August 27 2017

Eagles defend at the Holmesdale End in a scrappy match versus Swansea

There were more empty seats than usual in the Arthur area. During this dismal encounter, at times Jamesey soon wished his had been empty too…

After a few flickers of hope in the Liverpool away defeat (Aug 19) and a creditable league cup victory against a useful Ipswich side (Aug 22), Eagles supporters were entitled to feel matters were moving in the right direction.

However, a dismal performance against an unimpressive Swansea team (Aug 26) soon sent any such hopes tumbling after a 2-0 home defeat.

Admittedly CPFC was without two important players, Wilfried Zaha and very promising loanee, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

On the other hand, there was a welcome return for James McArthur who bustled about like a hyperactive terrier and, unlike the majority, really looked up for a victory.

Both sides were equally uninspiring in the first half.

Inadvisedly in my view, in his post-match comments, manager Frank de Boer referred to his players as “cowardly” — not the best way to get the dressing room on your side.

Was the team really “cowardly” or were they merely trying to follow his passing system which didn’t come naturally?

As the first half dragged relentlessly on, the Palace square and backward pass tactics began to irritate the crowd. There was no apparent cohesion in any attacking movements and the boos and jeers grew in volume.

Just before the interval whistle some good, creative play drew first blood for the Swans when Tammy Abraham bamboozled Martin Kelly and volleyed past Wayne Hennessey.

A team being booed off the field is an unusual noise at Selhurst in recent seasons even in the most fraught times but that was what was heard.

In the second period, the Eagles appeared to have woken up and started to play more directly but that was a false dawn.

Within a couple of minutes a silly mix-up in defence allowed Jordan Ayew ample space to run at the keeper whose block ricocheted off the Swans forward into the net.

The crowd groaned in horror but the Eagles started to play with more self-belief. Well, they had to really, didn’t they? Being 2-0 down at Selhurst before an extremely niggly audience would wake the dead from their graves.

Andros Townsend produced a venomous shot that was just wide of the post.

But the team in white hung on to a deserved victory and left everyone in SE25 — supporters, and presumably players, boardroom, chairman and investors, wondering how we get out of another fine mess (thanks Stan and Ollie for the thought)!.

At the start of the season, the bookmakers (who usually know a thing or two) made FdB the favourite Bagsodosh manager to be first for the heave-ho.

Three league games gone is very early days, but if the current scenario continues it’s over to Mr Parish for some remedial action.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

In Depth Jamesey's Veteran View Index