Incredible feeling around St James Park now - My thoughts on the Palace game

I believe. I think we can do it. We can win our last two games, and I don't see the others picking up 2 more wins.

I think the whole team put in a great shift.

We should have put Palace to bed earlier but 1-0 will do me.

HOWAY!!!!

Ratings -

Darlow - 9.5 - Superb display from our keeper. Great saves, excellent commanding of the box, and strong in the air. What a find. The best goalkeeping performance I've seen from a keeper since Krul at Man Utd.

Anita - 8 - Great defending while clearly targeted by Palace. Stood up strong and got forward well also.

Lascelles - 8 - Solid performance. Excellent tackle to deny Wickham. What a defender we have.

Mbemba - 8 - Exceptional reading of the game at times, good defending.

Dummett - 7.5 - Better from him today. Still humping balls away at every opportunity, but good work rate and good defending.

Tiote - 8 - Solid in the midfield. Made it difficult for Palace.

Colback - 7.5 - Great tenacity, some great passing and looked a threat.

Townsend - 8 - Gave the ball away a few times early on, but excellent tracking back and defending, excellent goal and provided a threat throughout.

Sissoko - 6.5 - Good runs forward, good work rate, still not a great final ball though. Still

Wijnaldum - 6 - Some good runs and decent efforts, but still not getting involved enough.

Cisse - 5.5 - Couldn't do much with some of the poor service he got, but worked hard and linked up well at times.

Mitrovic - 7 - Helped see the game out well, threatened palace. Got the crowd and the team up. I noticed we look more energised with him on the pitch.

Perez - 5.5 - Some good running and work rate, but needs to know when to pass, mucked up a good opportunity.

Benitez - 9 - Sexy spanish bastard.

 

Rafa is one sexy spanish motherfucker..... you are correct.

Now get the next match thread up pronto please biaaach.

 

Karl Darlow was supposed to be average... Is this a one off??

How good is Karl Darlow?

 

The way Lascelles ran the length of the pitch to hug him at the end suggests they are close. This will be good moving forward as JL will hopefully blossom into the beast I think he is and his understanding with his goalie will be crucial.

 

Better than having Jak Alnwick in goal, anyway.

Andros Townsend has been the difference in the last few games for us, defensively as well as attacking-wise.

We will not beat Spurs, we may beat Villa, so overall I still have us down, on goal difference, with Sunderland staying up.

I'm not convinced Rafa is our saviour, but if it gives our fans the hope to get behind the team, all hail the messiah.

 

I'm hoping Leicester will get a win tomorrow, then Spurs can think about next year.
We've a chance of two wins, but on the first half performance today, we cannot play like that against Spurs and expect anything.

 

I'm excited for JL. He's everything I like in a centre half.

KD hasn't put a foot wrong and was heroic today so I would love for him to prove to be a good Premier League goalkeeper.

 

Things are looking really positive which makes me feel more certain it will come crashing down around us!!! I can see next weekend going amazingly for us, leaving us 4 points ahead of Sunderland and 5 ahead of Norwich, meaning that if either team loses their game in hand (or in Norwich's case, don't win it) we will be safe with a game to spare!!!

I can see Sunderland drawing with Everton, leaving them 3 points behind us on the last day, and then scoring a last minute winner against Watford, or Spurs score a last minute winner/equaliser to send us down!!

 

They are obviously starting to worry - after supposedly Man City's worst performance ever in giving us a point they now have a thread suggesting that Cabaye deliberately missed the penalty. i think they are going to ask for an inquiry if we stay up instead of them.

 

I think a lot of us are forgetting which team are sitting in 3rd place. Even if/when Leicester win the title before the last game, I can't see Spurs not being very motivated to finish above Arsenal for the first time in however long. None of us would want our lads to give up on the last day if losing meant Sunderland would finish above us, and I can't see Spurs being any different. Whatever happens our last game is going to be a very very difficult game. That said, it wouldn't be all negative if Spurs went into that last game needing points for something. Pressure can go two ways!

 

Agree. I'm not overly concerned if Spuds are going for the title as there's pressure with that which most of, if not all of, their players have never had to play with and no one knows what effect that could have on them.

 

Good point. Our lot should be used to the pressure of needing to win to avoid relegation. After all a number of them were in the same boat last year. Dont think we should look beyong Villa game at moment. We need a win there.

 

Trouble is by that criteria Sunderland should have no problems. They are perennial relegation escapers.

 

Can you two just stop arguing amongst yourselves as it's just harming our karma?



As for not looking beyond the next game, stuff that for a lark, I've got us getting into Europe next season...

 

And that is a big part of why they are still favourites to avoid the drop. Lots of twists and turns still to come though I suspect!

 

Don't forget some of the Spurs stars will have one eye on the euros.

 

I'm waxing my arse as we speak...

 

one game at a time for me.....rafa has give us hope and that's all I ever wanted.... God bless him.