Opposition View: Crystal Palace

It’s that time again, folks. Get your ID at the ready and prepare for another 90 minutes of high drama as the Albion make the trip to Selhurst Park for the clash with Crystal Palace.

Last year’s dealings with Palace were pretty good. Not only did we manage to take six points from them, but there was also the wonderful scenario of them beating Cardiff City in the penultimate week of the season, which effectively relegated the Bluebirds and ensure we were safe. Six points and you kept us up – thank you very much.

Because of that, many Albion fans are going into Monday night’s game with real confidence. Here at WAB Towers, we’re not so sure. Brighton have improved since last year’s double, of that there is not doubt.

But Palace are only two points off a European spot themselves. And there is a gut feeling that they cannot be anywhere near as bad as they were against us last season.

What’s the Palace view ahead of derby day? Jay from The Eagles Beak gave us his thoughts.

Talk us through Palace’s season so far. It all seems to be going pretty swimmingly?
After the summer we had many of us feared the worst as it was not a transfer window that prepared us for the new season ahead, not to mention our best player asking for a move.

Thankfully, that was not the sign of things to come and we have actually had our best start to the season for some time which has been great – if only we had a regular goalscorer we could rely on to put the ball in the back of the net more often!

Our home form has improved and the thought of ending the year on close to or over 25 points will be very pleasing indeed – plus we have had our first league win at Old Trafford for what feels like forever.

The Premier League is so tight that anyone could up finishing anywhere. What are your realistic hopes for the rest of the season?
We have more often than not had a strong second half of the season so after our start, being Palace we are expecting to slump in what could be reverse roles! Being honest, we are really hoping that we can build on that foundation of a good start and push on for a top ten finish and another real go at the FA Cup.

Our points total by the end of the year is likely to have a big say in that. It is difficult for teams like ours, you want the club to push on but we have all seen others try that and fail so it always a case of being careful what you wish for. Let us have no doubt, to qualify for Europe would be absolutely fantastic, everyone wants to see their team compete on that stage but that may be a little out of reach.

Who have been Palace’s star performers so far. Anyone been a disappointment?
There’s a few actually that have played well. Gary Cahill has been one of our best signings since promotion back to the Premier League, a real underrated addition to the squad when he first came in, many questioned the wages we would be paying him but that seems like peanuts now. He has been the glue across our back line since making his debut.

Staying with the back line, Joel Ward has been a surprise. Losing Aaron Wan-Bissaka and not replacing him was a real concern but Joel has really stepped up his game and become Mr Dependable once again so fair play to him. Having quality between the sticks makes a real difference and Vicente Guaita is just that – a safe pair of hands we can rely on.

Finally, I have to mention Jordan Ayew. He was not great in his season long loan but he was signed in the summer for just £2.5million and that now looks like a steal. He has been brilliant, making that lone striker role his own by sheer hard work and effort, along with a few goals to boot. Has become a real fan favourite.

Disappointing? That’s a tough one. Luka Milivojevic has not been up to the high standards he set last season but I would have to say Patrick van Aanholt continues to struggle – the biggest annoyance is his horrible habit of showing a player inside every time as you will gleefully recall from last season!!

You’ve mentioned your best player asking for a move, so let’s talk Wilfried Zaha, our favourite Palace player. You managed to hold onto him in the summer despite that transfer request? Can you see him leaving in January or next summer and how do you think you’ll cope when or if he does depart?
Your favourite player? He’s Watford’s favourite player as well, how odd! We did well to hold on to him in the summer and it hurt a lot of fans to see him hand in a transfer request 24 hours before the window closed.

That being said, no Palace fan would begrudge him leaving, he deserves another shot at a top six club, there is no doubt about that. But to keep hold of him was just brilliant and he did not sulk, he just got on with it and we have seen his brilliance on the pitch again this season.

I do not believe he will go in January as clubs don’t usually spend that kind of money in this window but I sense Chelsea will be in for him now their ban has been lifted – he is the perfect replacement or Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge. I just hope we can hold onto him until the summer and then we can part ways as, especially after our start, he is integral to helping us push on to a good finish this season.

As to how we cope if and when he goes? That is the big question, we have not been as reliant on him as we have been but he is still a huge part of what we do so we will have to move on and spend the money wisely to restructure our side. It will certainly be interesting.

Looking back at last season, it was six points for the Albion. What did you make of the two games?
Hated both of them, we just did not turn up and battle in either game. They were both hard to watch, but many of us still feel that in the game at Selhurst the player that went on to score the winner got away with a big call in the opening minutes. Even so, we simply did not perform which was the more frustrating thing. The players will be keen to make up for that this season.

We’re a very different side this season under Graham Potter with a much more positive outlook. How do you think Palace will cope with that?
It was a bold move to replace Chris Hughton but it looks to have paid off so far and you have been playing some good football under Potter who comes across as a liable character. The only problem with that is if he continues in similar vein then he will continue getting interest from bigger clubs. However, it is still early days and it will be interesting to see how he does over the whole season but he has a bright future in management in the game.

Based on what you’ve seen so far this season, who’s winning the league, who’s finishing in the top four and who’s going down?
Liverpool are in pole position and would be gutted if they lost it from this position, but if Jamie Vardy stays fit and in form then wouldn’t it be great to see Leicester do it again under Brendan Rogers? I can’t see it though over the course of the whole season, it is heading to Anfield but City will end up pushing them. Bottom three will be Norwich City, Watford and Southampton.

Finally, what’s your prediction for Monday night?
It’s going to be a tight one once again but think we will edge it at Selhurst 2-1.

Thanks to Jay for answering our questions. You can check out his musings on Palace at The Eagles Beak as well as following TEB on Twitter – a good place to remind him of his win of a Palace prediction should we triumph at Selhurst again.