FourFourTwo UK – September 2019

FFTVERDICT

FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 17

LUKAMILIVOJEVIC

EvenallowingforZaha,thekeyplayeris Luka

Milivojevic.Fora start,he’shard– proper1970s

hardbutwithoutchoppingpeopleinhalf.He’s

a brilliantpasseroftheball,hescoresallthose

lovelypenalties,andhehasverygoodmanners.

KEY PLAYER

13

TH

VIEW FROM THE STAn DS

ROB SUTHERLAND @FYPFANZINE

The big talking point among the

fans is the selling of star players

and of the football club itself, with

rumours about a Chinese buyout

of our American part-owners.

This season will be different

because we’ll match stellar away

form with equivalent home form.

Our most underrated player is

dependable defender Joel Ward.

Look out for our young central

midfielder Luke Dreher.

The best away ground is

Goodison Park, for old-school

English authenticity.

The best away fans are Man

United’s – they really know how

to make a racket.

The player I’d happily drive to

another club is Wayne Hennessey.

His form is rarely consistent, his

off-pitch foolishness embarrassing.

The opposition player I secretly

admire is Felipe Anderson – too

good for this West Ham side.

The one change I’d make to the

club would be making home form

a priority. It’s not value for money.

The pantomime villain will be

Watford – the whole club. It’s

an odd rivalry, but they targeted

Zaha with rotational fouling.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is

that he’s popular, but there is

a frustration with the home form

and our in-game indecisiveness.

If he left, he should be replaced

by a manager who can produce

good football on a budget, like

Daniel Farke or Chris Wilder.

Save the date for December 14:

Brighton at Selhurst Park in the

derby no one else understands.

We’ll finish between 10th and

14th, where our budget allows.

FIVE-POIn T PLAn

1

WIN AT HOME

It sounds simple, but apparently
it’s a conundrum so tricky that
a coaching staff with around 250
years of experience between them
can’t solve. Hang on, perhaps our
coaching staff are too old! I did a fans’
Q&A in May with Roy Hodgson, who
said, “Please don’t ask me about the
home form.” I was happy to oblige, so
I asked him about Russian literature
instead. Unfortunately, every single
supporter who put their hand up said,
“Why can’t we win at home, Roy?”

2

TRY NOT TO LOSE SEVEN OF

YOUR FIRST EIGHT GAMES

Again, this is apparently much
easier said than done. No football
fan wants to be working out relegation
permutations before September is over.
Last season we exited Craven Cottage
happy after a comfortable 2-0 victory,
unaware that Fulham were a terrible
side. Six weeks later we roared with
relief after drawing against Newcastle
at Selhurst Park. That can’t be right.

3

BRING IN A STRIKER WHO

GUARANTEES YOU MORE

THAN ONE GOAL A SEASON

Christian Benteke looks like
a striker, he runs around like a striker,
he jumps like a striker – but then the
warm-up finishes, and so does any
resemblance to a striker. He’s a lovely
lad by all accounts and I don’t like to
criticise, but, you know, those goals
are quite big. You’d think, statistically,
that at least three of his half-arsed
attempts would go in per season.

4

DON’T LET CRAIG PAWSON

OFFICIATE OUR MATCHES

The man clearly hates us. I don’t
know if he was once let down by
a partner in south London or couldn’t
handle the hot sauce on a Thornton
Heath kebab, but he is taking revenge
game by game. I never thought there
would be a rival to Mark Clattenburg,
but my God, Pawson is giving it a go.

5

DON’T ALLOW VAR

AT EAGLES GAMES

Palace won a lot of penalties last
season, and some refs looking at
video replays could get the erroneous
impression that one of our men may be
maximising falling-down opportunities.

SEASOn PREVIEW

Themarvellously-

named Shelverdine

Goathouse over on

South Norwood High

Street welcomes

visiting fans and has

a fantastic range

of beers and ales.

Photographerand

loyal Palace fan

@sebastian1906

(Sebastian Frej)

captures wonderful

images at games,

training sessions

and club events.

Palacearetheonly

club to have been

relegated from the

Premier League

having finished

fourth-bottom.

HitTastyJerkforsomeofsouth

London’s best Jamaicancuisine.

Its smoke often moves across

Selhurst Park on a matchday.

VisitCrystalPalacePark, a Victorian

pleasure garden with dinosaurs,

lakes and the National Sports

Centre. A true London treasure.

MATCHDAY PACK

AWAY PUB

SIGn ATURE DISH WHILE YOU’RE HERE...

DID YOU MUST FOLLOW

K nOW...?

AUGUST

10 Everton (h)

18 Sheffield United (a)

24 Man United (a)

31 Aston Villa (h)

SEPTEMBER

14 Tottenham (a)

21 Wolves (h)

28 Norwich (h)

OCTOBER

5 West Ham (a)

19 Man City (h)

26 Arsenal (a)

NOVEMBER

2 Leicester (h)

9 Chelsea (a)

23 Liverpool (h)

30 Burnley (a)

DECEMBER

4 Bournemouth (h)

7 Watford (a)

14 Brighton (h)

21 Newcastle (a)

26 West Ham (h)

28 Southampton (a)

JANUARY

1 Norwich (a)

11 Arsenal (h)

18 Man City (a)

22 Southampton (h)

FEBRUARY

1 Sheffield United (h)

8 Everton (a)

22 Newcastle (h)

29 Brighton (a)

MARCH

7 Watford (h)

14 Bournemouth (a)

21 Liverpool (a)

APRIL

4 Burnley (h)

11 Leicester (a)

18 Chelsea (h)

25 Aston Villa (a)

MAY

2 Man United (h)

9 Wolves (a)

17 Tottenham (h)

FIXTURES

They must improve their

home form to steer clear

of trouble. And keep Zaha.