April 2013: Approaching the End of the Season
P/S: There were 6 matches played in April leaving only 1 more league game in May. So I am going to include the final game in this update as well
Fixtures & Results
Crystal Palace vs Wolves
1 - 0
Goal:
Hervin Ongenda (10)
Blackpool vs Crystal Palace
3 - 2
Goal:
Wilfried Zaha (18)
Federico Laurito (73)
Crystal Palace vs Watford
1 - 1
Goal:
Bryan Rabello (15)
Hull vs Crystal Palace
2 - 0
Goal:
None
Crystal Palace vs Burnley
1 - 0
Goal:
Hervin Ongenda (78)
Charlton vs Crystal Palace
0 - 2
Goal:
Hervin Ongenda (9,18)
Crystal Palace vs Sheffield Wednesday
1 - 1
Goal:
Mile Jedinak (88)
League Table
All 46 matches were played and we managed to hold on to the last playoff spot quiete comfortably in the end, 5 points ahead of 7th placed Millwall.
Wolves have been excellent all season and deservedly won the Championship while Blackburn who started the season pretty poorly turn their fortune around since the appointment of former Millwall manager, Kenny Jacket. The two teams gained automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Burnley, Blackpool and Bristol City completes the 4 teams fighting in the playoffs while Watford, Leeds and Barnsley were the unfortunate teams getting relegation to League 1.
NPower Championship Young Player of the Month
On loan 17 years old striker, Hervin Ongenda, deservedly awarded the NPower Championship Young Player of the Month.
The PSG owned striker managed to score 4 goals in 6 matches while showing excellent link up play with Wilfried Zaha, Adryan and Bryan Rabello forming an exciting quartet of young attackers for Crystal Palace.
It is also worth noting that Wilfried Zaha finished runner up to Ongenda after contributing 1 goal and 4 assists in 6 matches.
Injury Update
Bryan Rabello is surely out of Crystal Palace playoff matches as he went out injured for two months with a broken arms after scoring in the 1-1 draw against Watford.
Jon Williams and Giuseppe Mascara is fighting to make it into the playoff squad. Both players are still injured and is in doubt for the playoff matches.
Vinnie's Verdict
After a dodgy start in the month, I fear for the worst. That we'll lose our grip of the final playoff spot. An inspired team talk and a few personal meetings with some of the players saw we turn our form around and did well to finish 6th
A playoff meeting with Burnley looms and I am looking forward to it. We beat them only just recently by a Hervin Ongenda solitary goal and I am looking for the team to do even better this time around.
I am hoping that we Bristol City will do us a favor by beating Blackpool in the other playoff meeting. We lost twice against Blackpool in the league by a pair of 3-2 scoreline and I just can't see that changing should we meet them again. Our 'boogie' team as I called them, should have something to do with
@PaukerJ managing them in the other Football Manager story
Up next, extensive report on the playoffs! Stay tuned