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After six successive defeats, it’s hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel for Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace team. Yes, granted the first four defeats can be accredited to Frank De Boer, but Hodgson has maintained that negative momentum.
The Eagles still haven’t scored a single goal this league campaign and this past weekend, they received their heaviest defeat yet. But besides all that’s going wrong for Crystal Palace, there is still reason to have hope.
The Premier League is a game of twists and turns, and things can turn around in your favour very quickly. There’s no reason not to think Crystal Palace can’t survive this season, they’ve just given everyone a head start.
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Here are 5 reasons why Crystal Palace's fortunes will turn around soon.
#5 They possess tactical flexibility
In a league where three at the back has become the norm, Crystal Palace have bucked the trend by sticking to a 4-2-3-1 setup. This may seem like tactical suicide now, but once one manager identifies the flaws in 3 at the back, the whole league will also take note. By that time, Crystal Palace will have fine-tuned their 4-defender system against the 3-4-3/3-5-2.
And when the whole league switches back to a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3, they will have a transition period where they will have to adjust back to it again. In that time, Palace will be able to gain valuable ground on their relegation rivals.
#4 They have an extraordinary fixture list
People need to take into consideration that in their first 6 league games, the Eagles have already faced three of last season’s top 8. And the run doesn’t get any easier as they’ll face Manchester United and Chelsea in the next two weeks. On a more positive note, they would have already faced 5 of last year’s top 8 before mid-October, meaning their Christmas period will be relatively comfortable.
Everyone knows that the team bottom at Christmas usually gets relegated. However, in that time Palace will be facing West Brom, Bournemouth, Watford, Leicester and Swansea in that period, all winnable games that could provide valuable momentum. If Palace can just ride out this tough period, the points will come rolling in.
On top of that, who’s to say the Eagles can’t get something against Manchester United and Chelsea, last season they beat Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool in the space of a week. Have faith.
#3 They have Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Roy Hodgson should thank his lucky stars that Antonio Conte opted not to keep Ruben Loftus-Cheek this season. The young Englishman is a special prospect like we haven’t seen before. Loftus-Cheek has everything going for him, he’s strong, quick, a powerful ball-carrier and has great technique. In the absence of Zaha, he’s the creative spark that can spur Palace onto greater things.
Against Manchester City, Loftus-Cheek was the only player that looked capable of turning things around. He ran at the Manchester City defence, often making them look shaky and disorganised. In his 4 appearances for Palace, Loftus-Cheek has completed 107 passes, produced 8 through balls and created 4 clear-cut chances. With Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the pitch, Roy Hodgson & Crystal Palace have hope.
#2 Wilfried Zaha is returning soon
The former Manchester United winger will be making his much-anticipated return soon. It’s projected that Zaha will be back in the Palace squad by mid-October, just in time for their congested Christmas schedule. It’s no secret that the Ivorian galvanises the Eagles; last season in 35 appearances, he scored 7 goals, assisted 9 goals, created 38 chances and produced 8 through balls.
The 24-year old is not just a creative force in attack, he’s a huge help in defence too. Last season, he won 351 on the ball duels, made 34 interceptions, blocked 15 shots and made 76 tackles. Zaha’s return to the team will feel like a new signing for Palace as he’s a HUGE upgrade on Jeffrey Schlupp.
This is a man that Tottenham Hotspur avidly chased during the summer but Palace refused to lower their £25m valuation. The Ivorian is a highly touted player in English football and his talents have been noted by all the top clubs. He’s an asset Roy Hodgson is lucky to have and his effectiveness will come into play shortly.
#1 Roy Hodgson has unrivalled experience
Ever since his stint as England manager, Roy Hodgson’s name has been met with much disrespect by the footballing public. But we should never forget that Roy Hodgson has been at the helm of some of the most iconic clubs on the planet. He’s managed both Liverpool and Inter Milan, managed the biggest teams in Switzerland and Sweden and took Fulham to new heights.
The 69-year old understands the demands of the world’s most watched league and this isn’t a situation that will keep him up at night. He knows what it takes to deliver on the biggest of stages, with unprecedented amounts of pressure.
In his managerial career, Roy Hodgson has managed 1,053 games with 19 clubs, winning 8 trophies in the meantime. Crystal Palace isn’t his toughest challenge yet, but it may be his most satisfying to overcome.
