Watford Fc 0-1 Crystal Palace - Play Off Final - 27/5/2013

This is excellent news. I'll have to check tomorrow and make sure we are off. I was dreading the prospect of taking the morning off for the game and then having to go in unable to do anything because I'm too excited or because I'm devastated.

 

Don't think Dobbie and Poyet saw eye to eye. Hardly got a game, next thing we know he is turning up at Palace lol. As if it wasn't bad enough that Murray joined them the season before. In the end I think it worked out for the best as we got Ulloa instead.

 

Yes we did bottle it. We don't have a plan B either. We should have got stuck in to Palace from the first minute. We all had this feeling it was going to be a walkover. I give Palace credit, they came to us with a plan and it worked. I don't think they will beat you thou.

 

You really seemed to lack any quality going forwards. Palace are a workmanlike team in the main, but in Zaha and Bouassie, they can work something which can win the game. You were sorely lacking that edge and whilst your team is built on a solid base, it just lacks that final edge.

Good luck for the rest of the season, except when you play us lOL!

 

Palace fan in peace here. Looking forward to meeting you guys a week Monday. Should be a good game as both league meetings have been. Not too bothered about the whole loan thing - good on you it's all in the rules. Also glad to see you are underestimating us and have an interesting (incorrect) take on our style and tactics. I feel another Brighton coming on (and I wouldn't wish that on anyone!).

 

Fortunately, nobody on here picks the team or sets the tactics.

 

Just as well Zola and the coaching team know what they're doing then eh.

 

Are Palace your preferred opponents for the final? Andwhat is the general Watford view of Palace - we've never been rivals and rarely come to blows in many big games.

 

For a while I hated you,then I realised it was just holloway I hated.I'd say we're kinda distant rivals,purely because of previous encounters(playoffs 2006 etc).For example if we won a game on the final day which sent you up i'd be quite pissed off.

 

I'd be less worried about Brighton - they play an open game like us only not as well. We have struggled against teams that really press us. However if we are on our game we are unplayable.

 

In all honesty, I'd have prefered Brighton to avoid Holloway's involvement. I've always seen Palace as a Watford "bogey team" but that win on the first day of the season seemed to change that (it also led to Ipswich beating us, us being their bogey team) Palace aren't a bad team and in no way are we rivals. Some Watford fans seem to think you can pick and choose rivalries but Holloway spouting off seems to have made the team a target, when really, its just him. Palace have a threat of scoring against most teams, but as a few have stated before me, it seems to come from the same players/attacks. Personally, I'm more worried about what Bolasie can do, rather than Zaha. And i'd never write off Super Kev.

 

I'd much rather have played Brighton. I know you're without Murray but you still have players that could produce a bit of magic. Especially against our defence, we currently have our three first choice centre backs injured or not match fit. We conceded two goals against Nugent to back up this point.

I think you will work hard, be a bit niggly and try and hold out until we start throwing men forward, then give it to Zaha and Bolasie to counter. Hopefully we get an early goal, and your gameplan goes out the window.

I think we have a better team quality wise than you, and I think we will win. But it will be very close. I don't think any of us think it's going to be a walkover.

 

The general Watford view of Palace (correct me if I'm wrong anyone) is that they are second only to Luton in terms of teams disliked.

The reasons being Palace's big club mentality despite the state of Selhurst park and recent lack of achievements. Watford are similar, but Palace fans seem to have a huge unsubstantiated arrogance about themselves and their club, that always comes out when we play them. There seems to be a general lack of humor and consensus that Palace should be beating "tin pot Watford". I have to say that individually, I know a few Palalce fans and get on well with them.

Add into the mix that "ker-a-zee" attention seeking moron Holloway, that Croydon is a toilet, the fact that Selhurst Park is a pain to get to and the toe-curling Palace "Ultras" and you've got your answer.

 

Fair comments. Interesting the ill feeling about Hollooway - but totally understandable. Has that just been since the comments about the loan system or previous? Before he came to us I always quite liked him as a character, bit like Mourinho I guess one of the people it is good to have in football. For what it is worth I think he was having a go at the loop hole in the loan rules and did commend you guys for using it. And why the hell not.

A separate question - the loans you do have - are they expected to become permanent should you guys go up?

 

Would've preferred Brighton. There's just something about Palace this season. I as many others wouldn't mind seeing palace in the premiership as we are actually very similar clubs before our takeover, I just couldn't stand Holloway being up there. Would you have preferred us or LCFC?

Do your fans actually like Holloway? He was getting absolutely slated for a while, but beats Brighton and seems everyone loves him again?

 

I would have preferred Brighton. They are not as strong as Palace mentally or physically and have less cutting edge plus Poyet is no tactician.

Also I don't like Holloway so losing would be harder to take.

Nothing against Palace though, rarely are our meetings uneventful.

 

I never really liked him before he moaned about us, but that added to my dislike. I hate the way he moans about Ref's even when they're favouring him, and he can be genuinely horrible... I've seen clips of him calling the Ref's a C*unt among other things in the tunnel after games and I don't think that's acceptable. I also get the impression it's all an act, which annoys me.

 

Always hated him. The media laps it up though because he is like it and now he has cottoned on to that fact just carries on. Regarding the loans, following on from Forestieri's example, I expect the ones that have played the majority of the season to stay even if we don't go up, these are the likes of Abdi, Pudil, Anya, Ekstrand, Cassetti (if he has another season in him) and Battochio. (Hogg too, FML etc)

I think Vydra will be dependant on if we go up or what is offered. Also, if we go up we have a massive chance of holding on to Chalobah for another year, which would be great.

 

It is interesting to hear some of your views of us lot and that we think we are better than we are. I think that could be said for most of the teams in the Championship. Some with a little grounds (Wolves are a huge club, likewise Wednesday) and some less so Brighton for example get bought a new ground, a bunch of new fans turn up over night and they think they are destined for Champions League within 2 years. As far as I am concerned I think we have been punching above our weight this year but do think we are progressing with the new owners and youth policy. Hopefully the stadium will come in time. I long for the days when we were known as a yo yo club - at least we would be up for a bit!

I quite like Watford - yes more so than Leicester who I have no feeling for either way. I like to root for the underdog on the whole and Watford seem to be like us in that regard. And lets face it who doesn't love Zola!

Not keen on that Deeney though but hey you can't have everything.

 

Surely people are only worried about palace becauseof holloway a rant and the thought of loosing to him would be harder to take than if it were brighton, if we're talking pure footballing reasons the. I fail to see how you could prefer brighton over palace. Palace were 18th in the form table going into the playoffs, brighton we top or very close to it. It's true we are similar to brighton and at our best play our style better than them, but don't kid yourself, lately they were playing way better than we were. Brighton are strong all over he pitch with no obvious weak link, palace have a couple of very dangerous players, more so than what brighton can offer, but behind that I feel they are there for the taking. Especially in defence, I feel they can be exploited by the best attack in the league, and I think anya will be important just to make zaha hesitate when running in behind as the little man can more or less match him for pace. However we have lost to teams like Bristol , and palace are much stronger than them, and you don't need me too tell you anything can happen. My only worry is they are clearly going to play similarly to how they played brighton, and we may be more susceptible to a counter attack with 3 at the back, but I'm sure Zola and the coaches are looking at his, in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see a completely different formation to start with

 

Zola to change formation just before a massive game? No chance.

The most adventurous thing he will do is bring on Fessi for Doyley if we go a goal down...

 

Would have preferred Brighton because to lose to them would be less painful overall, however negative that sounds. Brighton fans seem a more civilised bunch too, but much as it pains me to say it, Palace's away support is magnificent. I even had a smile to myself when they equalised this year and started letting off those flashing flares.

 

Don't have anything against Palace at all, Holloway is a nauseating ******, though.

I think we'll need to make defensive plans for the flanks, as we play wing-backs. I think Palace may adopt the same approach as at Brighton, except we have much more of a cutting edge than they do. Will be an interesting game.

 

Not once this season has GFZ changed formation or tactics based on the other team.

Tinkered with the line up but not the footballing style or philosophy.

Palace come into this game on a high but we had THAT ending to our game so belief will be above the clouds.

I cannot wait.

 

The truth is Palace are not ready for the Premier league, they have 3 or 4 interesting players and the rest are forgetable mid championship mediocrity. Next season it would end in tears: relegation with low points, confidence shot, big wage bill, Zaha long over the horizon, Bolaise gone, managerless with Gollum having legged it to another club.

It's a lose - lose situation for them.

For us its win - win. The Pozzo player conveyor belt of talent will just keep on chugging along whichever league we end up in, and we will get there this year or the next.

I'm very mellow about the whole thing. I do believe we have more quality across more of the pitch though and will end up winners 3-2 or 4-3 or something like that.

 

Laughable, you say you are so far above us yet you suggest a tight scoreline?
What makes you think Watford are ready for the premiership? Infrastructure is as lacking as Palace's. Playing squad is not even owned by you - would need to sign those guys up to proper perm contracts as the loan rules in the prem are tighter and then what will that do to your wage bill? How does your academy and youth setup look upon your plans for bringing in talent?
I have nothing against using the loophole but look at he bigger picture and the health of your club as a whole. You're just a Udinese franchise.

 

We've used quite a few youth products this season.

No, we're a Pozzo franchise. Get it right.

 

I'm sorry I didn't mean to rise to that bait. My apologies.

 

The point nobody has managed to get around is the fact that foreign loans are classed by FIFA as one year TRANSFERS. These would not come under loan rules by the football league or premier league as the registration of the player has been changed to that club for the year. Our academy is in great shape, 2nd highest amount of any club to play in the Championship this season. 5 year contracts given to top prospects as well as Assombalonga already progressing well in League 2 and with 1 Wembley appearance under his belt. I'd say the health of our club was the best it has been for a very long time. Owners that have said they want to make us a "sustainable club" they aren't going to pump stupid amounts on cash in for a huge loss. Also, what loophole? Well within the rules, no grey areas here.

 

Yeah I would actually disagree with that. I don't see Palace as rivals or anything bar a football club from South London which are roughly like us. Nothing more, nothing less. In terms of rivals we've got other fish to fry, like the scum, MK ***** and QPHaha. For some reason Stevenage don't exactly like us even though they're insignificant to us. Why do I mention this? It's because if we somehow think of Palace as rivals, we become nothing more than Stevenage.

As for Holloway however...

 

McGoldrick, the "your players don't belong to you" argument is very, very wrong.

We are owned by the Pozzos.

The players are owned by the Pozzos.

Those are the only facts which matter. If we had received our players from Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, I would probably agree with the loan naysayers at other clubs. Context is everything, though, and sadly most of the people putting their oar in on this topic have very clouded/narrow/uninformed thinking. These people then spread misinformation and conjecture, which gets picked up elsewhere.

You only have to look at the number of fans laughing because Watford will be "under an embargo if they go up and won't be able to sign anyone" to realise how uninformed most people are about the affairs of other clubs.

As for Watford/Palace, I honestly don't have anything against Palace. Holloway is a loathsome little oik, though. The man makes me cringe, and it he ever was the manager of my club, I think I'd die of embarrassment.

I certainly don't think Palace will be a walkover at Wembley (unless they do a Brighton and don't turn up), but I do believe our team is, overall, stronger this season. If we perform on the day I believe we'll win, but it's certainly not a foregone conclusion and I think everyone realises a win will need to be worked for.

 

I see what you are saying but the players are contracted to companies (Udinese for one, or Watford) owners of those companies do not own the assets per se. Anyway my point was not to have a dig at the whole loan thing just to say that it is limited in the prem and therefore if you go up and wanted to keep those guys that got you there they would need to be signed to contracts to Wartford (the company) this will have an impact on your wage bill unless there is some agreement that is worked up between the two companies but that may well fall under serious investigation as per Tevez and 3rd Party ownership. Financial fairplay needs to be considered and with a relatively low level infrastructure (like Palace) you maybe don't have the income to sustain a wage bill increase like that.

You say it is not a loophole and it is within the rules - well yes a loop hole is just that by definition and as I have stated I have no problem with the use of that loop hole but it may be tightened up after this season so as a business model going forward perhaps not sustainabole. Good to hear your acadmey success though. It is one of the best feelings for fans like us to see the youngsters make their debuts. I hope you continue to experience that.