Rival Lines: "Wilf Zaha is not the finished article," says Eagles Beak

Rival Lines
Match Preview: Crystal Palace v AFCB
Blogger Interview: The Eagles Beak
12 May 2019
Twitter: @TheEaglesBeak

CC: This week I talked to Crystal Palace fan Jay at the Eagles Beak. Crystal Palace are one of those teams that trundle along and get the odd victory against the top sic but don't necessarily hit top form for long pars of the season - or at leas that is how it looked to me this season. What needs to happen to see a change in that? Do they need to sell Wilfred Zaha or are Palace doing just fine?

 CC: How satisfied are you with Palace's season?

TEB: With a highest points score within our grasp having already secured a 7th successive season in the Premier League (a record for the club), we should be pretty pleased. The sour point is the home form which has been poor, but thankfully we have been fantastic away from Selhurst. There was also plenty of disappointment at losing out in the League Cup quarter finals to lower league opposition and of course the FA Cup quarter final, but I'm pretty sure most fans will look back and think, that wasn't a bad season in the slightest. There is just some frustration at the quality within our squad should be pushing on having been in the Premier League for as long as we have, but I really think you have to be careful what you wish for in this game.

CC: Why do you think Palace tend to get off to slow starts?

TEB: I wish we knew! Last season was quite different with all the turmoil of an early change of manager, this one was marginally better but it dropped off quite quickly. It is so difficult to put your finger on, perhaps the way the fixtures worked out this past couple of season led to dips in form. If we could have managed a slightly better home form we'd have been okay, but hey, it has worked out just fine in the end.

CC:  Would the money for Zaha be a chance to build a better side or is it more important to keep him?

TEB: Keep him - without question. He is still not the finished article, we see frustrations with him but he is a player that can do things with a football not many are able. He is arguably one of the best players outside the top six and it will be a long summer of rumours. The money we get for him, should he go, will not be enough to replace him. In fact, it will be difficult to imagine a Palace side without him. The good news is, Roy Hodgson has come out and said he is looking forward to working with him for another couple years, so there is hope, but I had prepped myself as this being his final season with us. Wilf is such a talent, I would not begrudge him a move for a shot at the big time.

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CC: Which was Palace's best game of the season for you?

TEB: Manchester City at the Etihad. There was not one fan, pundit or journalist that gave us a hope, but we put in a stunning performance to become the only team to win against the reigning champions in their own back yard. Not just that, but to score the goal of the season in that win just put the icing on the cake. What a hit by Andros! Lost count how many times I have watched that - never gets boring.

CC: Were you happy enough with what the team did in the Cup competitions?

TEB: Reaching the quarter-final stage of both competitions is a pretty decent showing, but there was plenty of disappointment at both those losses. Both Boro and Watford deserved their wins, but we did not perform in either game and it was a case of what if on both occasions.

CC: This last game will decide who finishes higher between the two teams. Do you consider AFCB as a similar side in terms of quality to Palace?

TEB: There is not a lot of difference between us in all honesty. We both have plenty of quality running through our sides and there is no doubt that both sets of fans will be hoping to keep hold of that talent during the summer. There is plenty of suggestion that this is a dead rubber, but there is a different of £4million at stake in prize money between positions we can end up finishing and that is an amount that both teams can do with.

CC: How do you expect Palace will line up for the game?

TEB: I think Roy will want to sign off at Selhurst with a win, seeing as there have been very few of those this season. I don't think he will be as bold as he was at Cardiff last week, probably more conservative so expect Jordan Ayew to drop back to the bench with either Kouyate or Meyer to step back in. Maybe, just maybe, we will be more bold at home in this last game so who knows!

CC: What is your score prediction?

TEB: I think we will sign off in style with a win but expect it to be a tough but entertaining affair. 3-2 to Palace.

CC: Thanks to Jay for completing our last Rival Lines of the season. I hope you have enjoyed them, I think it was on the Southampton away match that we missed out on. Jay van rightfully boast that Palace have beaten Man City away and they have the players to worry any team. These games are usually close between Palace and Bournemouth and the league positions suggests that two. I have my fingers crossed for a 0-1 away win and a record points total for AFCB. Many thanks for Jay and the Eagles Beak for their answers and may the best team win this weekend!

The Cherries should go back in for Leicester winger

Leicester City are said to be interested in bringing Andros Townsend to their club and said to be battling Newcastle for the privilege, according to the Guardian. The potential signing of Townsend at Leicester will reopen the debate as to whether Demarai Gray will seek a move this summer, after a lack of starting opportunities at the King Power stadium. AFC Bournemouth will again be at the top of the list for potential candidates to boost their squad with this long term target.

Is Demarai Grey more amenable to a move this transfer window ?

According to the Leicester Mercury, the Cherries made bids of up to £25m last summer for the wide man. That was despite Gray signing a new four-year deal at Leicester in November 2017. Last Season Gray played 35 games in the Premier League and scored three goals and one assists, but in 18 of those games he was a substitute coming on to play. Would Bournemouth be able to give him more starts? AFCB fans may question whether Gray is as good or better than Ryan Fraser, and I think they both have the attractive way of playing that excites Howe. Moreover, Marc Pugh has struggled more with injuries in the last campaign and Howe needs to put pressure on Fraser to get the best out of him.

Signing Gray would make sense in terms of another Englishman who has the ability to get into the national side and while Gray has done okay at Leicester, his career needs a boost to get him into the senior England squad. No doubt Howe would be telling the player that he can do that for him like he has done with Lewis Cook.

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Demari Gray could still holds a grudge over the way Bournemouth tried to constantly sign him when he was a Birmingham player. But the way Bournemouth have never lost interest in him must at some point make him listen to what the Cherries have to offer. 

While Rihad Mahrez has not yet moved from Leicester, it is expected that he will leave to join Man City this summer. Leicester will not want to sell Gray, but Claude Puel may feel with the cash from Mahrez and potentially Gray he could bring in three or more players to the King Power which would give him more of a chance to put his stamp on the team which is still largely dominated by the players that Ranieri had from the title winning side.

Dean Court Days- get a signed copy!
In other news, Michael Dunne is holding a signing day for Dean Court Days on Saturday 23 June between 1-3pm at In off the far post, 901 Old Christchurch Road, in Pokesdown BH7 6AX. Richard Cooke and Paul Morrell are also popping in to sign a few copies of the book.

Southgate's World Cup - Day 7

Are Tottenham too strong for the Cherries?

What do I think of Tottenham when I think of their team? Harry Kane and  Dele Alli spring to mind, but it's not a team that shouts watch out to me, so I'll be very interested to see what quality they have and how they set up against the Cherries away from home. Does Mauricio Pochettino have a side though that are capable of challenging for the top four and handing out big punishments to the lower sides in the league?

No doubt we will see on Sunday. Tottenham's away form has been solid if not spectacular. Their form has been good enough for Pochettino to pick up September's manager of the month award as they have only lost one game. Then again, they have only beaten Sunderland away from home and that was just a 0-1 victory, so they have found it difficult on the road, although their other away games were at Old Trafford and the King Power stadium - teams that are both going well - and a draw at the Liberty stadium, which is never an easy game.

Spurs are not a one or two man team. They have Andros Townsend on the wing and at the back they have Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who signed from Athletico Madrid in the summer, with the exciting Danny Rose at left back and England international Carl Walker at right back. In midfield it is Erik Lamella, the No11 who has been scoring the goals this season, and Christian Eriksen is Harry Kane's usual partner when Pochettino plays with two up top.

New summer signings have also included midfielder Son Heung-Min from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m (injured), Austrian defender Kevin Wimmer from Cologne and Kieran Trippier from Burnley.

Spurs Away Form
LDWD

AFCB Home Form
LWDD

Spurs team last time out in the Premier League

Lloris

Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose

Dembélé, Alli, Lamela, Chadli

Eriksen, Kane

Chadli was injured and will be out for six weeks. Also said to be injured are Bentalab, Son, Mason and Pritchard while Eric Dier is available after serving his one match suspention.

My predicted AFCB side
Boruc, Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Gosling, Pugh, King, Murray

Subs
Federici, Bennett, Cargill, Smith, Surman, Kermorgant, Rantie 

Arter could be back for this game or Liverpool in midweek. I'm not confident about Boruc, but I believe he'll be given every opportunity to play.