Tuesday 22 January 2008

Making Plans For The Nigels

It’s not too long to go until the clash against Palace, and although I expect a tasty tie with the Nigels, it will be far from an easy prospect at The Valley come February the 8th.

After fleeting with the relegation spots at the end of Peter Taylor’s reign, Neil Warnock has moulded Palace into a side that are a genuine promotion contender. Unbeaten in 15 league games, they’ve not only leapfrogged us on goal difference, they can get within a point of the automatic promotion spots with a win away to Leicester on Monday.

You wouldn’t bet against them on current form – of the last 6 away games, their worst result has been a draw. So then - time to start on the homework.

If you look deeper into the statistics, there’s one element that sticks out. The form of Clinton Morrison has been fantastic – 11 goals in the last 14 games, and the next-closest scorer is Scowcroft on 3.

Before Warnock took over at Palace, Morrison was on just 2 goals and had been limited to a number of substitute appearances. Now he’s banging in almost a goal a game, and if Pardew’s got any sense he’ll be studying the videos of the gobby git already.

It may sound daft, but you only have to look at the last 15 results to see where they’re picking up their points – get him out of the game and I think we’ve got a real chance to keep up the pride on South London.

Oh, and a bonus point for whoever spotted the song title in the headline. ;)

2 comments:

Burgundy Addick said...

Come on, you've got to make it more difficult than that when there's enough of us old farts around. XTC circa 1980.

bas said...

Ha ha, I was only 2 at the time!

Congrats. ;)