Roy Hodgson trying to keep Crystal Palace grounded after shock win over Chelsea: 'Football is a constant succession of parties and funerals'

  • Crystal Palace recorded their first win of the season against Chelsea
  • Before that they had lost seven Premier League games without scoring
  • Roy Hodgson takes his Palace side to Newcastle United on Saturday

Roy Hodgson says it is crucial his Crystal Palace players find the right balance after comparing the weekly ups and downs of life in the Premier League to 'a succession of parties and funerals'.

The Eagles visit Newcastle on Saturday hoping to build on last weekend's 2-1 win over champions Chelsea, where they put their first points and first goals on the board at the eighth attempt.


The result has changed perceptions about Palace's season, from a side certain to be relegated to one expecting to survive.

Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace's matchwinner last Saturday, celebrates with James McArthur

Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace's matchwinner last Saturday, celebrates with James McArthur

Wilfried Zaha's return, combined with strong performances from Andros Townsend and Mamadou Sakho, lifted Palace and they will be further strengthened at St James' Park by the expected comebacks of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and on-loan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Hodgson has experienced plenty of highs and lows in his long coaching career and said: 'Football's a constant succession of parties and funerals.

'It's about victories and defeats. That's never going to change. You have to be careful as a coach or manager to even those things out a little bit and not allow people to think every defeat is some sort of funeral atmosphere or every win is euphoria.

'We've got to get somewhere in between those two things.

Roy Hodgson applauds the Palace fans after the club recorded their first win of the season

Roy Hodgson applauds the Palace fans after the club recorded their first win of the season

'Newcastle are a good footballing team. I watched them at Southampton (where they drew last weekend) and they were every bit as good as I expected. They are a well-organised team with a clear idea of what they want to do with and without the ball. We have to give exactly the same performance that we did against Chelsea.

'They will be believing now that they can produce those performances and those performances will help us climb up the table.'