The Christmas you get, you Deserve

Crystal Palace 2 (Hill 8, Scowcroft 43) - 1 Plymouth Argyle (Easter 48)

Match Report coming soon Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas" was a protest about the commercialisation of Christmas and end with the line "The Christmas you get you deserve", in Argyle's case the Christmas they got ie the Palace result they got they deserve. Having battled Watford and snatched the 3 points at the last minutes, it seemed that the squad had decided to start their Christmas early and go on holiday, because for 45 minutes at 3 o'clock the lights were on but no one home.

Someone said that Argyle are an 'inconsistent side in an inconsistent league', which could be true for every other yo-yo club of the Championship, but surely Argyle are now established in the second tier of English football - if not why the heck not? - and therefore should have the wherewithal to perform against any club they face. Or was it cause they couldn't be arsed. Sturrock hinted that there were very strong words exchanged at half time and the result was a stronger second half performance starting with a goal from Easter, but by then it had already gone too far by conceding, again, two soft and stupid goals.

Sturock kept faithful to the winning team that played Watford for the clash against former Argyle manager Neil Warnock, but his faith was not rewarded after a wound to the head send Seip off the pitch for treatment while the Eagles netted the ball. Some players were not even involved in the game for long periods of time as Palace stampeded all over the Greens and Palace scored their winner from another free kick that wasn't defended well just before half time. The halt time certainly went through the players like a dose of salts for the next 45 minutes they ran themselves into the ground, starting with Easter's goal from the off, however as always with an Argyle come back they tried too hard with trying for the equaliser and many of the chances were not finished off correctly.

Certainly based on the first half Argyle did not deserve to win, nor even to get a consolation goal, and now looking at QPR on Boxing Day, especially with Akos Buszaky performing so well, there is a new uneasiness in the air. Will the Green Army at least get the Christmas they deserve.