Last season we finished 11th and you finished 14th. The season before we finished 14th and you finished 17th. The only evidence you have for any 'success' at Watford is that you are currently 8th after 26 games. Grow up mate. Lets see where you finish yeah?

 

You act as if Vicarage Road is the Emirates.

 

I understand I did come on here first so I can't really complain but this thread proves the delusion of some people. Are you actually trying to argue that Watford have been a more successful premier league club than Palace??? You have consistently finished below us yet we are somehow 'treading water'? My point that you are a smaller club than palace wasnt meant to antagonize, it's just true. You couldnt even fill your Wembley allocation for the FA cup semi final

 

Well you can see the pitch from the away end if that helps.

 

Your only progress is that you’ve established yourself in the premier league. However you’re now consistently struggling to maintain your PL status. You’ve averaged 1 point per game this season and still need another 10 to make sure you’re safe. How is that any sort of progression in the 6 years you’ve been in the league, still scraping around for points at the bottom of the league?

What you’ve highlighted above says it all, as you say we finished 17th, then 14th, this season we’re currently 8th. It’s extremely unlikely that we’ll finish lower than 14th, so that’s three consecutive seasons of improvement, again try plotting that on a graph, it’s called PROGRESS.

At the moment you’re arguing against facts, which is pretty hard to reason with. Imagine what would happen if you sold Zaha though? You’ve averaged 1 point per game with him, so without him you’d sink without trace, a sobering thought.

 

In comparison to Selhurst Park it is. Can you give me some redeeming features about Selhurst Park?

 

You are again failing to see the bigger picture. We have also improved over the last two seasons if I am going by your logic. 14th then 11th. I may be wrong but i personally believe that we have a realistic chance of finishing 11th or above this season. So palace and Watford are doing similar things yet you're 'progressing' and we are 'treading water'. I find that hard to reason with :/

 

It's full on a matchday

 

I thought of something. This year we found a chinese place near the away end that did fantastic chips with curry sauce. The 3 points was a bonus after that.

 

TBF this has been thoroughly explained. They have been very very very unlucky.

 

Like most Premier League grounds. A report from last year showed the highest percentage of seats sold at each ground on average throughout the season. You've won this won by about half a percent. 95.38% to 94.8%

 

Obviously this debate is going in circles and no doubt will do for some time. Most fans defend their club against negativity from outsiders but when discussing amongst themselves probably agree with, at least parts of, those negative comments.

My take, and I think it’s a fair one...

Both clubs, historically and current era are pretty much evenly matched when talking about any form of success or ‘who is bigger than who’ argument. Very few ‘facts’can disagree with that.

This season Watford are the better team, more league points and higher in the table. That could change but I don’t see a 10 point swing happening. Of course palace could win the cup tie and if they win the cup that would be the better season (IMO - people may disagree). So let’s see how this match pans out.

But here is where I believe we are in a better position to palace and how much better our owners are.

Since taking over the club in a financial mess, our ground has seen development (some major including a 4th stand), training and medical facilities at all levels massively improved, a playing surface turned from a slight embarrassment to award winning and a team / squad that is equal or better to anyone outside the top 6 put together on a budget that has kept as financially sound. Plus we have a very clear transfer policy and we could soon be reaping the rewards of that (beyond what we already have)

In contrast, and our visitors themselves have said this themselves many times, palace are still at the ‘potential ‘ to do all those things mentioned above. The ground is an embarrassment to the Premier League and all the fans who pay to go and watch the football there. Transfer policy appears to be buy expensive for players not quite making it elsewhere but with a household name.

Last thing, Zaha has dived but IMO it’s not as much as people make out. He’s killed us a few times over recent years and I’d have him (the player, not the individual) in our team no argument. But if our fans, mascot and players getting under his skin lessons his impact against us (as seen last couple of times) then game on with that ‘tactic’

 

Sobering thought.

 

Ease of access to the A23, the best thing to have come out of CP.

 

A couple of my recent views at Selhurst... And a comparison to a similarly priced seat at Vicarage Road...

 

the bit next to the away end at Vicarage Road is always empty. I have never seen it full

 

I agree it's not good enough, but that gantry will be gone when we get the new main stand opposite...

 

We likewise also almost went into administration , had to build flats in the corners of the rookery to stave off going bust and had a main stand condemned and unable to be used. Since promotion we have redeveloped the ground and improved facilities at training ground and have a scouting network the envy of the football world..... What have palace done exactly over the same period?

 

Finally a little bit of sense. Someone acknowledging that form can change and being 8th at this stage does not make Watford the 'model club' on how to transition from Championship to Premier League. Zaha is extremely harshly treated by refs and opposition fans but we would do the same to an opposing player who has a reputation, false or not.

IMO Palace are a bigger club than Watford but that's actually irrelevant i suppose. Player for player I would probably choose our starting XI over yours but again thats probably bias shining through. I also believe you are slightly overachieving this season and with contrasting luck, the league positions could easily be reversed.

 

It is sold out though and most clubs have the same issue. I believe Southampton have the worst problem with no shows

 

As a matter of interest which of your players would get in our team and I know there are some not being argumentative. From your team I would take Zaha, Wan Bissaka (worst song for a player I have ever heard!), I don't mind Scott Dann and we could do with a centre back.

 

Palace have won the exact amount of major trophies as Watford ........zilch. im not saying palace are rivals but they are in my top 5 hated clubs....

And Zaha is a cheat, for someone with his balance and skill why is it he only goes down in and around the penalty area.

Watford have a better ground,better infrastructure an catchment area is fairly large considering the amount of fans who travel from towns like hemel,berkamstaed ,Milton Keynes, Leighton Buzzard ETC ETC every week.

The game will be 50/50 but would love us to wipe the smile off those smug *****.

Millwall are a much better club than palace and don't need those silly ultras to create an atmosphere.

You claim to be the biggest club in south London yet have the shittiest ground,have never won a major trophy ( Charlton have) and never played in Europe (Millwall have).