As a Palace fan...

[Triggaaar]

Having read all of the posts above, it seems we are keeping our feet well grounded.

I know very little about this Albion side. Are you over-performing or have you got the core of a side that can maintain your fast start?

No one can maintain the start we've had - if we did, we'd finish on 124 points. No team is ever going to do that, let alone us. We haven't won any game by more than a goal, so while we've got the points, it's been by fine margins.

We've played well and games have gone our way. We've not missed any key players yet (apart from Kaz yesterday, which was the ideal time to miss him anyway) and we will. And other teams have had little chance to work us out, as it's a new team and new formation. I imagine several teams will make it harder for us at the start of games.

 

[Stato]

A good start to the season is nice, but what is better is that Chris Hughton seems to be a thoroughly decent man who has a squad of people that we can be happy to support with none of the queeziness that so often comes with supporting football in the 21st century. As Bozza pointed out on another thread, the likes of Calderon, Stockdale, Rosenior, Zamora etc. are good pros who seem to care for each other, for their club and for the community they are being employed to represent.

 

[chucky1973]

Long Long Long way to go. How we deal with injuries and suspensions will be the key to our success this season. We steer clear of major crisis and I think we have as good a chance as the original favs of getting automatic. Success will bring the bums back on the seats and a bursting loud AMEX could be the biggest factor come May.

But as I say, a long long long way to go.

 

[Peter Grummit]

I was thinking about that the other day - when we went up I was convinced we'd go straight down and consoled myself with the fact that you got more games in the Champ, it was a 'real' league etc etc. Now I'd hate to be outside of the PL. You get used to the coverage and taking on the big boys, does help we've beat a few.

There's a bit of context - I live in Cambridge and coach my son's football team, so haven't got a ST. And it's a pain to get tickets when I do get a free Saturday. Going to WBA and Soton before Christmas. To be fair to CPFC2010 they've kept ST prices down.

So for you, I guess the flip side of ko time moves is that you can watch more on TV if you don't have the time to travel etc?

I've always taken the view that if we go up, great, but I'm not that fussed as the Champ is great fun as a league. Certainly compared with L2 at Gillingham or Withdean. I could be persuaded otherwise if we keep playing like we are!

PG

 

[WonderingSoton]

Derby looked the best team in the league for long periods of the season, well into the new year. And then didn't even make the playoffs.

This league is a harsh mistress, all you can do is enjoy one weekend to the next. Promotions are about jockeying for position as the final hurdles come into view in March onwards.

 

[Questions]

Interesting, which 7 teams do you think might be better than us? I can only think of 3 who might be. Would have been 5 but we've beaten both Ipswich and Hull.

Your basing all that on the form over 6 or 7 games though Icy. If we are 5 points clear in January then I would be gutted if we missed out. Until then as the old adage says, 'One game at a time'. We are on a good run but it's just so early at the moment.

 

[Guinness Boy]

We've given ourselves a very decent head start. That's all right now.

IMO we've got as good a shot as we did in Gus' last season. And we all know how that ended, especially the OP.

 

[La` Cucaracha¤]

This time last year Forest has 17 points from 7 matches and were unbeaten at the top - and look what happened there

I think we've got a chance of a play off place.

 

[paulie]

So for you, I guess the flip side of ko time moves is that you can watch more on TV if you don't have the time to travel etc?

I've always taken the view that if we go up, great, but I'm not that fussed as the Champ is great fun as a league. Certainly compared with L2 at Gillingham or Withdean. I could be persuaded otherwise if we keep playing like we are!

PG

Exactly - a few TV games help out. I think as fans we're pretty happy to adapt to whichever league we're in.

 

[paulie]

The chances of this surly little dullard asking a sincere question about our chances on here is about equal with the chances of Steve Evans choosing to forego the last Greggs sausage roll on the buffet table at a Croydon wedding reception.

Who rattled your cage? Why don't you do one if you've got nothing insightful to add.

 

[Tooting Gull]

It is relevant having a Palace fan ask this, because there is no doubt that the play-off semi-final was a massive moment in the development of both clubs. Palace have grabbed the chance it offered with both hands and made a good job of it. And I have to admit I feared that what I thought was 'our time' had gone, maybe for a long time. We might easily not have had another chance for years/decades, and obviously there is no guarantee this season will be the one anyway.

I think we're all surprised by just how well the season has started, but the signings were good and they have settled, the squad has depth, existing players have found better form or are back from injury and playing well, and the manager is sound both tactically and in man management terms, and will make good decisions and not panic. At the very least it is almost 20 points on the board after 7 games out of 46, virtually a fifth of what you might need for automatic and a big chunk of what you might need for the play-offs.

Like others, I think if you finish above Boro you'll be up automatically this season.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Probably not. The odds are still well against us getting promoted, but like you, we'll enjoy our start to the season while we can.

Not really, we are 5/2 to get promoted, 4th favourites now

 

[Triggaaar]

We have 2 senior or very promising players for every position.

One great positive this season is the strength in depth we have, but we don't have 2 players for each centre midfield position. First backup for the centre 2 is probably JFC at the moment. Crofts will hopefully become the first choice, but we don't know how he'll be on his return.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Disaster waiting to happen if we get promoted , enjoy the ride
regards
DR

 

[paulie]

It is relevant having a Palace fan ask this, because there is no doubt that the play-off semi-final was a massive moment in the development of both clubs. Palace have grabbed the chance it offered with both hands and made a good job of it. And I have to admit I feared that what I thought was 'our time' had gone, maybe for a long time. We might easily not have had another chance for years/decades, and obviously there is no guarantee this season will be the one anyway.

I think we're all surprised by just how well the season has started, but the signings were good and they have settled, the squad has depth, existing players have found better form or are back from injury and playing well, and the manager is sound both tactically and in man management terms, and will make good decisions and not panic. At the very least it is almost 20 points on the board after 7 games out of 46, virtually a fifth of what you might need for automatic and a big chunk of what you might need for the play-offs.

Like others, I think if you finish above Boro you'll be up automatically this season.

Good summary - which of the ones coming in have made the difference? Obviously the striker.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Too much negativity and realism on here.

We are a very good side. We pass the ball at pace and have a goal scorer at last who knows where the goal is. Our midfield is working well and our defence looks assured.

We are nailed on promotion and will do an arsenal where we won't lose a game all season and will be playing premiership next year with all that entails...kerching. ££££££££

 

[Vegas Seagull]

We've won 6 out of 7 and drawn 1 - that's just a run of form that we or almost any team in the division could manage at any time during the course of the season. We just happen to have done it from game 1 this year.

We've given ourselves a good early platform, but at this stage that's all it is. There's still 85% of the season to go.

Not if we carry on like this, at this rate we'll be up with the last half dozen games a jolly up with U18's, fans & mascots getting a run out

 

[dazzer6666]

We've won 6 out of 7 and drawn 1 - that's just a run of form that we or almost any team in the division could manage at any time during the course of the season. We just happen to have done it from game 1 this year.

We've given ourselves a good early platform, but at this stage that's all it is. There's still 85% of the season to go.

Interesting and encouraging that we've done it with basically a completely new team though. Way too early to say for me, but like many for now actually looking forward to going to watch games and seeing some quality

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Disaster waiting to happen if we get promoted , enjoy the ride
regards
DR

Why?

 

[Triggaaar]

Probably not. The odds are still well against us getting promoted

Not really, we are 5/2 to get promoted, 4th favourites now

I make that about a 1 in 4 chance (I will explain if needed), so the odds are well against us getting promoted.