Varadi

Patricularly enjoyed the commentary on the Palace match today - Graeme Le Saux kept going on about how he couldn't figure out what Palace's tactics were, that he had no idea what their formation was supposed to be or what they were trying to do. Memories.

They've got 8 games left, from their last 8 games they've taken 2 points. 2. Still don't think they'll go but fuck me he's giving it a good go.

Fuck me this game is important. Wouldn't have been too disappointed with a draw before today but Norwich winning makes a win a much more urgent requirement...

On the plus side Norwich picking up points keeps Palace in the equation and makes the dream scenario of Villa, Palace and the mackems all going down just a little bit more possible...

Norwich ship lots of late goals - long way to go here...

Pardew has changed his left back

Would have to be Lascelles and Mbemba

Will be very interesting to see him up top in a home game with Rafa in charge - if he can use him as the fulcrum of the attack and get Perez, Sissoko, Townsend breaking in behind him then he can definitely do a job. Problem against Leicester is we didn't get much support up with him, plus they are brilliant at pressing quickly and in numbers so he was never allowed to settle, hopefully not so much of an issue against the mackems.

If he manages to get a front 6 of Shelvey, Wijnaldum, Townsend, Sissoko, Perez and Mitro playing without leaving massive gaps for them to exploit I'll be much more confident that we might actually be able to score some goals... Ah man, I hate myself for this feeling of optimism, grim acceptance was so much easier to cope with!

Didn't realise the mackems had such a tough run-in, might be a draw wouldn't be the worst result this weekend...

If Colo plays, who would people prefer to see him partnered with? Think I'm more in favour of Lascelles at the moment.

Compares quite favourably with Mitro's 5 in 26.

Defoe worries me, he's the only real goalscorer on either team so if it's a tight game he's the one most likely to come up with a goal. Set pieces will be a nightmare as well, need to keep corners and attacking free kicks to a minimum.

With the Man City game on the 19th April that's going to be an absolutely huge week, 2 home games within a few days....

I like that he's very, very good in the air - has won loads of headers in the last couple of away games, something you can't take for granted when Colo and Mbemba are in there.

Didn't play very well but he did have Kante right in his face all the time and that little bugger has unsettled far better players than Anita this season.

Wasn't one of the shit headers leading to the goal one of his? Aye, headed it straight to Albrighton.

Probably going to be the last Premier League derby for a while, could really, really do with winning this one.

Still think there's something there but he absolutely isn't going to score the goals that keep us up, need Cisse back quickly or give Doumbia a try.

Aye, definitely his best away performance in that central position, big improvement on Anita.

He actually got himself into trouble trying to go backwards a few times, which is not like him - think he's been told not to push forward too much and struggled to find the right balance.

I liked how organised we looked, and decent attacking subs made. Big improvement after only 3 days, things should only get better from here...

Just don't lose I reckon, a win would be huge but we absolutely can't afford to give those fuckers another 3 points. After the derby we have a 2 week break, a lot more time for Rafa to get things sorted for the last 8 games.

Better performance, narrow defeat - it's what I expected but after the game I'm actually pretty disappointed, they scored from their only shot on target, we controlled the second half and should have had a clear pen.