The Daily Mirror suggests that with the potential arrival of Wickham, and Bamford, Gayle will be leaving on loan to Fulham. It would be a shame to lose our top scorer from last season, but we can't just keep spending money on new players.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...-gayle-6179141

I thought the plan was to sell Hennessey now that another goalkeeper has been bought?

Wickham signs. That's remarkably quick for us!

I wouldn't be that against Gayle going tbh. It's just hard to see where he would fit in right now.

On the goalkeepers - with Speroni out for the start, it's a massive opportunity for one of the others to make themselves number one.

Puzzling signing , I would not rate Wickham a natural or prolific goalscorer . Would rather we get rid of Campbell over Gayle .

Well, Wickham scored 6 goals in 40 appearances last season. Last season our top scorers were:

Gayle 10
Murray 7
Puncheon 6

Let's hope Pardew can get more out of him this season and justify the £7m (up to £9m) fee.

Worth remembering that Wickham was stuck out on the wing for most of the time and not playing in his natural position.

We will definitely see some departures before the window closes, Pardew intimated as much after the Fulham game, some of them on loan. I just hope that doesn't include Murray or Bolasie.

Bakary Sako on his way in it looks like. A goalscoring winger on a free, what's not to like?

Will presumably add to the idea that Gayle is leaving too. Like Sattrega I'm still worried about Bolasie going though.

Sako now confirmed.

Link.

Definitely got to be pleased with that. Just need to get that extra centre back in now.

The concern with Bolasie is the wages. As Tusk mentioned earlier his agent is turning his head with stories of what Cabaye, McArthur, Wickham etc are on so if some club does come in before the window closes with a £15m-£20m bid plus £75k a week for him we will have a major problem.

Likewise.
I heard a rumour that Spurs were looking the most likely, although whether they'll be willing to pay £20 million remains to be seen.

I thought the spurs rumour had died as it was at the beginning of the summer.

Hopefully none of our key players will be on loan, be silly if Murray goes to Bournemouth. Hopefully all work out.

his agent is obviously angling for a new contract so i say offer it to him... i'd like him to stay another year or so and in that time blood kaikai more as his eventual replacement...

happy with the addition of sako...

depending on what you read and where we're supposed to have opened talks on a new contract with him.


SSN reporting that Bournemouth have made an official bid for Murray but did not know what the bid was or what the response would be. I would much rather lose Campbell & Gayle than Murray. hopefully we'll tell Bournemouth to bog off.

I'm pleased that Gayle will be going to a club where he'll be appreciated.

he's already at that club...

so... everyone ready for tomorrow? can't believe we're on the eve of another season already... gonna be the usual ups and downs, highs and lows but hopefully no off the field drama's this season...

and let's hope we can keep showing the kind of form that we did form january onwards... come on you eagles!

I'm excited, but nervous. Everything that's happened to this club since Pardew came in has been positive. Surely it's time for things to start going wrong?

A win tomorrow would do nicely to settle the nerves.

I'm so bloody excited. Have made the OH listen to palace chants on Spotify. I'm really not that sad...ahem. Just so hope we start season with a win. Knowing us though, and we don't tend to do well at Carrow road but we will see.

Also randomly has our 25 man squad been announced yet? Looked online earlier and worryingly couldn't find anything.

Doesn't that coincide with the close of the transfer window?


As for the season ahead like others I keep waiting for things to start going wrong in typical Palace fashion! Nothing would surprise me with this club, be it relegation by finishing bottom or getting in to the top eight.

Survival is first and foremost, obviously the earlier in the season it comes the better. And I too would really really like to see us having a real crack at trying to win one of the domestic cups.

Looking forward to seeing the new signings especially Cabaye and Bamford. Plus hopefully more of Kaikai over the course of the season.

And one final hope/wish - much better home form!

it's not too bad in recent times... our last 7 visits it's been 3 wins, 2 draws, 2 defeats.

an even record against norwich overall in league games... 43 wins a piece and 18 draws...

norwich along with watford are the 2 sides we have played more than any other side in our history...

I wasn't sure, but spurs released their's so thought we may have done.

Oh yeah. Any improvements on home form be good. Hopefully the fancy grass will sort it out.

Cheers for the stats. I just swear we always used to anyway lose there, and a punch up at home. I do miss those and I can't remember annoyingly but the 23 man fight and believe Tuttle stayed out of it.

Anyway I digress, Ko in just under 16 hours

today's team:

McCarthy; Ward, Dann, Delaney; Souare; McArthur, Cabaye; Zaha, Mutch, Puncheon; Murray.

subs: Hennessey, Kelly, Jedinak, Bolasie, Gayle, Wickham, Bamford.

Very attacking bench!

Interesting that McCarthy got the nod over Hennessey.

Glad to see Murray starting up front.

we should be a goal down. sitter for Grabben. good start by Norwich, not by us.

That was a shocker of a miss by Grabban... thankfully!

looks to me like we need Jedi on to break things up in midfield. too easy for Norwich at the mo.