West Coast Hornets

New season starts with a narrow defeat. Are we encouraged that we came so close to picking up our first point so early in the campaign?

Great start to season. Checking who is on this page and that everyone can see posts and can post posts....

So the good news is that overseas supporters can again see most matches live via Hive Live. There will be an early bird subscription rate, not yet available it seems.

A few hours to kick off of the most important match of the season. Let's hope CR70 can get a toon out of his squad. COYH.

Here is our official match report from a West Coast Hornet watching in the Rookery end itself.

The match started underwhelmingly. Though not as poor as the Brighton start, there were still misplaced passes and Rose promptly gave away a needless free kick after a late tackle by the corner flag. Troost-Ekong and co were still playing far too risky passes for my liking – not wanting to tempt fate, but lightning striking twice is very much a possibility.

Palace were well on top throughout the first half. Most attacks going through Zaha, but they failed to really find any goalscoring threat or final product. Foster dealt with everything well and made some smart saves. Was nice to see him back in goal – the fans greeted him with a great reception. When the half-time whistle went, it had actually been a rather dull half, with precious little of note. Etebo performed positively, getting stuck in and looking more assured than his shaky performance vs Brighton. Sema was largely ineffectual playing out of position, though hopefully this is a short-term issue.

The arrival of Emmanuel Dennis sparked the game into life. And with Watford now playing towards the Rookery end, darkness had fallen, and the 9,000-strong crowd came to life under the floodlights. Dennis and Cucho looked pacy, skilful and threatening on the counter attack. And as Palace pushed for a breakthrough, we capitalised.

We had to wait till the 87th minute, which made it that much sweeter. It was Ashley Fletcher of all people to take the initiative and slot home the winner from a cracking Cucho cross. And the fans even had a chant for him by the end. Fletcher had been a tad anonymous throughout the game but hadn’t done much wrong either. The goal helped in my estimation of him, and he could be a useful – if unlikely – addition.

Satisfying to say we’ve got one over Palace again and we can move forward from Saturday’s result. Will be a different ball game against Spurs, of course. An enjoyable evening topped off by all the jeering whenever Ngakia or Femenia or anybody else managed to stop Zaha in his tracks and duly frustrate him. Palace have failed to score in any of their opening three fixtures. It looks like they could really struggle this season and will be desperate for their first victory. COYH!

Member off to McGill University, Montreal. Eastern branch under construction.

While we wait for the official West Coast Hornets match report from the AMEX from our correspondent who was apparently seated next to the From The Rookery End podcast guys, here are some thoughts from a television (DAZN) viewer in Montreal.

That was the performance most fans had feared and probably expected following the pre-season performance malaise and the transfer window saga. Fears assuaged by the opening stupendous game against a ta**ry Villa, but not completely expunged. And now writ large once more.

Midfield - it beggars belief that in the 2nd game of the season we cannot find one midfield player to occupy a bench slot. Cucka was such a revelation for his 65 minutes' long debut that it was inevitable we'd miss him badly this match as we did once he came off against Villa. Louza, a more expensive squad addition, sadly did make the same contribution; this is not to be critical or draw any conclusions at all about his abilities or potential. Gosling was out, anecdotally off with COVID. As an aside an astonishingly large proportion of professional footballers including at the highest echelons of the game are vaccine refusers. There was an old canard about footballers being as thick as two short planks, and perhaps the current generation of players are trying hard to live up to their predecessors' reputation. Many consider Gosling not really of Premier League quality. Two Watford players of Premier League quality, Hughes and Chalobah, are not available to Xisco. The new Turk's paperwork is not yet completed. Quina is mysteriously absent. Dele-Bishiru is loaned out. So we have a not brilliant midfield trio and no midfielder on the bench. Odd to say the least and whatever the explanations, criticism can fairly be levelled at the club.

Next we turn to the defence. Makeshift right back was again Cathcart with Kiko not featuring and Ngakia unused on the bench. This can't be a right. Masina seems to struggle a bit at left back, but Danny Rose can't yet get a game. More worryingly most fans perceived the weakness of Troost-Ekong and doubted he was PL quality and his performance did everything to confirm that. Roll on the return of Sierralata and the author belies another centre back is called for.

We have an embarrassment of riches up top and surely the right combination and dangerous subs will emerge in time. We probably won't be well advised to play 6 or 7 attacking players at the same time; let's leave that to the Manchester clubs.

Sema is much loved but didn't cut it in the Premier League last time. Improved since then and a top Championship player, the author doubts he should be a starter for very long this season. Fast and strong, he might be effective coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes of a hard fought match to attack with his strength and speed rather than to bolster defence.

Tuesday will be interesting vs Palace to get minutes into legs and further integrate newer squad players.

Let's pray for a decent performance vs Tottenham before the international break.

Trust everyone enjoyed the first season game and victory last Saturday. Let's hope we have a similar performance tomorrow at Brighton. West Coast Hornets will have a representative at the match, and other members are in Montreal planning to watch the game on DAZN at the rather civilised time of 12.30pm. COYH

Least important game of the season upcoming, but we shall be there at 7am Pacific to analyse the action and critique any fringe players given a chance to impress. COYH