At Last! Normal Service Resumes.

After a three week international break that seemed to last three months we are finally back to normal service in the Premier League and on the blog.

A big thanks to the guest posters

We've had some cracking member posts - in fact they all were - that have kept the blog entertained over the international break and sparked over 6,000 page views and over 700 comments.

Thanks to again to the posters - and to the blog viewers and commenters.

With the end of the season coming up I'm asking all members and non-members to get their opinion cap on, fingers ready to start bashing the keyboards, and putting your views on this seasons results and next seasons expectations into print.

With seven games still to go keep your powder dry until we see where we finish.

It's crystal clear, we need to win at Palace

In truth, as fans, every game for us is a must win game...

But some are 'muster' than others - and the Palace game is one of those.

The Barca hammering followed by that lot down the road doing the double over us has sent the mood around SJP and the fanbase lower than it has been all season.

Prior to the Sunderland game, indifferent form from the teams in 3rd to 5th gave us hope that a good run in the last eight games could still give us a chance of a CL spot as it looked odds on the PL would get an extra place - since confirmed.

The Mackem's turned that slim hope into a fat load of despair and, unless a miraculous run of results follows, the best we can now hope for is the Europa or Conference.

To achieve even that, we will have to show a far higher level of consistent PL performance and results than we have all season - starting against Crystal Palace.

One match a week and a nigh on full squad

That makes a change, but it carries a potential sting in the tail.

If playing two games a week when the squad has been hit with a pile of injuries to key players was a reason for inconsistency - the sting is it won't be a reason if we continue to underperform over the last stretch of the remaining seven games.

Does Eddie's position depend on how we perform and if we can grab a European spot?

We don't know for sure, but a bad run that could potentially leave us as low as 14th at the seasons end - Ashley and Steve Bruce territory - won't help Eddie's position.

Some fans (including blog stalwarts JFA and Onmeheedsun to name but two) wish this season could be put to bed and end now. But, I doubt that is echoed by Eddie Howe.

IMO he still has plenty of credit in the bank with PIF, but a rank bad end to the season, more boos at SJP, and a storm of social media and press criticism could drain the bank.

Eddie needs to show his mettle, keep his bank balance in credit, and rubber stamp being at the helm next season. Positive results are needed, and expected.

Topping his bank balance up starts for Eddie at 2pm Sunday at Selhurst Park

Eddie's Bingo, Eddie's Presser and Pre-Match Analysis all up over the next couple of days.

Normal service resumes!

Last Post: Is Eddie's Job Under Threat?

Next Post: Eddie's Bingo v Palace