Minute-by-Minute Review: Southampton 2 - 0 Palace

(Missed first 100 seconds of the match due to a DirecTV transmission delay. I don't think I missed much, did I?)

3'- Good to see Ward back in the squad.
4'- Ollie back on the touchline...where he should be.
6'- Header by Southampton. Goalline clearance by Ward.
11'- 71% to 29% possession for the hosts early.
12'- Handball after a deflected shot caroms back. Free kick for Southampton.
13'- Chamakh retying his shoes.
14'- Chamakh passes to Kebe on the edge of the box. Then Bannan has his shot blocked.
17'- S. Davis gets a yellow for tugging Kebe.
23'- Lambert fires over the bar from 15 yards.
25'- Handball by Jedinak.
26'- Lambert's free kick from 20 yards is parried by Speroni.
28'- I dig Ollie's shirt and vest combo. Chamakh gets a yellow for simulation in the box.
31'- You can hear Ollie screaming "Tighter!"
38'- Ward's shot blocked away for a corner.
40'- Good defending by Ward on a break towards goal.
43'- 68% to 32% possession. Still not holding on to the ball.
45'- Wanyama fires wide right from way back. 1 minute added.

47'- Osvaldo at the edge of the box, fakes out Dikgacoi, and slots it home past the right side of Speroni. 1-0.
49'- Lambert's free kick from 25 yards clangs off the near post and in. Falling apart. Two goals in four minutes.
53'- Lambert's volley from the edge of the box goes wide.
55'- Palace fans getting louder even after going two down. S. Davis fires over from inside the box.
57'- Jerome enters for Bannan. Thomas for Gayle.
60'- S. Davis' turn deflected away by Gabbidon for a corner.
67'- Ward-Prowse in for S. Davis.
68'- Mariappa picks up a yellow.
72'- Handball by Jerome. Phillips in for Kebe.
77'- Moxey fires well over the bar from long range. Rodriguez relieves Lambert.
84'- Moxey's shot blocked from the edge of the box, comes to Chamakh, but he's whistled offside.
86'- A shot curls in off the post, poked in by Southampton, but whistled offside. Ramirez replaces Lallana.
89'- The Palace faithful are still in full voice. Ward-Prowse fires over.
90'- Five added minutes.
90'+2- Moxey to Jerome inside the box. Miscues over the bar.

FINAL: SOUTHAMPTON 2 - 0 PALACE

My "Man of the Match":

#2 Joel Ward (Neil Everitt)

Solid defensive work by Ward, including a goal-line clearance early in the match. Palace goalless and winless in their last three league matches. It won't be much easier at Anfield next week.

Minute-by-Minute Review: Palace 0 - 2 Swansea City

Pre-match- Nice hand for club president Peter Morley, who passed away a few days ago.

2'- Michu on the break, inside the box, off Speroni and in. 1-0 already.
3'- Too many nerves and giveaways early on for Palace.
4'- Nearly another goal by Swansea. Flores off the post. Three quick corners in succession.
7'- "[Palace] very jittery at the back." Agreed.
11'- Delaney unhappy after a clean tackle gets called for a free kick against Palace. Ollie in the stands again. Second game of the two-match ban.
15'- First decent buildup of the half for Palace. Cross goes across the face of goal.
21'- Puncheon's 20-yard free kick smacks into the wall. Mariappa sprays a rebound over.
25'- Michu tries a flick inside the six; should've shot it. Would've been a sure goal for Swansea.
28'- Moxey gets a yellow for a late challenge.
30'- Michu flies a one-touch shot just over the bar.
31'- Michu heads one over off a corner.
36'- Little tap-off free kick goes to Guedioura, who spins, but fires right at the keeper.
38'- Volley shot by Rangel curled towards the left post, but beautifully stopped by Speroni.
40'- Mariappa whips a cross in, but Chamakh couldn't get on it inside the six.
45'- One minute of added time.

48'- Vazquez's shot saved from a tight angle. The pass then finds Dyer, who slams home the rebound. 2-0.
50'- Rangel and Chamakh pick up yellow cards.
54'- Davies' power shot almost knocks Speroni off his feet.
56'- Vazquez blasts one over after the ball come back off Gabbidon.
60'- De Guzman in for Vazquez.
61'- Puncheon sprays it wide right.
63'- Puncheon pokes it from outside the box, and away for a corner.
67'- Thomas in for Bannan. Gayle in for Jerome.
71'- Pozuelo in for Dyer. Thomas feeds Gayle, and it deflects wide for a corner.
72'- There's still good vocal support for Palace, despite the deficit.
73'- Chico gets a yellow card.
76'- Shelvey curls one over.
78'- Britton for Canas.
79'- Sloppy giveaway by Speroni. No damage done.
80'- Scuffed shot by Guedioura, harmlessly to the keeper. A long ball finds Michu, who can't lob it over Speroni.
84'- Guedioura looped over to Chamakh. Hits one in the ground to the keeper. Offside was whistled anyway.
87'- Pozuelo shoots straight at Speroni. Michu leaves the ball behind right in front of Speroni.
90'- Five minutes of added time.
90'+2- Gayle to Campana, but he fires over the bar.

FINAL: PALACE 0 - 2 SWANSEA CITY

My "Man of the Match":

#1: Julian Speroni (Neil Everitt)

 

If not for Jules, it could have easily been a three- or four-goal deficit. Difficult game at Southampton next weekend.

Minute-by-Minute Review: Manchester United 2 - 0 Palace

2'- First corner to United.
3'- Speroni shrugs away a bullet from Carrick.
6'- Ollie upstairs in the seats, sneaking directions through his cell phone earpiece.
8'- "Eagles!" chants coming through loud and clear.
9'- Mile almost gives away a penalty against Evra, but thankfully, not given.
10'- Bad giveaway to Rooney is snuffed out. Corner conceded.
16'- Commentary about Fellaini: "I wonder if there's a clause in his contract that says he has to keep that hairstyle?" "You know what happened to Samson after he cut his hair..."
19'- Young booked for diving. Accurate call. Led with his leg and went to ground.
22'- Couple more corners for United.
24'- Good leap by Speroni. Great at taking charge, as always.
28'- Build-ups are rare for Palace at the moment.
29'- Rooney with a long-distance shot. Speroni unfazed.
32'- More shots of Ollie on the phone. "The chairman might not be happy with his phone bill."
36'- Van Persie backheels an Evra pass just to the outside of the net.
39'- RVP rattles the bar after a long Rooney feed.
40'- Gayle's shot/cross sprays across the face of goal.
41'- Rooney can't connect on a leaping header off of a Young cross.
42'- Gayle gets around Ferdinand, but misses the far corner after a sweet cross by Mile.
44'- The Palace fans erupt again from the stands. But, Dikgacoi is sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Questionable again. Looked just outside the box.
45'+1- Van Persie's penalty goes low and right of Speroni. 1-0.
45'+2- Yellow for Moxey.

49'- Speroni saves Young's drive with powerful hands.
52'- Gayle fires low and well wide from distance.
55'- Chamakh with a yellow. Young then curls one wide of the far post.
59'- Guedioura for Campana.
61'- Evra finds RVP. Skied over the bar.
62'- Fellaini for Anderson. Here comes the hair.
64'- Jerome for Gayle.
67'- Januzaj for Young.
68'- Fellaini's drive palmed away by Speroni.
69'- RVP shoots over off of a corner kick from the edge of the box.
74'- Scramble in the box, pinballed around, but nothing gets on goal from United.
75'- Another debutante. Kebe for Chamakh.
76'- RVP sharp angle shot blocked by Speroni.
79'- Hernandez for RVP.
81'- Rooney's free kick from 20 yards curled low and to the right.
83'- Januzaj moves in and miscues it well wide.
86'- Rooney goes for the "sand wedge" and sends it wide.
87'- "We're Crystal Palace, we stay 'til the end..."
89'- Rooney to Hernandez. Low drive stopped by Speroni.
90'- Four added minutes.
90'+2- "One of the longest monologues in sporting history continues", as Ollie is again pictured on the phone. Palace gets their first corner of the match. Puncheon to Delaney. Sailed over.
90'+4- Jedinak and Gabbidon clear the last cross away.

FINAL: MANCHESTER UNITED 2 - 0 PALACE

My "Man of the Match":

Gayle again. Created the bulk of the scoring opportunities on a day when Palace didn't have a lot to show for offensively. Winnable game against Swansea at home on Sunday.