Crystal Palace USA 2008 Thread

I know I may be speaking sacrilege here but could the game be off FSC because advance sales are low and it would be an embarasment? A Monday night game in Waldorf rules out most Baltimore area fans who work. It's at least an hour drive from UMBC (under optimum conditions) and is actually south of and closer to DC then Baltimore.

Is there any word on ticket sales?

 

there are also a host of requirements that the facility needs to have in order to host a FSC event. If the venue doesnt have them then it can prove to be quite costly for the home team to put on a fsc event. The sales might be reason too but i bet its more likely the proper equiptment wasnt available or scheduled ontime for this event. The idea that it is because it cant be seen by competing teams is ridiculous. If that was the case then the game would be behind closed doors. Im not buying that excuse either

 

I agree someone has realised the cost or parties have disagreed on who pays for broadcasting the game .

 

Great audio feed on the UStream.tv site. Nice to hear a voice of a knowledgeable radio announcer!!!!

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/crystal-palace-baltimore-vs-crystal-palace-uk-8-00-pm-july-13-2009

 

what was the result and the attendance?

I was told by CPUSA management they were close to selling out and I had to get my tixs quick. They said it was a world class game that no matter the night it would be great

 

Crystal Palace UK won their first match of their American tour beating Crystal Palace USA 5-2.
Neil Warnock fielded a strong line-up for the match against Palace USA, with new boys Freddie Sears and Darren Ambrose making an appearance.
Victor Moses was also given a starting place - after Neil Warnock persuaded England U-19 manager Brian Eastick to release him from playing in the U19 European Championships this month, so he could travel with the squad to America.
Palace UK had a great start when after only 12 minutes Sears crossed to Alan Lee who finished well to make it 1-0.
3 minutes later, Palace Baltimore had their first real chance of the game which came through Pat Healey, however Julian Speroni continued his good work from last season and saved well.
Palace Baltimore continued to press their UK counterparts and were rewarded with an equaliser on 18 minutes, through their leading goal scorer Val Teixeira. The Portuguese midfielder, who played in 5 games for Chesterfield last season in League Two, finished well past Speroni.
Straight after the restart, Baltimore almost had two in one minute, when striker Jordan Seabrook headed against the post.
Palace UK fought back with a few chances at goal, before Neil Danns headed in a cross from Alan Lee, but the linesman ruled the effort out for offside.
Palace UK did finsh the first half a goal ahead when a cross was turned into his own net by Zack Flores.
Palace USA made two changes at the break with Billy Chiles replacing Brian Rowland in goal, and Machel Millwood coming on for Dan Lader.
Palace UK made it 3-1 in the 52nd minute through a great strike by the on-loan Sears.
On 57 minutes Baltimore almost reduced the deficit when Robson crossed a great ball into Seabrook whose shot took a deflection wide.
It only took Seabrook a couple more minutes though to get on the scoresheet when Healey provided him with a great cross to make it 3-2.
Warnock made a number of substitutions in the second half with the likes of Sean Scannell, Danny Butterfield and Alessane N'Diaye getting a run out.
It was N'Diaye who restored Palace UK's 2 goal advantage on 70 minutes making it 4-2 with a nice move.
In injury time Palace UK scored their fifth goal, through another own goal from Flores.
Line-ups
Palace UK: Speroni (Flahaven), Clyne (Butterfield), Hill (Hills), McCarthy, Fonte (N'Diaye), Ambrose (Comley), Derry (Ertl), Danns (Carle), Sears (Lawrence), Lee (Scannell), Moses (Cadogan)
Palace USA: Rowland (Chiles), Pierce, Robson, Basso (Adelusimi), Healey, Harada, Flores, Teixeira (Du Lalo), Harkin (Gnatiko), Seabrook, Lader (Millwood)


http://www.holmesdale.net/page.php?id=82&story=4413

 

Missed the game last night as I didn't expect it to be streamed, ah well would have been knackered this morning anyway.

Did anyone actually go to the game? Seemed entertaining.

Do the CPFC USA fans post on www.cpfc.org or www.holmesdale.net? Lot's of cpfc uk fans on there.

 

The Palace UK-US affair before a Monday night crowd of just under 2,000 had an enjoyable evening including fireworks on and off the field. The recently sodded baseball infield held up with some ocassional tacking down by the groundskeepers during the match and rarely interferred with play.

The Fox telecast was unfortunately abandonned because of cost and lack of a sponsor willing to foot the bill.

The holmsdale.net review was a fair one, but a couple of additional comments:

1. The first half of the match was closer than one might think and only the careless own goal by the Palace USA right back separated the 2 squads. Both played well, pacey and attacking ball stringing passes together thru the midfield: both missed some dangerous opportuniites and GKs Speroni and Rowland keep the match even.

2. Palace UK's changes at half began to expose the lack of US depth due in part to talent and part to injuries to several players. UK scored and GK Chiles made an excellent save of a perfect direct kick over the US wall to save another goal. Down 3-1, US again had some success attacking the right side and scored on a perfect pass over the UK back line to the speedy Seebrook for a 3-2 line at mid-half.

3. Several more subs by UK and the US side finally started breaking down under the pressure yielding a nicely placed strike by the impressive N'Diaye. But US wasn't through and again attacked the right side with pace and a well placed short cross from Gnatiko found Millwood perfectly positioned at the far post only to miss the frame wide.

4. The fifth goal was a bit of sloppy coverage in the final seconds of stoppage and placement of the ball into his own net, again by the usually reliable US right back, Flores.

5. Remove the "own goals", both preventable, and the line would have read 3-2 UK. Not a bad effort by the US lads and certainly a nice showing by the UK studs. The US team again showed they can play up to the level of a good opponent - but playing down to lesser opponents remains a concern for coaches and fans.

 

I listened to the audio stream for the whole game and updated my Facebook and Twitter pages with updates. CPUSA did not update their Twitter during the game--or for that matter since the game concluded last night. (Even the CPUSA page is not updated as of this writing.)

Over all it sounds like it was an entertaining game and everyone live in attendance enjoyed themselves. Now that the game is out of the way CPUSA can concentrate on the last games of the regular USL-2 season and make the playoffs!

 

Speaking of playoffs, how many make the post-season party this year? Is it still six?

 

http://www.slp.co.uk/tn/blogdetail.cfm?id=665&bid=67

Article for South London Press by a Palace UK fan on his Baltimore experience. Very complementary about Baltimore fans, not so for Maryland.

 

You only go so far with 13 players. That's about how many able bodies are left to compete. With dependable Marshall unable to play for first time in 3 years due to injury and Millwood nursing sore ankles (plus 3 guys who have barely touched the pitch this season with chronic injuries now resulting in surgery) plus the "release" (?) of competent left back dos Anjos, the Sat. game against league leading Richmond exposed the lack of any depth, let alone quality reserves.

Tied 0-0 at the half, CP looked good and have several excellent opportunities including Gnatiko's rocket that hit the post and several nice runs by Seabrook. The Palace backs also withstood some dangerous balls to keep even. However a header off a corner (a third dangerous situation after Rowland failed successfully to clear a playable ball) and a poorly played direct ball to Richmond's striker put the match out of reach. A late goal on a terrific, pacey and strong run run by Seabrook, who has become the team's lone threat up top after a dull first half of the season, made the score respectable. With a few quality subs in the second half and the game may have been a tie repeating the score of the sides' earlier match.

The boys are sinking fast and playoffs are doubtful unless they snatch two wins in the next 2 matches.

 

I've asked this question before, how many get into the playoffs this year?

If it's only 4 then they are in serious trouble. If 6 two wins should do it. Western Mass getting tied by Bernmda helped yesterday or they would be even on points. Charlotte is coming on next weeks game is crucial.

 

I *think* the top 6 teams get into the playoffs.

 

Top five. I'm sure I read that earlier this year.

Edit: here it is on the USL website: http://www.uslsoccer.com/aboutusl/rules/index_E.html

"USL Second Division: The playoffs will feature the top five teams in the regular season standings. The fourth and fifth seeds will square off in a midweek First Round encounter August 19 for a spot in the Semifinals. The winner of the match will square off against the regular season champion while the second and third seeds meet in the other semifinal the weekend of August 21-22. The USL Second Division Championship will be played August 29 and will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel. All matches will be hosted by the higher seed, excluding the final, which is determined via bid."

 

sampson99 - surely there's a more appropriate place for you to post your crap? if there isn't already a www.pettypersonalvendetta.com site then perhaps you should start it.

that goes for buzz99 too (hey, both your names end in 99... hmmmm...)

 

hey dont blame me for the way things are run in baltimore. i am just speaking the truth. if you dont like it your last name is probably medd or cherneski, hmmmmm.

 

How about: failed to successfully clear a playable ball.

Excuse the split infinitive.

Not a hard knock on Brian, but a better clear could have avoided corners which favored the taller Kickers.

 

No vendetta - just the facts and realisation that things could be a lot better with a few personnel improvements and that CP need a seasoned professional coach to take team to next level. CP has given up only about 2 goals in the first half of matches this season; everything else comes in the 2nd period with several games lost in final minutes suggesting the team: 1) lacks depth to finish matches; 2) fails to make adjustments to game plan at half on in the late stages of play; 3) lacks big time scorer (e.g., Brooksie or Mbuta); 4) gets little help from officiating, a carryover from last year: and 5) puts so much pressure on the back line and GK that any mistake almost always results in tie or loss of the match indicative by fact that team has second best goals against average in league but second or third worst goals for average.

For Jim & Pete to put all the scoring burden on John Nusum (with history of injuries) and Val Texeira (who generally burns out about 60-70 minutes into match) was not realistic, esp. when they had a promising young scorer in Swartzendruber to come in off bench but traded him for another defender which was already their strongest position. Clearly the midfield needs more agressive play and depth, esp. with injuries.

To their credit, after much tinkering of the lineup (as last year) almost every match, Jim & Pete finally settled on Robson in the central midfield, Shintara at his most comfortable spot on the back line, and Harkins wide.
Seabrook sturggled much of the year but has finally shown the promise he exhibited in pre-season trials. Late season (out of necessity) signing of Machel Millbook has helped but he too is plagued by a variety of nagging injuries.

 

was talking to a few of the players last night and they are unhappy about tonights game because Jim Cherneski has himself penciled in as a starter for the game because he wants to make it his tribute match as an end to a career that ended a long time ago.

 

If this is true:
tribute? career?
who the hell are we talking about here. the guy played pdl for five different teams, only one of which had him playing over 8 games. Oh and a few games for cp simply because he was the coach. He never had the talent, skill, ability or knowledge of the game to play at a respectable level. Now he is going to start himself in what is the biggest game of the season for the team simply because he wants a tribute for his career(maybe lack of one is a better definition)? The guys in charge should give the guys a chance to make the playoffs and stop coaching like soccer dads. It never ends with this organization.

 

Oh Sampson99...get over it your true colors and true feelings of jealousy are showing through. You are so sad you are no longer the GK of the team. You act like you don't care about the CP Team anymore yet you and other losers can't stop following the team and posting your immature comments. You have made the CP thread the most read thread on all of Big Soccer.... for someone who doesn't care anymore for the team you take a lot of personal time on the computer to comment often.... IF CP was paid for how often people commented on this thread they would be set

 

jealousy? no longer gk of the team? sorry, wrong on both accounts. I know the way those two people run their business and it is an "all about me" mentality. I believe that baltimore deserves a better ownership group than the current one that is running CP. Ask anyone that knows anything about soccer and they would agree.

 

sampson99 is right. Those that comment otherwise really do not know how bad the guys that run it are hurting baltimore soccer. They have alienated numerous soccer groups and harford county, etc.

Maybe if they sat back and did the business side and let someone else run the soccer they might be ok