Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have secured promotion to the English Premier League after an extra time victory over Watford in the playoff final.

Fans, players and staff will celebrate tonight and rightly so. Perfect tactical victories over two superb footballing sides in Brighton and Watford have seen Ian Holloway's men victorious at Wembley.

The Eagles came into the showpiece event in wretched form, stumbling over the line to reach the playoffs courtesy of a final day victory over relegated Peterborough—their first for an astonishing nine games.

And when the dust settles, Palace chiefs will know they've got to get this summer spot on if they have any hope of surviving the drop next season.

That's not to take away from the club's wonderful achievement, but football never sleeps and forward planning starts the very next morning. The first conundrum to solve, it seems, is how Palace are going to score goals next season.

If you can't stick it in the net you've got no chance of staying up. Aston Villa, threatened with relegation in 2011, signed Darren Bent for £24 million and his nine goals kept them up.

Reading, Bolton and Blackburn have all dropped into the Championship in recent seasons due to a lack of goals, and Palace's striking issue looks similar at this point.

Wilfried Zaha, the man who carried his side through both playoff games, is off to Manchester United on a permanent basis after a £15 million January move (via LES).

His ingenuity on the ball, eight goals and countless assists have dragged Palace into this position, and the club will be extremely lucky to get him back on loan again for their EPL campaign.

Glenn Murray suffered a horrific knee injury against Brighton, leaving only Kevin Phillips and Aaron Wilbraham on duty. The former told Sky Sports' cameras after the game that he's considering retirement, and the latter scored just once in 27 games this season.

In Julian Speroni, they have a wonderful goalkeeper, and in Damien Delaney a committed centre-back. Captain Mile Jedinak is heralded by Palace fans but lacks finesse, and a Daily Mail report linking him to Stoke City is unsettling to say the least.

Ian Holloway has been relegated once and will know what's required of him to go the extra steps to survival. It cannot be denied, though, that this squad is in the process of a serious transition at the worst possible time.

Every penny of the £60 million Palace won't use to renovate their facilities is needed on Premier League quality players, especially considering many of the teams in the bottom half this season are in a position to improve immeasurably in the 2013-14 campaign.

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The best thing for Crystal Palace would be to end all of the transfer speculation regarding Wilfried Zaha right now.

The young player is struggling as the rumors continue to swirl. True, it's part of the game—in any professional sport—and learning to tune out the chatter is part of the job. But now that it's clearly affecting one of the club's most significant assets, it's time to either pull the trigger or put the speculation to rest.

It can only help the team.

According to Ian Herbert of The Independent, Crystal Palace is "deeply divided" on whether to send Zaha packing or keep him around:

A move for the player to Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur could damage Palace's prospects of promotion and an influx of Premier League TV money.

Herbert reports that although Manchester United and Tottenham have both expressed interest in acquiring Zaha, there could be significant roadblocks with both teams that could hinder the progress of a transfer.

And all of this adds up to Zaha not knowing if he's going to be sent away when he wakes up in the morning.

As it stands, Crystal Palace, at 13-8-5, sits in third place in the Championship standings, two points behind second-place Hull City and nine points behind first-place Cardiff City.

The season started out a bit rough for Crystal Palace, as it dropped its first three matches of 2012-13. But Zaha was one of the most significant reasons the club was able to right the ship. In 28 total appearances thus far, he has registered five goals to spark the club.

But now, it's obvious that the transfer talk is starting to get to him and that it's starting to interfere with his performance. Even manager Ian Holloway can see it. He told the Mirror:

For the last couple of weeks he’s had his head on other things because it is very hard, as a young man, to keep that level of consistency because people are talking about you. If he does what he did against Stoke, then a Premier League side will come and get him, and if they do, what can I do about it?

Since Dec. 8, Crystal Palace has registered a single win. It has gone 1-4-1, perhaps due in part to the rampant distractions.

Maybe it is in the job description to be able to tune out the talk, but Zaha is young. At 20, he may not know how to tune it out yet—and it takes time.

Eventually, he'll figure it out and, as Holloway told the Mirror, "be disciplined." But the shorter the amount of time Crystal Palace keeps the young star's fate up in the air, the better. It's clearly having an impact, and the sooner it ends, the better off everyone will be.

2012 was a great year for many sportsmen in the United Kingdom. But if you think the likes of Jessica Ennis, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins had a great year, perhaps you should make a visit to Wilfried Zaha's journey at Crystal Palace.

Born in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast, Zaha has progressed quickly through the ranks at Selhurst Park, making 109 appearances since making his debut back in 2009. And although the agile winger has only scored 12 goals in that time, his performances on the whole have been nothing short of superb. It's no coincidence then that he was named the Football League's and the club's Young Player of the Year for the 2011-12 season.

But this season, Zaha has been simply sensational for the Eagles, with Ian Holloway's side soaring to third in the table. And the 20-year-old's return of five goals and four assists in 25 appearances don't tell the whole story; up until the New Year, the forward linked up with fellow teammates Glenn Murray and Yannick Bolasie to torment opposing defences and help Palace surge towards promotion back to the Premier League.

Even more impressive, he caught the eye of England manager Roy Hodgson and, as a consequence, was called up to the squad for a friendly against Sweden in November. He made his first appearance in an England shirt after replacing Raheem Sterling but he is still eligible to represent the Ivory Coast, with the match falling under the category of a 'friendly', which doesn't count as a competitive game.

His performances in 2012, as well as the England debut, have inevitably raised his profile and as a result, increased speculation about his future, with various media sources providing details of bids from various clubs, with The Guardian claiming Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are all looking at the £20 million-rated winger. 

So please, in the spirit of the New Year, enjoy the video above, showing you a whole 152 seconds of Wilfried Zaha magic. 

With relegation battles and financial dire straits threatening Crystal Palace's existence, life as an Eagles fan hasn't been easy in recent years.

This season, however, the Selhurst Park faithful have plenty to be cheerful about. The South London side are 13 league games undefeated, and since manager Dougie Freedman defected to Bolton, new boss Ian Holloway has led the charge to the top of the Championship.

One of the biggest catalysts in the Palace resurgence is Wilfried Zaha, an exceptionally gifted winger, who, like most of the squad, is a product of the youth system.

With skills that belie his 20 years, Zaha is the most exciting player in the Football League right now. "He's just too good for you," sing the Eagles fans every week, clearly aware that "Wilf" is a cut above anything else in the Championship right now. Even the billboards of South London concur.

Zaha has earned five caps for England's U21s, and this week will make his debut in Roy Hodgon's squad to face Sweden, becoming the first Championship player to make the cut since 2010.

Yet his call-up is wrought with controversy: the 20-year-old was born in the Ivory Coast and, despite his England youth appearances, is eligible to play for the elephants.

Wilf reportedly received a call from Didier Drogba urging him to play for the Ivory Coast in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (via BBC), and many believe this friendly call-up is merely a cynical attempt to narrow the precious youngster's international options.

One of those leading the charge of Zaha disillusionment is a player who may feel he was denied his fair crack of the England whip, Joey Barton. The controversial Marseille midfielder has taken to Twitter to say he is "baffled" by the Palace man's inclusion above more established Premiership players like Kevin Nolan.

Regardless, Zaha has accepted his place in the Three Lions squad and has joined up with training ahead of their trip to Stockholm.

This can only be a positive move for Team England. They now have a player who excites every time he touches the ball. A player who can string passes together and can win one-on-one situations. A player who has cast aside the hotheadedness of his early career to display maturity beyond his years. A player with vibrancy and tenacity, who will help to herald a new generation of England players, forcing out the 'old guard' who have lost their passion for representing their country.

The Championship's diamond in the rough has also attracted plenty of transfer attention, with Arsenal reportedly leading the a charge for his signature in the January transfer window (via Daily Mail).

Palace co-owner Stephen Browett, however, has already stated that he will not entertain offers lower then £20m (via Goal.com), reasoning that Zaha's help in guiding the Croydon club back to the Premiership could earn them up to £100m.

The Championship leaders may struggle to hold onto their prize asset, as the "He's just too good for you" chant will ultimately become a self-reflexive reality.

Whether he ends up in the Premiership in a blue and red shirt next August, or a winter transfer draws him away from Selhurst Park, one thing is clear: Wilfried Zaha is a name you will be hearing a lot more of.

The 2011-12 season began with much anticipation and hope for supporters of Crystal Palace. Manager and former Palace great Dougie Friedman carried new hopes into the club half-a-season before, and now the Eagles were looking to move upward in the 2011-12 campaign 

Palace lost their Football League Championship opener to Peterborough United. However, a run of 10 points earned over the next four months had Selhurst Park dreaming of bigger things to come when the end of the opening month came.   

It was also August when Crystal Palace would begin in the Carling Cup, winning at home to Crawley Town. Palace looked like underdogs to move on in the next round as they were drawn against Premier League side Wigan Athletic, but the Eagles were strong in a 2-1 home win against the Latics.

They would lose their next three league games but would travel to the brand new AMEX Stadium to renew their rivalry with freshly-promoted Brighton and Hove Albion. Crystal Palace won the derby 3-1 in a moment that sent the club and supporters buzzing.

Palace would steam ahead after the Brighton triumph and would take points in their next six league contests as Selhurst Park saw its team entrenched within the play-off places in the npower Championship. 

The Eagles would also move onward in the Carling Cup, defeating fellow Championship sides Middlesbrough and Southampton—both of whom were also promotion-hopeful at the time. 

In what was a dramatic turn around from a year ago, Palace supporters were dreaming of a promotion to the Premier League and contending for a trip to Wembley in a Cup competition. 

However, the Carling Cup success would have seemed to hit a large speed bump as the Eagles were drawn against Manchester United in the quarterfinals. 

While the Red Devils fielded a side you wouldn’t normally see in a Premier League draw, it was still a game against one of the largest clubs in European football.

A fairly pedestrian first half would conclude at Old Trafford on that Tuesday evening. However, the second half would come alive and prove to be one of the most shocking upsets for some time in English football.

In what was obviously voted the goal of the year for Crystal Palace, and probably could be considered for goal of the year in England, Darren Ambrose would strike from over 40 yards, out-beating United keeper Ben Amos with a swooping, powerful shot to take the lead in the 65th minute.

Manchester United would draw level a few minutes later, and the 1-1 score line would hold all the way through regulation. The game would enter extra time carrying suspense all the way to South London.

Extra time would not last long as a looping cross came into the United box and Glenn Murray headed the go-ahead goal home. Palace would hang on and move to the semi-finals against Championship rival Cardiff City, upsetting a European giant in the process.

However, as is with most smaller clubs, the cup success brought a drop in league form, and Crystal Palace began to fall down the npower Championship table as the year progressed.

Although the Eagles would roll on and continue toward safety, promotion seemed to be a far reach as 2012 rolled around. South London would now turn their attention to the League Cup where Palace looked to earn their first trip to Wembley since 2005.

Palace would get off to a good start in the home leg of the semi-finals, winning the contest 1-0 on a goal from Anthony Gardner. As the semi shifted back to Wales, there was increasing hope amongst Selhurst Park.

Gardner would return the favor in the final leg, netting his own goal for Cardiff, and when Paddy McCarthy was sent off in the 78th minute, the outlook was very bleak for Crystal Palace. However, they would withstand the end of regulation and extra time, and a trip to Wembley came down to the roulette wheel of penalties where Peter Whittinghams’ clinching goal would send Cardiff to London for the third time in five seasons to face Liverpool in the final.

Palace would go on a 10-game unbeaten streak from the end of January until the middle of March in what would guarantee safety for the Eagles and another season in the second tier 

Inconsistent form in the final stretch of the season would see the Eagles slide down the Championship table safely ahead of the drop zone, but well within the bottom-half.

When Crystal Palace dropped the final game at home to play-off hopeful Cardiff City, it confined them to 17th place, one spot behind London rivals Millwall.

It was a season that started out with much promise and the ability to dream of bigger things, but it ended with a Carling Cup heartbreak and a mediocre final leg.

However, safety was important, and given the last few tumultuous seasons at Crystal Palace, the restored stability is a welcome feeling at Selhurst Park 

As the off-season is ongoing, a few questions have arisen, but the outlook for the new season remains upbeat as Palace hopes to continue to improve.

One potentially damaging loss will be the departure of Ambrose who heads to Birmingham City after three years at Selhurst Park. While Ambrose heads to the Blues, his famous goals will be remembered for some time in South London.

Also rumored to be heading out is young Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Zaha. Zaha has been mentioned amongst many sources to be headed to Southampton to begin life in the Premier League with the Saints. However, a fee has yet to be agreed upon, and Dougie Freedman remains steadfast in only letting go of the dynamic scorer for the right price. 

While some players have moved out, some have transferred in, including Norwich City striker Aaron Wilbraham. 

It is safe to say that the biggest transfer news for Palace in the off-season has been players departing Selhurst Park. However, supporters hope those gaps will be filled by incoming players and help from the guidance of young but crafty manager Freedman. 

The countdown is on toward another season as everybody in South London awaits another surprise-filled season of Crystal Palace football.  

Crystal Palace are poised to make an unexpected trip to Wembley for the Carling Cup Final if they can hold their 1-0 advantage from the first leg against Cardiff City in Tuesday's second-leg match.

Palace will travel to Cardiff City Stadium for the second leg of this semifinal fixture, with the winner moving on to London to take on one of the Premier League's best, Manchester City or Liverpool.

Palace defender Anthony Gardner scored the only goal of the first leg, and with another strong defensive performance, the club will make its first cup final appearance at Wembley since 1990.

Let's look at a complete preview for this exciting Carling Cup semifinal match.

Where: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales

Watch: Fox Soccer Plus

Live Stream: FoxSoccer.tv

When: Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 2:45 p.m. EST

Player to watch for Cardiff City: Kenny Miller

Cardiff City forward Kenny Miller has scored eight goals with four assists in the Championship this season, and had a goal disallowed in the first leg that would have resulted in a draw.

Instead his club are down a goal and they need him to play better in the second leg. Miller must lead the Cardiff attack or they will not make the final in Wembley.

For the competition, Miller has one goal and an assist.

Player to watch for Crystal Palace: Anthony Gardner

The former Tottenham defender gives Crystal Palace a talented player at the back and a good amount of experience as well.

Gardner's goal in the first leg is the difference in the tie right now, and he will play an important role in maintaining that advantage for Palace.

Expect Gardner to play a fantastic match on Tuesday.

Key Matchup: Crystal Palace back four vs. Cardiff City forwards

With only a one-goal advantage from the first leg, Cardiff City will no doubt send all they have at the Crystal Palace back four, and it will be a fun battle to watch unfold.

The Palace defense has allowed just 25 goals in the Championship this season, which is second to West Ham for the fewest given up.

On the semifinal stage, this matchup will be quite exciting to watch.

What They're Saying

Palace manager Dougie Freedman spoke about the upcoming semifinal match, via the Streatham Guardian:

It would be massive to get to the final.

I am delighted the club is moving forward and everything is changing.

Standards are being raised and everyone is buying into that, not just the players on the pitch, but the staff around the club as well.

We have had a lot of nerve-wracking nights at Selhurst Park over the last few years and to have nights like the first leg last Tuesday and at Manchester United, Brighton and Millwall, is great for us as players.

Prediction: Palace win 1-0 and advance to Carling Cup Final

Crystal Palace has had a ton of success in the Carling Cup this season, and after winning at Old Trafford earlier in the quarterfinal, they will have every ounce of confidence needed to advance to the final on Tuesday.

Their strong defense will not surrender a goal for a second straight match against Cardiff City, and Palace will find one goal for a 2-0 aggregate score to win the tie.