Even the most optimistic supporter would not have imagined that the Eagles would have started the season in such a fashion that would have Alan Pardew’s men occupying eighth position heading into the November international break.
This is a far cry from where they found themselves at this time last year, struggling among the relegation zone.
What has gone right?
Something that has worked really well in Crystal Palace’s favour is an ability to secure good results against the bigger teams. So far this season they have taken victories away from home against Chelsea and Liverpool, both great results for the team. Taking maximum rewards away from Stamford Bridge saw them join Sunderland at the time as the only teams to have ever beaten the London giants at home under Jose Mourinho. Palace have also been able to take points off Manchester United, in a game where they had been able to really dominate the Red Devils for long periods.
What’s gone wrong?
The disappointing thing for Palace has been some of the results against the teams around them. This season so far they have lost convincingly to West Ham and have also recorded a narrow loss to Leicester City. The expectation would have been to be able to defeat such opposition, given that last season they were fighting with the Eagles to stay in the Premier League. This shows how things can change in such a short period of time when teams that were fighting to avoid relegation now occupying positions within the top six.
Palace were also having trouble keeping clean sheets in the early parts of the season, but that has seemingly improved with the introduction of Wayne Hennessey in goal. Strikers scoring goals has also been a problem as none of their key forwards have found the net in the league yet this season, something Pardew will be looking to rectify going forward.
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Best player so far – Yannick Bolasie
A highlight among the surprising Palace team has been Yannick Bolasie. The Congolese winger has used his speed and strength to cause serious issues for the fullbacks he has been facing up against and while so far this season he has only scored two goals in the Premier League, it is his dribbling that has really helped his side get into scoring areas. His showing against Manchester United in particular demonstrated his ability and his strength, in a game where he dominated Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind.
What’s next?
In terms of big games Palace have an upcoming run could pose problems leading into the busy Christmas period. Starting on the 7th of December they face a road trip to Everton, followed by a home game against Southampton and finally a trip to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City. In terms of injuries to key players, Pardew has been quite fortunate as Dwight Gayle is expected to be fit again in time for the clash with Everton.
Another potential returning player is Marouane Chamakh, who has only played 43 appearances in his three seasons at the club and is yet to make an appearance this season because of reoccurring injuries to his hamstring. The Moroccan could see game time before the end of November. The things that Palace will want to avoid are injuries or suspensions to players such as Bolasie, Wilfried Zaha or Yohan Cabaye, as they are key to how the team function.
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