I recall having a tipple in a local Public House and had a conversation with a charming gentleman who is a supporter of Liverpool.
He asserted that we had no fears of relegation due to the strength of our squad ! I informed him otherwise, highlighting deficiencies across various areas of the pitch.The conversation regarding our squad got rather protracted to the extent that my dear wife interjected asserting that we had agreed to have a beverage together and she felt rather neglected !!

Whether you are for or against his appointment as a 'Red Adair' to save us from relegation we now have to concentrate on the final 10 games.

One factor that condemns Vieira are the stats regarding our lack of fitness, the worse of all 20 clubs. Maybe the team remembers the work rate of Gallagher, left him to get on with it and then forgot he had gone.

Hodgson has inherited a reasonable defence and some talented players but little else. His task is to make the midfield creative and, somehow, instill some finishing ability. At the moment Edouard and Mateta are like lost sheep and Ayew is the most unproductive No.9 we've ever had.

I am certain that any decent manager should be able to quickly get the players to gel and win the ten points we need to survive and Hodgson, despite his apparent mild manner, is that man.

Just the one proviso - he remembers that many of his old favourites are now past their prime and he takes advice from McCarthy who is more up to speed with the squad.

Any manager coming now is just for a pay out simple, club has no ambition

I totally agree with each of your points.

My only observation is on your point about whether we will see a flowing style of football at Palace, a subject I am one of many to post about in recent years.

On one hand, if we accept that we have a lower mid-table budget (which the facts and figures make clear is the case) then playing open football is probably not realistic.

On the other hand, in buying Guehi, Eze, Olise and (to a point) Andersen we have perhaps signified an intention to play better football, even if only to make those individuals more marketable. Though they have improved defensively this year, the two centre-backs in particular are probably better at passing than defending. Those signings felt like a commitment to possession football; certainly, they are a very different 'type' of centre-back than their predecessors.

Edouard, Richards, Ahamada and Docoure are also at least around the right age to have sell-on value, and are probably all players that would do better in a footballing side. We seem to be staying clear of grizzled veterans and limited journeymen in recent windows.

Two things occur to me:

Fistly, without at least one good centre-forward who can finish and who makes well-timed and dangerous movements in build-up play, it becomes harder for us to pass well, and any good football we do play often goes to waste. That is the position where we really need to get lucky in the market, or maybe get a tune out of Edouard (good luck with that Roy). If not, the hope of playing better stuff will never materialise.

Secondly, I have just begun to wonder whether Vieria was sacked because Parish felt he wasn't delivering on some core objective to play good football, rather than because of the points total.

Obviously, Roy isn't the answer if so, but he's only here for the very short term. I just wonder if Parish and Freedman, having invested heavily in younger, footballing players in the hope of showcasing them before selling them on for big money, were pissed off to see Vieria playing defensive, turgid stuff anyway? That could ruin their plans to sell Eze or Olise for north of £40m in the next two years before reinvesting in more young players with potential. That might be a cause of friction leading to poor relationships, and ultimately a parting of ways?

Perhaps there is, in fact, such a commitment to better football that Vieria's inability to produce it has led to his departure? He'd be one of very, very few Palace managers to be sacked for playing defensively if so, but then between the market and the academy, we've never invested as much in sellable, skillful young footballers before.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (22 Mar 2023 6.07pm)

Also weren't the culprits reinstated within 24 hours and so were in the squad for the Fulham game?

It’s the ultimate interview question isn’t it?

Q. Why do you want to work here?
A. Well I did consider staying at home more with my family or a billion other things I could do with my life including staying in employment where I am now, where I’m comfortable, but I want this role for the money you are offering. Either that or you know, your values, mission and culture or summink???

At this moment in time I refuse to believe Roy has no passion for football or Palace, even if it’s only a little. As for his remuneration, if he keeps palace up he’s worth the sum total of the players and board x10 as far as I’m concerned. Im really not bothered by nor care about it.

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!