My guess is bottom 5 at Christmas, Top ten at the end of the season

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

Torture

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

Right all you doom merchants.If you look at all the other bottom feeders and the lack of business they have done, I can only see an upwards trajectory for us. So I'm going for a top 10 finish, decent cup run and nothing but abject misery for the bright scum. Let's have some positivity for a change.

A lot has been said about this difficult start which on paper it does look tough but I am confident we can get some early points from our first 4 matches.

Chelsea - yet to strengthen and could be a Euros hangover for some of their players

Brentford - This is the fixture I fear the most as they will be bang up for it like all newly promoted sides are early season however we have a good record against newly promoted teams lately so that could go in our favour

West Ham - Haven't strengthened their side and without Lingard they might not be so effective

Spurs - Like us a new regime in place they could take a while to settle so it's a good time to play them, they are our bogey team so a point would be good.

What has impressed me with Vieira is that he has the players fully on board and is prepared to try new systems and styles of play. The playing out from the back is a bit of a concern but hopefully our 2 new defensive signings can do the required job in that area.

Still need a new striker as I don't think this new system will suit Benteke whilst Ayew and Mateta won't get enough goals. If we are going to play wing backs we need a right sided one as Ward or Clyne don't have the stamina for that.

Think we will surprise the media who have already written us off along with opposition fans and finish around 12th with further progress to come

Double post

Edited by PalazioVecchio (04 Aug 2021 1.28pm)

Kayla did Anfield & Old Trafford

It's going to be very tough. We are likely to be taking at least one step backwards in the hope of taking two forward. I only hope that it is just the one backwards step, and that we don't end up in such hot water that we have to abandon the Vieira experiment.

If we are near the trapdoor by Christmas (which we may well be) then much will depend on the nature of the performances. If we are getting caught out and giving away soft, unnecessary goals whilst trying to implement progressive tactics, then I can see the club reaching once again for an arch-pragmatist to get us out of it. If there are any left out there.

Vieria will have to either play more pragmatically than the early signs suggest he intends to, or get us playing out from the back, pressing, and generally trying to pretend we are Man City well enough that even in defeat Parish and Freedman can see light at the end of the tunnel once the players complete the learning curve.

Much will depend on the extent to which the players believe in the manager's methods once they've road-tested them in the real world. Parish and Freedman will know if the players are behind the manager or not, and will either stick with the long term plan, or abandon it by Xmas.

I can see us finishing far lower, and being involved in far more of a relegation scrap than we are used to. The question is whether it will be worth it two or three years down the line.

I'd be very happy with 16th place and tangible signs that the team and its younger players are developing well.