August 6 2017

Suits you, sir? Frank de Boer looks on during his maiden Selhurst appearance.

Jamesey joined a sizeable throng at Selhurst for the last pre-season match against a formidable German side.

What a difference a year makes.

The equivalent match in 2016 against Valencia was played in Mediterranean-style heat and probably suited opponents, Valencia, more than the Eagles.

Nevertheless a somewhat fortuitous 3-1 victory was a good start to what was to become a troubled season in the Evenmorebagsodosh League.

Squelching down Fort Neef High Street towards the ground was a totally different story this time.

Even with the Arthur closed, a crowd of 12,683 turned out and it is odd to think that in Palace’s golden spell in the top tier from 1989 to 1993, league game attendances sometimes failed to match a figure like that.

The fixture (August 5) against top German club, Schalke 04, took place in weather of true English summer awfulness, in between rain showers of occasional tropical intensity and bright sunny spells.

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Frank de Boer, new man the helm in SE25, stated in his match programme notes that “The Miners," as Schalke are sometimes called due to their Ruhr industrial location, would be good opponents and “we will plan how to confront them and how we want the team to play”.

At the game’s conclusion, the boss said he was satisfied with the 1-1 draw although the Palace team looked decidedly disjointed for much of the time.

The Eagles starting eleven had a familiar look and to the supporters’ delight, Palace favourite Julian Speroni played in goal.

Two new signings were included - Rubens Loftus-Cheek (on loan from Chelsea) and Jairo Riedewald (£7.9m from Ajax).

Palace started the match at full tilt, with Andros Townsend having two excellent blasts at the Miners’ goal, in the opening stages, the first one needing a fingertips save from the keeper,

Schalke, of course, aren’t a top European team for nothing and their clever moves and fine interplay began to worry their South London opponents more as the half continued.

A shocking mix-up nearly handed the Germans a lead when a suicidal back pass from Scott Dann (still not looking match-fit) needed a hasty clearance from Jules which bounced back off an attacker just going wide.

The new Eagles boss is said to favour 3-4-3 and the Eagles looked thoroughly confused at times about who was doing what for whom.

New boys Cheek and Reidewald played like valuable additions to the squad, particularly the former who twisted and turned his way through the midfield effectively.

Wilfried Zaha, as ever, was the Palace’s greatest threat and fouls and trips galore were meted out to the skilful player. One honestly has to wonder how long Wilf can last out without a serious leg injury when the going gets tougher later in the season. Then the thin Palace squad would be in serious trouble.

The home side gradually ran out of attacking ideas and resorted to lofting the ball into the middle in the hope of finding the head of Christian Benteke.

The visitors, deservedly it must be said, took the lead just before the half-time whistle. In monsoon-like rain a headed ball hit the net after Jules’ fingers were unable to stop it.

The Eagles moved up a gear in the second period and Benteke nodded one on the hour in to make the match a 1-1 draw.

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It is, of course, too early in the season to draw many conclusions from a friendly game. Like the fixture at Metz the previous Saturday, Palace were facing top-class opposition and also battled to a 1-1 draw.

Nevertheless, looking back at the peaks (let’s draw a veil over the troughs for the moment) late in our 16-17 campaign with wins against Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, a performance like the Schalke one would never have cut the mustard.

We will just have to wait and see.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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