This post has been merged from a topic called 'Four points less than expected' by Midlands Eagle

I think we are probably 4 points worse off than where we should be. Yes we have thrown away points, but if you took the opening 8 games before we started i would have predicted as follows;

Fulham(A) DRAW
Liverpool(H) LOSS
Watford(A) DRAW
Southampton(H) WIN
Huddersfield(A) DRAW
Newcastle (H) WIN
Bournemouth (A) DRAW
Wolves (H) DRAW

Total = 11 points

So on that basis we are 4 points short, and if you take the next 4 games, i would have realistically predicted the following;

Everton (A) DRAW
Arsenal (H) DRAW
Chelsea (A) LOSS
Tottenham (H) LOSS

So we would have probably expected around 13 points after 12 games, which would have been ok and we would in theory be on the road to safety if you say its just over a point a game.

Therefore to try to get back to where we would expect to be over the next 4 games, we need at least another 6 points from these tough four games shown above. This means we need at least one surprise win, although at our best we can certainly beat Everton, which would mean we would need 3 draws or another surprise win! (more of a shock! i guess!!!) on the other three games. I still think we are capable, i just think Roy needs to tweak the formation and try to find that free role for Max Meyer. Our performances are not as bad as it looks, if you look at the two Sakho moments: an open goal miss in the last few minutes against Newcastle and that ridiculous smash in the face of the Bournemouth player to conced that late penalty. That would have been an extra 4 points already

Edited by bexleydave (09 Oct 2018 10.42am)

Fact is Roy Hodgson knows more about managing football teams then every poster here, every podcast, and even Gary Neville!

However we have the Harry Kane taking corners debacle, what does that show you? He is sometimes dead wrong, AND is pig headed and stubborn to boot.

This run absolutely can, and lets face it, probably will turn around. Lately we have finished the season a lot stronger then how we started it and the same could well be true this year.

A lot of Palace fans, me included, thought this would be our year for a top 10 finish. All the signs were there, stability where there had been turmoil, fantastic results at the end of last year, a calm level headed manager and the chairman actually doing some transfer business before 11pm on deadline day.

Alas once again it is a disappointing start to what could be another relegation dog fight.

I think the current regime have had enough seasons and transfer windows to show you what they are capable of.

We are where we are as a club, and I dont see that changing. One year the luck will run out and we will go down. Its a plain and simple fact.

Our transfer dealings of late have left us with no attacking threat outside of Wilf Zaha. Teams know if they stop Wilf they stop Palace and our goal scoring exploits this year tell the story. Our second biggest goal threat is our left back. Ayew has had about 3 chances at goal all season. Benteke is a colossal failure as a goal scorer these days. Wickham is never available to play.

After so many years in the top flight we still have not been able to assemble a good array of attacking options, meanwhile Glenn Murray is banging the goals in.

Freedman, Parish, the scouting department and anyone connected to transfers at the club needs to take a long old look in the mirror.

Trump lost. Badly. Hahahahahahaha.

At the moment it will be a surprise if our top scorer this season hits double figures.
That may be not be a problem if the midfielders chip in with a few but this looks unlikely to.
Luka relied on penalties and set pieces last season to get his goals and at the moment our second biggest threat after Wilf is PVA.
It’s amazing to think that a club such as Burnley have 3 centre forwards Vokes,Barnes and Wood who are nothing special but you could make a case for them getting in our team at present because they can head the ball, have physical presence and can get the occasional goal.
If Benteke and Wickham make no consistent positive impact by January we will have to address this in the transfer window ( sounds like the last couple of windows!).

it is all small margins though, if our lump of a centre back had scored that header, not raised his arms then we would be 4 points better off, if WH hadnt been deceived by the wind against Watford 5 points better of etc etc

They're justified, and they're ancient
And they drive an ice cream van

Thats a bit harsh
The op is correct
No game is easy
I think what the op meant is that the way we are playing means there are no easy games for us.
Against top or bottom sides.

Yes there are. Away vs Palace. HTH.

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The Ferret
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