Your Shout written by Joe Ferrari.
"Bloody Typical - I thought we were rallying for the goal - a pesky sucker-punch!!"
hrsthenwc
14.57 - It certainly is canarydan84. Although Palace's third was an authentic Christmas cracker, their first two were gift-wrapped and....I'll stop with the puns. I suspect the video of the defending for those first-half Palace goals will provide some unfestive viewing for the players back at Colney. At the other end good to see Doc convert a set-piece but Leroy Lita will be hugely disappointed when he contrived to miss a glorious chance at a crucial juncture of the game. City's fragility and ability to take no points from a decent performance remains an issue to be sorted out, particularly on our travels.
"game over!"
canarydan84
"Bah humbug!"
PM
14.51 - Looks like game, set and match now as substitute Danny Butterfield rifles in a third for Palace. The Canary defence has not had a great day at the office and once again Palace seemed to have too much time to roll passes along the edge of the box before it eventually broke to Butterfield - and he unleashed a rasping half-volley from 22 yards which Marshall got a hand to but could not keep out.
14.50 - Kuqi is in behind the City defence but is closed down well by Marshall...and then toe-pokes horribly wide anyway.
"It's got to be worth bringing on Lupoli rather than Rusty - surely? We need a goal...!"
PM
"Think I'd like to win a signed photo this week! I have as much time to pull out a corker of a line as Norwich have to score a goal....although I'd take a win over a signed photo, of course! Being greedy, I'd have both; seeing as it is Christmas!! Failing that, I am considering drooling until Joe feels sorry for me and sends me one anyway!"
canarydan84
14.45 - City certainly haven't given up, though time is ticking away. Russell comes on for Hoolahan. 758 City fans here today - credit to Club and county as always.
"Yeah, the positivity seems to be certainly there, under the days of peter Grant and final year or so under Worthy we would of given up by now, COME ON CITY!!!! 15 minutes left. Lita to score on 87 minutes to get the draw."
dazncfc10
"Cort on for the last 15, reverting to a 4-4-2, come on City big big push for last 15mins."
aruskinncfc
"OT - I have just seen Ballack get booked for something not at all too dissimilar to Rusty's sending off. Ballack just pushed Brunt in the face following a push in the back from the West Brom player. Once again consistency with referees isn't there!! I have to wonder what they are being instructed this season, and by who!? How can they expect "respect" when they don't earn it!? Back on topic.......Like to see Cort get us out of jail here, we must take at least a point from this game, otherwise we will make life very tough for ourselves again this season Palace bring on a defender for a striker!? Push someone up and counter that move Roeder!!!"
canarydan84
"We seem to be wanting this equaliser which is good - not just admitting defeat when there's still time to score..."
hrsthenwc
14.36 - Carl Cort is on for Pattison, Lee leaves the pitch to be replaced by Matt Lawrence.
"Can we get any more bad-luck charms in this game? We don't exactly have a great record against Warnock's teams and now Lee is joined by Kuqi on the pitch..."
LQ
14.34 - Ooooh! Hoolahan hits a good effort which looked to be arrowing towards the bottom corner but it hits the ankle of Palace skipper Derry and bounces to safety. Unlucky.
14.32 - City have enjoyed some reasonable possession but too often the final pass is over-elaborate or simply poor. Come on Norwich.
"Same old us, we can't defend set pieces.....i would like to know how many times we have conceded from set pieces this season!? We make it all so hard for ourselves!! If we'd been on our game today, we could have quite easily finished Palace off by now...they aren't putting alot together. They don't seem to be defending too well, they aren't attacking too well and surprise, surprise we're losing again! Come On Norwich, get on it!!!"
canarydan84
"Come on!!!, another chance for a goal just then, I thought it was going to be a goal, especially with Chris Goreham's reaction, I really hope we can get a goal, a draw would do us so much good and would really help building on the Charlton win. 25 minutes or so left, Come on you yellows!!!!"
dazncfc10
""Lita's swede"? I suppose it's only natural that food is on the brain constantly at this time of year!"
LQ
14.26 - Scannell goes off and that old Norwich favourite Shefki Kuqi comes on.
14.24 - Neither defence is covering themselves in glory here today. Butterfield's frantic effort to clear another cross from the left By Bell sees him toe-poke the ball towards the corner of his own net, forcing Speroni to make a fingertip save.
"Has captain one season ever played a game for us without getting booked?"
hrsthenwc
14.22 - Poor Palace defending leads to another corner. This time Bell's kick is hammered to safety from under the bar by Fonte.
14.18 - Two free-kicks to City in quick succession and this one is from an identical position to the one that led to the chance mentioned below. This one is stabbed behind by a Palace defender for a corner. This time however Doherty can't repeat his earlier heroics and instead concedes a foul on Fonte as the kick comes over.
14.15 - Free kick for a foul on Hoolahan...Bell swings it in and it's a great knock straight on to Lita's swede, but his glancing header is gathered by Speroni.
14.13 - A break in play while McCarthy limps off injured and is replaced by Danny Butterfield.
"Sounds like we are able to get something out of this, the game sounds poor from what they are saying on Radio Norfolk, but if we get a couple of good chances, you never know. COME ON CITY, I'm sticking with my pre-game prediction of 2-2!!!, which i will be more than happy with."
dazncfc10
14.09 - Formation looks to have shifted with Pattison on the right flank and Hoolahan tucking in behind Lita.
"Right then...I've finished all the post Christmas hoovering/cleaning/left-overs-sorting/present arranging and have sore ears from the dodgy and very tinny earphones on the radio. I got almost everything a girl could want for Christmas but am still hopeful of another pressie today. *Sniffs* that Crofty isn't in the team but from the sounds of both defensive lines there's obviously goals to be had in the second half - if Santa read my letter (and I have been very, very good) they'll be for us and my present cache will be complete!"
LQ
14.06 - And the second half gets underway. Come on City!
"Yeah - can't believe they've snuck (?) this early kick-off on us!! Doc busting through their backline to get on they scoresheet hey? -I bet warnock is telling the palace defence to be more "Eagle" - eyed about that in the second half!! Happy Christmas! The Cheese-meister!
hrsthenwc
"I expect everyone else like me assumed it was a 3 o' clock kick off!"
jigs69
13.48 - City are finishing the half brightly, yet another half in which they will wonder how they are not at least on level terms. Ref's whistle goes. It's easy from here of course but if City can cut out the lapses of concentration at the back and maintain this positivity moving forward, there could be something yielded from this game yet. Half-time Palace 2, City 1. I'm now off to sample the finest cup of tea available this side of Ceylon in the press room...
"The message Board is quiet again. Did someone say it's christmas!!!! Come on city lets get another 2 and have a a boxing day feast."
panomania
"Jose Fonte doubling his goals in English football in a thirty minute period. His two previous goals came in victories, 2-1 and 4-2. Break the cycle today?"
G-Man
13.42 - How is it not 2-2? A lovely searching ball from Doherty finds Otsemobor on the right and he does his man like a kipper before cutting in from the goal-line and driving an inch-perfect low cross into the feet of Lita. With the goal at his mercy the striker somehow manages to slice his first-time effort against the far post and away.
13.40 - A spell of City pressure ends with another nice bit of skill to create room by Hoolahan - this time his shot is on target but a deflection takes the sting out of it and Speroni collects comfortably.
13.32 - City fail to switch on to a quick Palace free-kick and promptly go 2-1 down. 'Frustrating' doesn't cover it. The kick is rolled to Ifill who has a free run to the by-line before crossing to Scannell. Although his effort is brilliantly saved by Marshall the rebound falls to Jose Fonte - and his effort is blasted in via a deflection. You have to say it was poor concentration by the City defence there. They obviously didn't listen to PM.
13.31 - Lovely spin on the ball from Hoolahan to create half a chance but his left-foot shot lacks power and bobbles well wide.
13.29 - City survive a good old-fashioned 'scramble' in their box as Palace goalscorer Fonte has two close-range efforts blocked and Lee has three chances to cross it back in from close range...all of which are dealt with, at full-stretch mind, by some committed defending.
13.26 - Mood of the home crowd is a bit edgy now that we have parity again. They bay for a free-kick for a foul on Lee right on the edge of the box, instead the offside flag goes up.
13.24 - Amen to that PM. Not sure it was Doc at fault for their goal but it was pleasing to see a centre-back nut in a set-piece. We need more of that in my opinion.
"Wow, well done Doc. Now, let's not give Palace another gift of a goal."
PM
13.19 - GOOOAALLL!! Gary Doherty for City! A beautifully-struck inswinging free-kick from the left touchline by Bell eludes everyone and falls to 'Docrates' at the back stick, who powers an unstoppable header home from four yards. Game on!
13.17 - Another promising attack for City - this time Lita chest the ball down well in the Palace box and turns to square a clever pass across the penalty spot. Just as the on-rushing Fotheringham wound up to smash it the ball was nicked off his toes...by Wes Hoolahan, who is then easily robbed and the danger is cleared.
13.16 - A good flick from Lita gives Bell a half-chance from a tight angle but his drive is blocked by McCarthy.
13.10 - City must try to recover from a very disappointing start. They have played ok...but have gone behind with the only attack of note they have faced so far. Lita is going to need more support going forward from the three in the middle of midfield for City. Early doors yet.
13.07 - Softest of soft openers for Palace. Palace's first assault on the City goal of the game comes from a routine high free-kick into the box which is flicked on too easily by McCarthy and there is Jose Fonte with the easiest of headers past the helpless Marshall from about six yards.
13.06 - Corner came to nothing - wasn't one of Bell's best it has to be said!
13.04 - Murphy's Law did apply and we are defending the end with the sun in our faces. Meanwhile City have started with Bell on the left, Hoolhan in a forward right position and a three-man central midfield. A good cross from Bell brings the game's first corner for City.
13.01 - And we're away. Don't forget for a more factual minute-by-minute report on the game check out 'On The Ball'. For a less formal view of events and your opportunity to join in if you want, stay here.
12.59 - Worst attempt at our players' names by an announcer yet...'Otsmebor...Fotherham...Ozmuzi...Lupli...'
12.54 - There is bright sunshine slanting across the pitch which could be a factor for the team defending the goal to our left for the first half-hour of the match. Law of Murphy suggests it will be us but we shall see. The music has changed from 'Mistletoe and Wine' to some kind of 'wah-wah' seventies music. I said 'War of the Worlds' but have been over-ruled by the music buffs in the press box, who are now arguing about what it actually is. Judging by the level of activity on the 'Your Shout' thread perhaps it should be 'Ghost Town' by the Specials....ah here we go, Palace are 'Glad All Over' and here come the teams.
12.38 - Ground still got plenty of filling up to do with just over 20 minutes to go until kick-off. Palace have been getting disappointing crowds of 13 or 14,000 in recent matches, which considering they are unbeaten in seven games and must as things stand be eyeing a potential play-off challenge, is surprising. Those that are here are treated to the sight of Captain Canary taking on a pair of Eagles in a frantic game of pass and move with the mascots. You can't put a price on such festive antics!
12.17 - Hello and happy Boxing Day from a bright but chilly Selhurst Park. The big news here is that unfortunately Lee Croft hasn't made the squad today - no news at this stage as to why that may be although he did miss a few days with illness recently. Adam Drury goes back to the bench as Ryan Bertrand, who extended his loan stay until the end of the season this week and has recovered from his toe injury. Mark Fotheringham comes in for Croft so speculation in the press box is that we'll have David Bell on the right, Pattison on the left and Fozzy and Clingan in the centre of the park, with Hoolahan 'in the hole'. Don't forget - Your Shout is the feature that gives you the chance to have your views published to an audience of thousands of City fans logged on to canaries.co.uk around the world. Post your comments, queries etc in the thread at the top of our official bulletin board and they could be published on the home page.
'Your Shout' is a new matchday feature launched this season whereby you, the fans, can have your say on the match. To do so simply head over to our 'Message Board' found under the 'Fans' tab and post your comments on the thread entitled, 'YOUR SHOUT v CRYSTAL PALACE'. To post on the message board you will need to be registered on canaries.co.uk, if you are not then complete this simple online registration form.
