April 17 2006

Dougie Freedman

A stunned Jamesey looks back in disbelief after CPFC's 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra.

First, let's not get too aerated about the proceedings at Selhurst last Saturday.

We are now in the play-offs for sure, we didn't lose and we have given a tenuous CCC survival lifeline to the club and manager who gave us the legendary Geoff Thomas.

Nevertheless I don't think I have ever seen a Palace side play such pretty football, squander so many chances and self-destruct midway through the second period.

Or was it the strength of Crewe's revival after they pulled back to 2-1 that took us by surprise?

Dougie Freedman had the most wasteful game I have ever seen him play since he first arrived as a raw recruit a decade or so ago.

In his Palace days, even Ade Akinbiyi, with his bootlaces on both feet tied together, would have converted at least one of the chances that Dougie scooped, scuffed or squandered.

Such was Palace's early supremacy that when we ran in 2-0 up at half-time, not many spectators would have bet against us winning by four or five.

Last time Crewe visited Selhurst they won 1-3 (Dec 9, 03) but then the Railwaymen were favourites and we were struggling despite the fact that they had never won at Selhurst before.

I did, however, have the pleasure of the proximity of Jobi McAnuff and Fitz Hall, only a few seats away in the Main Stand.

Their enthusiasm after Andy Johnson's two strikes surprised me - I always have had a sneaking suspicion that players who aren't playing would have a vested interest in hoping the team do badly.

Mind you, at the final whistle, maybe they were glad not to have been on the field at all.

Unbelievably unprofessional performance from the red-and-blues...

Email Jamesey with any comments to Jevans3704@aol.com