I couldn't take my eyes off the match, which was a pleasant change from the rest of the season. Glad to see Mitchell doing well.

Red and Blue Army!

In a number of our performances this season, we could have done with having two goalkeepers between the sticks, the defence has been so poor.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

At half-time I thought we'd lose 1-4, so abysmal was our defending.
Hats off to whoever delivered the team talk.
Interesting that there were some 'that's what happens when we set up other than defensively' posts when it could be argued that such negativity has itself been to blame for the poor football we've played much of this season. I take the point that if you set up like we did today against the top six we probably get tonked, but it's good to see that a positive approach against the middle ground can work. Why should we not expect to beat Villa at home? Was it the last day last season they stayed up?
Good as a win feels, let's put it in context. The defending is dire and we still get outpassed by almost everybody. It just shows what you can do without Ayew, Milivojevic, van Aanholt. Ward has surely played his last season in the Premiership.
Positives: Eze, Townsend, Benteke. Can we afford a striker who can play better than Benteke did today? Doubt it. Great to see Tomkins back and I thought Butland played well: no cover for either of the goals. Far more presence in the box than Guaita, brilliant reactions though the latter has.

No argument there YT. Hoping for more of the same on Weds in front of fans. If we revert to type God help RH/ Players & SP.

I'm a blind man, i'm a blind man, now my room is cold,
When a blind man cries, Lord, he feels it from his soul.
[Link]

In atonement for my negativity I am giving up predicting anything other than sunrise happening from this point on since I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about.

A good and thoroughly enjoyable game, not even ruined much by the Villa/Ollie Watkins fanboys on Dazn.

Success will lie to you but failure always tells you the truth.

Don’t think it would’ve made much difference. He could’ve easily played instead or McCarthy and we wouldn’t have lost much. I’d still bring him back in. Certainly against the better teams, he’s the best we’ve got at breaking up play, tackling etc.