THE MIGHTY PALACE’S SEASON SO FAR

Agustin D, Year 12 writes...

Everyone in the Premier League is known for something. For the Pride of South London, namely the mighty Crystal Palace Football Club, we’re known as the club that loves a mid-table finish and is allergic to finishing anywhere other than 12th, 13th and 14th - safe from relegation but so far from Europe.

Last season was one of the club’s most successful seasons in recent history. The club finished 12th and Patrick Vieira ensured some of the most attractive football in the entire country was played, which was nice for our fantastic fanbase who had become used to Roy Hodgson’s previous tactics! Signings made, such as Andersen, Guehi, Olise and Conor Gallagher, played starring roles, whilst Wilfred Zaha and Tyrieck Mitchell both had seasons to remember, and Mitchell earned two caps for England.

That being said, compared to those that Crystal Palace competes with on a weekly basis, the club doesn’t have masses to spend every window and this was evident in the summer, with Cheick Doucoure, Sam Johnstone and Chris Richards (our only summer arrivals) spending round 30 million. Considering the goal machine that was Conor Gallagher left the club, and another goalscoring mid wasn’t bought in to replace him, Palace’s attack already looked a shadow of last season.

Yet Palace’s season started well and there was lots of chat about where Palace could end up...

It could only go onwards and upwards for the High Flying Birds couldn’t it? Well, things started to go south massively. Throughout the January transfer window, Patrick Vieira grew increasingly frustrated at the club’s owners and their lack of backing, as he began to realise his attacking options were very limited. Vieira was given two deadline day options, in Albert Sambi Lokonga and Naouroui Ahamada, to add to the dire depth in midfield. However, no attackers were given.

Another disaster struck when Vieira decided it was time for Shaun Derry, Palace leader, skipper, legend and first team coach, to go. This was after he lectured several members of our first team squad in October, following an horrendous 3-0 loss away at Goodison Park. We haven’t won a game since, unfortunately.

Palace’s horrific run stretches from Boxing Day to the present day and one could say we have had hard fixtures, with games against the likes of City, United, Newcastle. However, we have played really poorly, with no intent to attack and with a real lack of confidence and freedom. Along with our losses and lack of wins, (including a shocker against Southampton in the FA Cup third round), Patrick Vieria was given his marching orders and we are now without a gaffer, going into the final ten weeks of the season and with five league goals in 2023. Could it get worse?

Apart from our towering centre halves, Michael Olise and Cheick Doucoure, it’s fair to say the rest have underwhelmed massively. There is very little to suggest, sadly, that we are going to turn the shocking form around and get free of the drop before the end of the season. Wilfred Zaha is not the player he once was and others, including JP Mateta , Odsonne Edouard, Luka Milivojevic, Joel Ward, Nathaniel Clyne, and Jordan Ayew have underwhelmed. In fact, they have been shadows of what Palace fans know they are capable of, and what they should be gunning for.

As for the current manager crisis, it is causing utter chaos at the club. Roy Hodgson is linked with the vacancy, as expected since he is someone that knows the players and the place. However, he is already 76 years of age and his involvement in Watford’s relegation last season was questioned. This would be a cause for concern at Selhurst Park and

I don’t think, to be honest, Palace fans can cope with Hodgson after Vieria.

Paddy McCarthy, the U21 manager who took charge against Arsenal on an interim basis, is another option. He likes an aggressive style of football. However, his lack of experience at the top of the game would be a cause for concern but he is respected amongst members of the squad, having been a former captain, player and teammate of players such as Wilfred Zaha and Joel Ward.

Other options include Rafa Benitez , Jesse Marsch, Steve Bruce, and Nuno.

However, the only names that really interest Palace fans are Ange Postecoglou (the Celtic boss who has bought the good days back to Celtic with his bargain signings from the Japanese league) and Will Still (one of the brightest young managers in all of Europe and still only 30 years old). Will Still would be one of the youngest members of the entire club but, nonetheless, he plays a good brand of football and is a brilliant manmanager, it seems. Palace must act quickly to ensure we survive the drop.

Whether we are a Premier League club or not in the summer, I believe that one thing is for certain: players must leave the club in order to move forward. Sadly, I am speaking about the likes of Palace legends, like Joel Ward, James McArthur and Wilfred Zaha. However, time is sadly up for these players south of the river.

Five other players are out of contract this summer including Jordan Ayew, James Tomkins and

Vincente Guaita. They have all been good servants to the football club but it is, unfortunately, time for them to go. Others, such as Edouard and Mateta, are simply not good enough for this level and should be sold immediately.

Building the project around the likes of Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Cheick Doucoure is vital, and a new keeper, right back, cdm, goal scoring mid, winger and striker are all needed to push the club further up the table ,should we stay up. I would also do whatever it takes to bring Conor Gallagher back to the biggest club in London.

In the unfortunate case that we do go down, these key players will all leave, so it is vital we invest in and develop some of the fantastic youth and players out on loan. We have Joel Whitworth, Jesurun Rak Sakyi, Jack Wells Morrison, David Obou and Luke Plange. So, to my mind, a manager who is willing to give youth a chance is very much needed at this football club.

To progress, I wonder if it is probably best to part ways with our chairman, Steve Parish, and our owners, Josh Harris, John Textor and Dave Blitzer. None have blessed the club with the funds necessary to compete in the Prem and, should we get relegated, the Championship. In addition, our scouting and recruitment also needs massive improvement.

It pains me to think this but a model is our arch rivals Brighton! Their scouting and recruitment is one that even rival fans can stand and applaud. Brighton’s recruitment is sound and, when they lose players and managers, they are well prepared and know the exact style of what is needed at the football club. Losing Graham Potter, Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma weren’t issues for the club and, like Palace, Brighton don’t have all the funds in the world available.

When all is said and done, I hope our fantastic club can go and blow people away in the years to come.