Moot_Geeza wrote:

This is probably the worst Evans has played for us in 10yrs.

He's been a quality player in his day, but he's a good few years past his prime now.

Are Palace going to carry this form into next season? I fucking hope not

Do you need to sell for FFP? I think this came up the other week but I forget. It'll be really shite if you have to break up a good thing, as much as I don't want to have another strong team for us to fight next season

Paul the sparky wrote:

Moot_Geeza wrote:

This is probably the worst Evans has played for us in 10yrs.

He's been a quality player in his day, but he's a good few years past his prime now.

Agree, but astonishingly when fit I'd say he's been one of our best players this season.

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Paul the sparky wrote:

Moot_Geeza wrote:

This is probably the worst Evans has played for us in 10yrs.

He's been a quality player in his day, but he's a good few years past his prime now.

Agree, but astonishingly when fit I'd say he's been one of our best players this season.

It happens with defenders. Experience and positioning can make up for losing a bit of pace, and Evans never had any to rely on in the first place. But when the legs go, they properly go. Mateta went past him like he had concrete boots on. Sad to see to be honest

The midfield getting cut through like a lightsaber through butter never helps. Can make the defence look like right daft cunts, because they're exposed against players who can do anyone one on one.

Seen it a fair few times with Newcastle this season, the defence getting dogs abuse when our 3 in midfield were doing fuck all to protect them

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Martinez might be the new Phil Jones. Considering our collection of injury prone CBs would you not say the Evans decision worked out? He was only brought in to play in a pinch but he must have played 30 games this season. Better to have cover than not surely? Had a mare today obviously. @Dante

In reply I've dug up what I said at the time we signed him:

Diluted Dante wrote:

I'd rather a safety net wasn't a 35 year old that wasn't good enough for us 8 years ago. Other players are available.

Some fun posts I found on the journey

Diluted Dante wrote:

United, bar the goal which was some sort of terminal lucidity, were turgid. They played like they had all met for the first time today. It's going to be a long season.

Diluted Dante wrote:

I'm beginning to think that Ten Hag might not be a tactical genius, and is in fact simply bald.

Diluted Dante wrote:

How could I possibly have known that baldy hadn't solved our defensive clown shoes by trying to force Harry Maguire out.

Also none of you fuckers recognised my brilliant Rasmus lines.

Diluted Dante wrote:

Don't know anything about this striker we've just signed, he's been very much in the shadows for me.

Diluted Dante wrote:

GooberTheHat wrote:

Why have utd spent 70mil on a striker that scored 1 goal per 3 1/2 games last season?

No sleep until I'm done with finding the answer.

Olimite wrote:

Paul the sparky wrote:

Do you need to sell for FFP? I think this came up the other week but I forget. It'll be really shite if you have to break up a good thing, as much as I don't want to have another strong team for us to fight next season

I don’t think we do, no.

Be great if palace can keep olise and eze (unless we can sign them please!), but expect one or both might leave and not sure they can be replaced adequately.

Olimite wrote:

To be honest I don’t think you could afford them without selling.

no probably not with FFP stuff. Wasn't really the point i was making though, it was more that i think it would be great to see players like that stay with their team for a bit longer to help the team push on, rather than be hoovered up asap by the 'big' clubs

RamSteelwood wrote:

Olimite wrote:

To be honest I don’t think you could afford them without selling.

no probably not with FFP stuff. Wasn't really the point i was making though, it was more that i think it would be great to see players like that stay with their team for a bit longer to help the team push on, rather than be hoovered up asap by the 'big' clubs

Oh I know, I didn’t take it that way at all. In fact I was worried when I posted it would sound arrogant. I’m happy with us being a buy low, sell high model. Freedman has a habit of finding diamonds in the rough.

I know, I was super envious of you being there last night. Hope you and syph-jr enjoyed it

Syph79 wrote:

The club keep the terms of the agreements quiet and (if reports are to be believed) threatened to take Chelsea to court over their pursuit of Olise, because the only way to get the details of the clause is effectively to tap the player up.

Is this how buyout clauses usually work?  I've never really understood them tbh, until recently I just assumed clubs had to disclose the details for that sort of thing.  Isn't a top secret buyout clause essentially not a buyout clause at all, and more like a hushed up thermal exhaust port?

In Spain, it's a requirement of each contract to have a public-facing release clause, so everyone knows what's what. They can be ridiculously inflated, but all parties agree what they are and they are out there.

Here, it's a different matter. There's no requirement and it tends to be something that's either there to protect the player's interests more than the club, but can if the mood is right suit both parties.

Olise was signed by Palace from Reading for an £8m fee. It was his release clause at the time. He was rumoured to have a £35m one in his first Palace contract, which would have represented a decent gain for Palace, but he was obviously worth more than that in the market at the time, so the club renegotiated and gave him a pay rise in the process. It's now being reported at anything from £60-£75m.

The 'outsider' reports of the £35m clause were matched by comments that it was a 'complicated' clause to trigger. 'Insiders' said at the time it required Olise to ask the club for a buy-out amount, which would then mean he forgoes all loyalty bonuses, as he's effectively asking to leave. As Chelsea just bid the £35m without Olise asking first and it was reported they'd agreed a package with his representatives, it prompted the club to threaten legal action.

I would hazard a guess that a similar clause is in place today. Olise can leave when he wants, for the right price, but has to ask the club for the fee they deem appropriate beforehand. It probably will be around £75m, but won't be a simple as saying 'here's the cash for your player'.

Paul the sparky wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

Olimite wrote:

I know, I was super envious of you being there last night. Hope you and syph-jr enjoyed it

I'd normally say to to Syph Jr that it's a school night and he can't come, but I had a feeling that this was going to be one of those nights to remember, so he was there next to me. He had the time of his life.

Lifelong memory for him there. Games under lights are always more special too, great stuff

Yeah. I'm cherishing the memory and all i did was check bbc sport for the score at half time and again at full time!

Paul the sparky wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

Olimite wrote:

I know, I was super envious of you being there last night. Hope you and syph-jr enjoyed it

I'd normally say to to Syph Jr that it's a school night and he can't come, but I had a feeling that this was going to be one of those nights to remember, so he was there next to me. He had the time of his life.

Lifelong memory for him there. Games under lights are always more special too, great stuff

You should bring him to the Molyneux Saturday. You'll likely bang 6 past us with the terrible run of form we've had.

Syph79 wrote:

Mate, I'd love nothing more. Not because I have an issue with Wolves and I certainly don't want to upset you (hugs), but I'd love Palace to do something remarkable and catch Brighton (we won't) and that would realistically take two more wins. There's the obvious rivalry, but that aside the fact we've had a largely awful season versus the pundit's pick for darling of the PL, it would be delicious. If not, there's always next season!

I'm just pleased we seem to have a tactically aware, modern manager, who has the emotional intelligence to match it all. I do think something special is round the corner for us.

I did just check, but it's a sell out. Natch!

Well I sometimes get offered free tickets from mates so I'll let you know if anything comes up. It's unlikely though as it's the last home game of the season so I expect everyone will go despite being shit recently.

Wolves have nowt to play for and the defence looks tired so I expect a comfortable Palace win.