Mind games can’t stop Sam’s hopes shrinking
SAM ALLARDYCE, it emerged this week, has brought in sports psychologist Lee Richardson to rid his Crystal Palace players of the fear of playing at Selhurst Park.
He might want to have a word with Richardson, himself a former player and manager, to see what he can do about away Palace’s matches.
Joe Allen’s second-half daisycutter was enough to win this for Mark Hughes’s hosts and while the performance from the visitors was an improvement on last week’s 4-0 home thrashing at the hands of Sunderland, a single shot on target yielded another nil points.
It was not meant to be like this. Palace was supposed to be Allardyce’s redemption following the debacle of his brief stint in charge of England. But one win from eight Premier League matches since he took the reins means only goal difference is keeping the low-flying Eagles off the bottom. The man himself admitted as much.
‘I was hoping I could turn it around a lot quicker than I have done,’ a frustrated Allardyce said. ‘I haven’t managed to do that yet.’
Palace grafted and, after an even first half, were in the ascendency when Stoke rolled back the long ball years to score the only goal.
Marko Arnautovic, in his favoured role on the left, launched a big kick downfield which the impressive Ramadan Sobhi controlled immaculately before teeing up Welshman Allen who pinged an accurate drive into the bottom corner of compatriot Wayne Hennessey’s goal.
‘Marko said that’s why he created the goal – because he was on his favourite side,’ a satisfied Hughes joked. ‘It was a difficult game, against opposition who were always going to have a reaction. We had to be ready for that.
‘We created some good opportunities and when you don’t take them you get anxious but thankfully we got a great goal. It was a good day.’
There have been many good days here under Hughes, who continues to deliver. This match, hardly the most glamorous of the year, was sold out in the home sections of the stadium. In one of the three open corners, work has started on an extension which will lift the bet365’s capacity beyond 30,000, and hopefully reduce the wind factor.
For Palace, the icy chill of relegation lingers.
‘I wasn’t too disappointed with the performance,’ Allardyce added. ‘It gets harder and harder as every game ticks by.
‘We took control of the second half. When they scored we were in control. You need a break a bit of good fortune. I thought we deserved a point.’
Allardyce has never been relegated from the top flight in a 26–year managerial career. He has work on his hands to ensure that remains the case — starting now.
‘We have a couple of weeks’ break and we can do some behind closed doors practice games,’ he said. ‘We will try and scrape our way out of trouble.’