Saturday 7th March
Kick-off 15:00 or so.
Underneath the Arches
Where we dream our dreams of home
Just off Leeds Road
HD1 something or other.
Can't miss it, big blue stands, big white arches and fancy Premier League Floodlights.

The Intro
So, in a week when English clubs fell out of The Chumpions League like domino's and the owner of all of Liverpool's remaining Treacle and Jam Butty Mines popped his diddy clogs, the lads from Croydon and its neighbourhoods are in Town this Saturday. Oh, it takes me back, all the way back to the first game of the season.

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Croydon?
A beautiful day, we had beers on the way and all for under a grand you know,
But on the way back we couldn't find jack so we opened a bottle of bitter,
Singin' a few of our favourite songs as t'Town fans went wild.

I, mi'sen and me, drank our liquid tea, and said goodbye to ol' Larndan,
Then on the train back, I said for the craic, ain't it a shame to go home an' all?
Wouldn't it be grand to have cash on demand and to win like this for ever?
Oh, it makes me feel ill, when I think of Anfield and the lack of nouse.

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Croydon?
A beautiful day, we had beers on the way and all for under a grand you know,
But on the way back we couldn't find jack so we opened a bottle of bitter,
Singin' a few of our favourite songs as t'Town fans went wild.

(Apologies to Debbie Cook and Fiddlers Dram, add your own verse and chorus).

After spending all last Saturday, Knock, Knock, Knocking on Swansea's Door, and the misearable gets never invited us in once, I expect to see Palace in our half far more often this Saturday than Swansea ventured over their 18 yard line last week. That should at least give as a chance of getting in via the front door, back door or the windows at the side.

Woy got'em Wockin in the Aisles again.


Separated at birth?
Palace Mascot Kayla and Palace Manager Wockin' Woy

The atmosphere at Palace was somewhat subdued last August, at least on 3½ sides of the ground, as Frank de Boer tried to get Palace to play possession football and rein in their up and at'em style. 7 goaless and pointless games later (think he only lasted 5 of them, but may be wrong), with P45 in hand, not even Sarfampton gave him a sideways glance as they appointed Smoke City's most recent failure Saprky Hughes as their new manager this week.

In came local lad made good, Wockin' Woy Hodgson, with a pedigree that has only been blemished by failing to learn Scouse quick enough so the foreign players could understand him at Anfield and failing to get an England side to play any kind of recognisable football in two sets of finals, despite qualifying unbeaten for both of them. (Or there about's).

It took a little while, but once they got their first win under their belt, a 2:1 win at home to Chelski of all teams, they only lost 4 of their next 19 games and the Palace fans were back making a racket and Er, Feeling, Glad All Over again. Then the wheels fell off  again. Injuries, suspension, reversion to type, Christain Benteke's inability to hit barn doors, cows arses, hold a banjo has made the guy an expensive luxury, call it how you like. Apparently they are willing to pay a Chinese club £20 million to take him off their hands this Summer if I read that right.

So right now, having hit the dizzy heights of 12th at one point, and being above Town as went on our own abysmal run of six defeats on the trot, they have fallen back into the bottom 3, 3 places and 4 points behind Town.

The Roller Coaster Rides
Us

Them


The League Table


Ony two draws in the last 7 games, including Chelski getting their own back and former Town loanee Martin Kelly scoring one for them into the bargain hasn't helped.

The Form Table


Last Time Out
Despite Transfermarkt having him down as injured, Wilfred Zaha actually made an apearance last week, and Woy is hoping to have a number of other long term casualties back ready for duty this weekend. Just our luck that.



With Danny Williams having broken his leg stump in training, he'll be out for the rest of the season (as reported elsewhere on the Mork and Mindy thread) so there'll be at least one change on the bench.

Snoots and AmChaff on a day off, a couple of season's back.

Wouldn't be surprised if Wagbo goes with the same starting 11 as last week, I also wouldn't be surprised either if he changes the whole bloody lot of them.



Who's banging 'em in?


A defensive midfielder as top scorer only means one thing - free kicks and corners. Our achilles heel.

In case you need reminding, the lads with banjo syndrome in our side.



And finally - They can't both win

Well this weekend, most of them can't actually play. Something to do with the BBC organising the FA Cup 6th Round. The things they'll do these days to show some football on the nations favourite sports free channel.



So with only 3 other games, and only one involving two trap door rivals, it's a chance to put more points on the board, more space above the trap door and leave those with what will be games in hand to worry about fixture congestion.

The Outro
Now, it was ar'kid that pointed out we do a lot better against Larndan sides from the suburbs than we do against those that live a bit closer to the river. So with that in mind, this weeks ear worm was very nearly The Pet Shop Boys and Suburbia (you're all humming it now ain'tcha?), but I decided I'd go for this one instead.



Points please Wagbo - Wise Words if he, or Woy, say any will be added later. Have fun this weekend.

Added stuff

Alan, Alan Lee talks to Radio Leeds
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0618p63

Our pitch apparently is heavily infested - "Wagner says the pitch is fine and has been heavily infested in"
https://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/football/news/live-huddersfield-town-press-conference-14419332
oh, and Lossl signed on full time too  

Wagbo's Wise Words
If you've 40 minutes of your life to waste -
If you've only 3 or 4 -

Lossl


Hoggy


Woy speaks to the Cwoydon Advertiser
(Same standard of journo's as the Unexamined - be warned)
https://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/roy-hodgsons-press-conference-live-1341720

Woy if you like like watching adverts and have 20 odd minutes to waste.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQLsc0B1m1Y

Link only, I get busted again for too many video's