Crystal Palace 1-0 West Brom - Saturday 13th March, 2021

[Stan]

Kick-off 15.00

Live on Sky Sports

      VS     

Recent Form
Crystal Palace - LDDWL
West Brom - DLWDD

Last 3 Meetings
06/12/2020 - West Brom 1-1 Crystal Palace
25/09/2018 - West Brom 0-3 Crystal Palace (EFL Cup)
13/05/2018 - Crystal Palace 2-0 West Brom

[Dave]

For those that are wondering why Wilf didn't take the knee. Which may be the most exciting talking point of this match:

[Whiskey]

Surely a penalty that.

[Dave]

I had to double check if Efan Ekoku had previously played for West Brom given how one sided this commentary has been, but no, he's just blind.

[Stan]

Just caught the penalty decision. Seemed like the length of the decision was more about the offside than the handball. Correct decision in the end anyway.

[Dave]

I'd take Zaha off at half time for Schlupp or Townsend. Yokuslu rattled him and has had him in his pocket ever since.

[RandoEFC+]

I think the taking the knee thing has run its course. I agree with the movement but I agree with Zaha that it has just become an extra motion to go through, an excuse for the sport and the Premier League to make themselves feel better about the racism that still exists, without actually doing much about it. That said, I don't know what they can do, with no fans in stadiums the focus has been more on social media for all recent incidents. The real test comes next time there's an incident of a fan giving abuse to a player in the stadium. The end of last season was the best time to stop taking the knee. Now, whenever they do it it's going to become a massive thing and a load of cunts are going to take it as "aren't they against racism anymore". I've only come and posted it because the fact that Zaha didn't take the knee today is an actual headline on Sky Sports home page. Evidence that this has just become another "will they, won't they" soap opera instead of being a gesture that's part of a developing and progressive conversation about the issues at hand.

[Whiskey]

Sadly, you only need to look at the comments on social media to Sky Sports posts to see how little an effect taking the knee is having - racism is absolutely rife, and won't stop without a serious change in education at an early age. 

People will always be racist because sadly, they can with little kick-back.

[Dave]

If the social media platforms wanted to eradicate racism (or at least reduce it tenfold) they'd make it a necessity that people need to upload a photo ID so that comments can be traced to an individual. Unfortunately they don't care.

[Stan]

Agree with all of that - I can't see the PL changing mid-way through the season. I do think it's run its course though and more needs to be done societally, as opposed to just from PL/football. 

[Dan+]

It ran its course ages ago. Should've never been doing it this season. It's just classic Premier League - got to be seen to be doing something, then again, it shouldn't really be up to them anyway. I dunno what you do about the abusive messages players receive - I really don't know what you can do other than punish those who abuse, but you'll never be able to fully police it because I'm not comfortable with everyone having to give ID to big tech either.

There's no obvious solution. Empty gestures definitely aren't it though.

[Stan]

6 hours ago, Dan said:

It's just classic Premier League - got to be seen to be doing something

Well, given its standing in society and the global audience it has, it made sense to do something. Why should they have not done anything this season? 

[Dave]

Looking at our remaining fixtures I calculate we will get between 4 to 7 points from now until the end of the season. So it looks like the good vibes end here.

Which is a shame really as the atmosphere is likely to be toxic if Roy Hodgson decides to leave at the end of the season.