Palace(H) friendly Saturday July 28th

[Snowflake Royal]

No he’s not an average player but nor is he world class, there is stuff in between. As others have said world class should be reserved for the best of the best, your Messis, Ronaldos, etc.

Zaha is a very good player, nothing more nothing less.

The underlying point that he's clearly way better than we can expect to face regularly in the championship is inarguable.

Anything else is just pointless semantics about what word to use to describe his level of quality compared to other players way better than we'll face. Who cares.

[tmesis]

Does world class then basically mean best in the world? And how many players does that extend to - 10?

I'd say a player is world class if he's the kind of player you'd seriously consider if you were trying to list a World XI.


People have different views though. I seem to recall an Northern Irish player talking about how difficult it was playing against Germany, saying "They had 11 internationals out there"

[The Cube]

Anyone know if we are up or down ST saleswise?

Go on, take a guess.

Or consider this - the club announce just about every season that we have more season ticket sales than the year before (excluding the two times we were relegated from the top flight). They've not said anything this summer.

[Denver Royal]

Sooooo many academy players have come through to play regularly since we initially implemented this style when Adkins came in that we haven't wasted time at all. This style is outdated, teams adapted to it long ago whilst we're still clumsily trying to implement it five years after we first tried when the Russian sacked McDermott.

Watson, Richards, Kuhl, Tish, Stacey, Fosu, Keown, Tanner, Kelly, Smith, Rinomhota, Barrett, Taylor, Hector, Obita. All appeared in the first team in that time.

By all means, you are of course entitled to disagree with how we're trying to play and want us to change it.

What you can't do is say Clement has disappointed or failef because he hasn't changed our style. Because that's not what he's been asked to do. It's just a sign that you have absolutely unrealistic expectations.

I use you in a general way, not specifically directed at you sandy.

I didn't expect Clement to change our style much (and was surprised at those who did). Be that as it may, it's a fact, as you know, that this fan base haven't enjoyed sideways passing and have been very critical of it, and I really don't see that changing. I mean, why would it? If we're going to be consistent then that criticism would transfer from manager to manager, regardless of who the manager was. The 'entertainment' factor would still be lacking, etc.

I'm not sure what style of play this club asked Clement to employ, or even if they asked or told him anything at all, so I'll defer to you on that.

In any event, are you suggesting Clement wasn't the right appointment for this fan base, and that the club disregarded the wishes of the paying customer's in doing so?

[Snowflake Royal]

Sooooo many academy players have come through to play regularly since we initially implemented this style when Adkins came in that we haven't wasted time at all. This style is outdated, teams adapted to it long ago whilst we're still clumsily trying to implement it five years after we first tried when the Russian sacked McDermott.

Watson, Richards, Kuhl, Tish, Stacey, Fosu, Keown, Tanner, Kelly, Smith, Rinomhota, Barrett, Taylor, Hector, Obita. All appeared in the first team in that time.

By all means, you are of course entitled to disagree with how we're trying to play and want us to change it.

What you can't do is say Clement has disappointed or failef because he hasn't changed our style. Because that's not what he's been asked to do. It's just a sign that you have absolutely unrealistic expectations.

I use you in a general way, not specifically directed at you sandy.

I didn't expect Clement to change our style much (and was surprised at those who did). Be that as it may, it's a fact, as you know, that this fan base haven't enjoyed sideways passing and have been very critical of it, and I really don't see that changing. I mean, why would it? If we're going to be consistent then that criticism would transfer from manager to manager, regardless of who the manager was. The 'entertainment' factor would still be lacking, etc.

I'm not sure what style of play this club asked Clement to employ, or even if they asked or told him anything at all, so I'll defer to you on that.

In any event, are you suggesting Clement wasn't the right appointment for this fan base, and that the club has disregarded the wishes of the paying customers?

I don't think the fanbase is even remotely united on anything. I think the club is going to ignore their wishes on style of play and always pick what they think will work best. If it brings results no one will care. We're certainly no more likely to get results by starting from scratch.

I honestly think the club and fanbase have been toxic since we last got relegated and that we probably need another relegation and a massive overhaul of the playing squad and particularly budget before it'll get better.

Time will tell on Clement. I don't see there were many other options.

[Denver Royal]

If it brings results no one will care.

Ah, but they do. See Stam's first season and the whining therein, both then and now. Otherwise, if he had been sacked the following season in Dec, as many wanted, those folk would have wanted him gone on the basis of a grand total of only about 4 months (Aug thru Nov), and on the back of a playoff final loss on pens, at that.

I don't see there were many other options.

I'd imagine there were, in fact, quite a few. Many fans wanted him gone in Dec, so the club had likely started their search at least by then. Put another way, Clement's appointment in Mar wasn't a last minute rush job in a 'quick, lets see who's out there' kind of way. They may have had Clement lined up for some time, but Its quite possible they had done their due diligence and sifted thru various candidates for 6 months or more.

[leon]

If it brings results no one will care.

Ah, but they do. See Stam's first season and the whining therein, both then and now. Otherwise, if he had been sacked the following season in Dec, as many wanted, those folk would have wanted him gone on the basis of a grand total of only about 4 months (Aug thru Nov), and on the back of a playoff final loss on pens, at that.

I don't see there were many other options.

I'd imagine there were, in fact, quite a few. Many fans wanted him gone in Dec, so the club had likely started their search at least by then. Put another way, Clement's appointment in Mar wasn't a last minute rush job in a 'quick, lets see who's out there' kind of way. They may have had Clement lined up for some time, but Its quite possible they had done their due diligence and sifted thru various candidates for 6 months or more.

That last paragraph is a trifle worrying.

Due diligence for 6 months? To get Clement?

You looking forward to the new season Denver?

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Aluko was so rubbish it was unreal.

Unless that was the first time you've seen Aluko play, it shouldn't have come as any great surprise tbh

I wasn't surprised