Are we one of the unluckiest clubs out there?

[jimhigham]

The way things feel right now good luck would be just finishing Monday night with 11 still on the pitch.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Let's put a realistic, but a positive, twist to this. This season has been phenomenal, from the start when we were expected to be mid-table finishers or worse, we have scaled unbelievable heights. So if the worst happens on Monday night and we fail to make the play-off final we will come back bigger and stronger next season.

It'll be hard to come back bigger and stonger next season with the fat cat Premier League clubs circling to pick off our best players, unless you're talking about us signing Ade Akinfenwa of course.

 

[CHAPPERS]

To me it all boils down to the photo Bozza put up last week. Barton''s stamp and Stephen's clean winning off the ball with two very different outcomes in two huge games.

 

[Spinal Wheels]

Well I don't know about the unluckiest club out there, it certainly seemed that way over the last two games
But that's now six massive games over the last four seasons & we've failed to win any of them.

PALACE 2012/13 PLAY OFFS 0-0 away, 0-2 home
DERBY 2013/14 PLAY OFFS 1-2 home, 4-1 away
BORO FINAL GAME FOR PROMOTION 1-1 away
SHEFFIELD WED PLAY OFFS 2-0 away

We've sadly failed in every big game for obviously sometimes circumstances beyond our control.

It all doesn't seem just or far. But until we start winning these huge games we will certainly be staying in the Championship.

 

[el punal]

This.

We shouldn't be looking for excuses. It makes us look weak.

Over the season we have gone missing in games against important rivals. Now we are reaping the fruits of our own making.

We have one last chance on Monday.

Sorry, but that is utter tosh! The only important rival we lost to was Middlesbrough, and that was in the middle of an injury crisis to our key players. Throughout the season we have played against "important rivals" who fell away as the season progressed. We have, apart from a few days, been in the top four all season. This has culminated in us reaching 89 points, which in the vast majority of seasons would have guaranteed an automatic promotion place.

The fruits of our own making, as you so cynically put it, are that we are still in the play-offs. I'm not quite sure what you mean that we've gone missing - the consensus of opinion from opposition sides and their fans is that we are a very hard side to beat (5 defeats in 46 games) so where the hell is the "gone missing" bit? Please elaborate.

 

[GloryDays]

Miss out on promotion with a record high points total for 3rd in the Championship, on goal difference. 2-3 of our games against the top 2 had dubious refereeing decisions go against us (depending on whether you include the Burnley 'penalty' against Dunk), 4 of our players get injured in our play off first leg forcing us to play for most of the second half with 10 men. Looking increasingly likely we won't make it to Wembley AGAIN despite making the playoffs 3 of the last 4 seasons. Looking at our track record someone will probably come in and poach Hughton, Kayal, Goldson etc and we'll have to start again

We lost 2-0 to Rotherham. Looking back that was probably quite significant.

The only issue we'll truly have in the summer is Kayal going - as he will, probably to Burnley and will wear Joey Barton's old number. If we lose him it'll be like taking the engine out of a car.

If we had knocky all season as well we would have probably won this league with games to spare. So close....

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

It'll be hard to come back bigger and stonger next season with the fat cat Premier League clubs circling to pick off our best players, unless you're talking about us signing Ade Akinfenwa of course.

To be brutally honest, when Stoke are signing Xherdan Shaqiri and Palace Yohan Cabaye, I don't see even Connor Goldson or Beram Kayal being near the top of any Premier League clubs' wants lists.

 

[el punal]

It'll be hard to come back bigger and stonger next season with the fat cat Premier League clubs circling to pick off our best players, unless you're talking about us signing Ade Akinfenwa of course.

True. But I feel the spirit in the team, Chris Hughton's expertise as manager, and the fact that we are (were - I hope not!) so close to promotion, might convince the players that staying is the right option. They, themselves, know how good the team and the club are, as we do. Just remember that this time last year the club just managed to avoid relegation. The improvement has been astonishing and I see no reason that we can't go one better next season should we not be successful in the play-offs.

 

[madinthehead]

Nah, just perfectly set up for us to go on and get promoted. Will be worthy of one of those unbelievable sports movies...

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

True. But I feel the spirit in the team, Chris Hughton's expertise as manager, and the fact that we are (were - I hope not!) so close to promotion, might convince the players that staying is the right option. They, themselves, know how good the team and the club are, as we do. Just remember that this time last year the club just managed to avoid relegation. The improvement has been astonishing and I see no reason that we can't go one better next season should we not be successful in the play-offs.

Pretty much my hope as well - that should we not get through the squad unity/band of brothers type thing might count for something, fat pay cheques elsewhere notwithstanding, and that Hughton will sit the squad down once the dust had settled and have exactly that talk with them, with Stockdale also doing his rallying bit.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

To be brutally honest, when Stoke are signing Xherdan Shaqiri and Palace Yohan Cabaye, I don't see even Connor Goldson or Beram Kayal being near the top of any Premier League clubs' wants lists.

Agree to an extent, let's hope their sights are set overseas rather than on lower league talent.

 

[Eggmundo]

Maybe it's time we borrowed beyond our means, went into administration while still retaining all our key assets, have another crack at the premier league & if it doesn't work we can do it all over again!

It works for some clubs.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Luck? it comes both good and bad..we start a 6th straight (a new record for BHA) season in the Championship next season if we go out Monday and we have had 3 good seasons out of 5 so far in the Championship.... a great season this year...It's all still good.....there are a lot of clubs worse of than us and it's all character building for all concerned....

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Its unlucky to blame unwanted outcomes on luck. Don't jinx the return leg!

 

[Prince Monolulu]

It works for some clubs.

But not all.

 

[Danny-Boy]

It'll be hard to come back bigger and stonger next season with the fat cat Premier League clubs circling to pick off our best players, unless you're talking about us signing Ade Akinfenwa of course.

FFS now shurely...

 

[Danny-Boy]

Agree to an extent, let's hope their sights are set overseas rather than on lower league talent.

The clubs who will descend like vultures will be those like Burnley, Boro and Hull/Derby/Wednesday who have played you this season and know how good your players are (and their weaknesses).

 

[Eeyore]

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

 

[Sorrel]

Well I don't know about the unluckiest club out there, it certainly seemed that way over the last two games
But that's now six massive games over the last four seasons & we've failed to win any of them.

PALACE 2012/13 PLAY OFFS 0-0 away, 0-2 home
DERBY 2013/14 PLAY OFFS 1-2 home, 4-1 away
BORO FINAL GAME FOR PROMOTION 1-1 away
SHEFFIELD WED PLAY OFFS 2-0 away

We've sadly failed in every big game for obviously sometimes circumstances beyond our control.

It all doesn't seem just or far. But until we start winning these huge games we will certainly be staying in the Championship.

This is the key, really. On the "big occasions" we need to do more than nearly do it.

We've been better this year, but the game against Derby couldn't quite do enough - and Burnley at home a few weeks earlier. Followed by three more must win games that we've drawn and lost two of so far.

 

[vegster]

Well I don't know about the unluckiest club out there, it certainly seemed that way over the last two games
But that's now six massive games over the last four seasons & we've failed to win any of them.

PALACE 2012/13 PLAY OFFS 0-0 away, 0-2 home
DERBY 2013/14 PLAY OFFS 1-2 home, 4-1 away
BORO FINAL GAME FOR PROMOTION 1-1 away
SHEFFIELD WED PLAY OFFS 2-0 away

We've sadly failed in every big game for obviously sometimes circumstances beyond our control.

It all doesn't seem just or far. But until we start winning these huge games we will certainly be staying in the Championship.

Indeed, and the worst part is the times when the team simply did not turn up on the day.