Make or break February awaits Freedman's side (From News Shopper)

Make or break February awaits Freedman's side

1:17pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Crystal Palace

EAGLES columnist SAM ROSS looks ahead to what promises to be a crucial month for Crystal Palace if they are to reach the top six.

WITH the Carling Cup run and transfer window well and truly behind us, as well as an FA Cup campaign which never really got going, it is now time for Palace to turn their undivided attention to a play-off push.

And the next four weeks will determine whether reaching the play-offs come May is a realistic target or not.

The Eagles play six games between now and March 6, with only one of those teams currently placed above them - West Ham United.

Doncaster, a side the Eagles fell victim to through new manager power when Dean Saunders replaced Sean O'Driscoll in September, will be the first and should be brushed aside with ease.

Currently in 22nd place, Donny are deep in a relegation battle but the sceptics among you will be quick to point out Palace are yet to win a league game in 2012.

This must change and the run of fixtures coming up over the next month provides Dougie Freedman’s side with the best possible opportunity to not only win but go on a run which can catapult them into the top six.

After Doncaster we face Bristol City away, who are perhaps one of the most inconsistent teams in the league having done the double over Southampton and drawn at current league leaders West Ham, but yet still sit in 20th place.

The two following home games see Watford (16th) and Peterborough (18th) make the trip to Selhurst Park, which will complete the three home games within the four-week period where picking up all nine points is a must.

In between we travel to London rivals West Ham.

While it will certainly be a tough game at Upton Park on February 25, it will be a derby where league form and standing is irrelevant.

Finally the trip to a League One destined Coventry will round off the four weeks which should hopefully see us leap frog the teams currently around us.

Freedman will be looking at these fixtures knowing there are a lot of points which can be made up and should realistically be aiming to pick up at least one away win, achieving a minimum of 12 points.

The Palace defence are up in the league standings, having let in just 30 goals so far this season with only Birmingham, Hull and Reading conceding less.

But the Eagles have failed to score more than one goal in the Championship since a 2-0 away win at Watford way back on October 15.

A consistent goal scorer needs to now be found within the squad and the likes of Glenn Murray, Jermaine Easter or Chris Martin need to start dramatically adding to their current tallies.

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