Certain players are not getting any better and really shouldn't be in the same team as our best players looking forward if we stay up. They need replacing. Don't think it would be too difficult at all getting a better right-back(s) and a centre-back if we cast our net wide like we did with Mili.

If Sam is going to give the squad a big makeover - and I hope he is - then best to say goodbye to those that can't improve the team. Puncheon maybe best watched these last 11 games to see if he can still get back to his old form but other than that i stick to the list of players that are 'deadwood' or nearly.

I fancy a boring mid table season next year for a change a la Southampton

Big chest and massive boobs

[Link]

Never underestimate the power of a happy family life. Wilf loves being around his family and admits that his outlook on life changed once his child was born and he had moved back to Palace. Also, whilst I would wish him the best if he did move I do feel that some players are meant to be with certain clubs (Shearer and Newcastle, Le Tiss and Southampton, Carragher and Liverpool), so provided we make him a suitable salary offer and we stay in the Prem there is no real reason for him to go unless of course he is massively ambitious and I'm not sure I see him placing that above his comfortable family life. We will see!

Good job he scored otherwise we would all be screaming that he should have passed to Benteke !

He got a bit lucky with the slight deflection as this cauased the keeper to be beaten at his near post but well done to Townsend all the same.He said in the Middlesbrough programme that once he scores a goal he tends to go on a run so let's hope he nets more against Watford and beyond.

According to this [Link] the following are out of contract:

Speroni
Hennessey
Delaney
Fryers
Campbell
Kelly
Ledley
Remy
Flamini
Sako

Considering that's 10 players we'll get zero cash for I would think we'll renew a couple as it's too expensive to replace all of those like-for-like.

We'll probably keep on Hennessey and Speroni, sell Mandanda and finally try and find a proper keeper.

Obviously try and sign Sako but that'll be very difficult I'd imagine.

There's not really a case for keeping any of the rest of them except possibly Ledley as he's a useful squad player, but he's getting no game time and I can't see him wanting to stay.

So that's 8 players we need to sign and that's if we don't sell anyone for cash. The point of this post is that I doubt we'll see many departures from the squad other than the ones above as it'll then be so much work to replace them. Hopefully that means keeping Wilf. Hopefully. Hard to see though.

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

Contracts Expiring in summer:

- Speroni: depends on retirement

- Hennessy: A decent 2nd choice keeper behind Mandanda/someone new if he leaves in the summer. (Mandanda still needs to prove himself once he's back from injury)

-Delaney: Would keep him as we're unlikely to sign Sakho in the summer after spending so big in the last two transfer windows. Would leave us needing to sign two centre backs in the summer otherwise

- Kelly: If he's happy to be kept as a utility player (I.e. 3rd choice RB and 5th choice CB) then keep him, if not get rid

Fryers
Ledley
Flamini
Campbell
Appiah

All of the above are likely to leave, some may argue for Ledley to stay but if we can afford to upgrade then we certainly should

Hopefully there are some decent championship teams looking at Mutch, Lee, and with Sako's injury record I think he should be moved on if possible.

Ward stays for me. Would be a quality 2nd choice RB who is versatile.

Hopefully players like Kaikai, Boateng, Ladapo can prove that they deserve a chance in the squad next season

That's the problem with someof Pardew's signings, he was signing people to be on the bench. Allardyce has signed people to challenge the first team and will continue to do so with his future transfers.

Who would have thought that McArthur and Dann would have been on the bench and not a single Palace fan thinks that's a problem?

If we can sign players to test our first team, we will end up with a much stronger squad with players like Ward, Puncheon, Cabaye/McArthur, Schlupp, Wickham on our bench who will be able to come in and do a job, meaning the players in the starting line-up will know they have to perform otherwise they'll be dropped.

Edited by Griffish (07 Mar 2017 11.17am)