Big blow for us this. Beyond him and Grosicki we just don't have enough attacking talent. I'm sure if Marco was preparing for another season in the PL come summer he'd be looking to add more players like these two. And it's much easier to mark one key player than two. Sunderland game turned when he went off. We'd been dominating before then and it could well have been another of those second half performances where we turn it up a gear.
We need to go for a win in both remaining games. A win for us keeps CP in the mix. A draw puts them safe.
If Swansea lose on Saturday then a draw for us takes it to the last game! I'm not saying we won't try to win the game but I don't think we'll start with Abel & niasse from the start if a draw takes us level with Swansea? If we go all out in the first half we could be countered and be 2-0 down at half time?
If Swansea do lose,it makes little difference to our position if we lose or draw at Palace actually. We'd either be level on points or one behind, and in either scenario anything but a Swansea loss vs WBA would mean we have to beat Spurs. It would only give us the very slim possibility of Swansea losing meaning a draw for us would be enough. On the other hand, if we were to win at Palace in that scenario then Swansea would have to win vs WBA (in which case so would we vs Spurs) or they'd be down, which is a huge difference.
I'm not saying go for the draw at palace! I'm saying IF Swansea lose we won't go for it from the off at palace! Like as been said we should have gone for it at saints when it was a free hit!
The only scenario I can imagine us not going for it from the off against Palace is if Swansea draw with Sunderland, because then a point would make a small difference (Swansea draw with WBA and we beat Spurs = we stay up if we draw at Palace, but go down if we lose). Another factor is that if Swansea lose, Palace will already be safe and probably won't be that bothered anyway.
Really no point in doing anything other than going for the jugular from the off. Two games left, let's go down fighting. Markovic is a miss but we cab still do it. I'd like to see hudd start. Tymon too.
Are people forgetting as well that we beat Liverpool at home without Markovic? I'm not so sure he's going to be such a massive miss as people think.
As OLM says Maloney seems more affective coming off the bench. Against Sunderland he should have been brought on with 30 minites to go, and they should have brought Hudd on for N'Diaye at half time.
Swansea a draw and win. Palace two loses. I just can't see us getting more than a draw against Spurs. Sunderland game killed us.
It's highly unlikely we'll make up the goal difference, we would need a six goal swing this weekend for that to come into play. (Because it'll only matter if Swansea beat WBA and we draw vs Spurs) It would then come down to goals scored, or even potentially the "39th game playoff" nonsense. But let's face it, this isn't going to happen anyway. So frankly a 1-0 93rd minute win for Sunderland coming off Defoe's arse will do me fine thank you.