Crystal Palace 1-4 Fulham. The one defining moment of our season.
A defeated Holloway leaves the club and Keith Millen takes on the job until a successor is appointed. There is an argument among impatient fans that as the days and weeks pass the new manager is missing critical games.
In truth Millen got the team playing well and eventually picking up points. But who in their right mind we asked would take on this job? Any attempt at survival in the Premier League was futile according to the media and the pundits.
Palace were no doubt underdogs once again, a title that the club thrives under. Then Tony Pulis was confirmed. A solid appointment in many fans eyes, ruining our style and youth set up many others suggested.
The all important fact was Pulis had yet to experience relegation from the top flight. His tenure at Stoke City had been cut short even after making them an established Premier League team with an FA Cup final appearance and a Europa League campaign to boot.
The battle was to begin and this was from the backline forwards. Straight away the defence looked stronger and hard to beat. Wingers were made to work harder and the one up front approach was maintained. The support role was for Chamakh and he made it his own and looking like the signing of the summer.
The points started coming, slowly at first then thick and fast. Even dragging Palace out of the bottom three.
As the January transfer window arrived, fans were crying out for a goalscorer. That signing did not materialise with Murray returning from injury. But more importantly, the signings of Scott Dann and Joe Ledley did. Both players that would no doubt suit the Pulis way. Whatever way that was as there was little sign of the physical long ball game with Palace.
The line up was pretty much set from there on in and remains to this day, both Dann and Delaney forming a formidable partnership at the back in front of the outstanding Speroni. Both KG and Jedi in front, Jerome running the long furrow up front. Punch and Bolasie launching sorties down each wing, Chamakh and Ledkey taking turns to support with Ward and Mariappa as full backs.
A settled line up says a lot about a team but Pulis has impressed with is his ability to make an effective substitution. Not purely for the hope of something happening or for injury or tiredness. But for a tactical reason.
Take the win at home to Hull City as an example. Palace had got their noses in front in a tight game. The visitors were starting to control the second half so Pulis made his first change. Not an attacking player as many managers might do to counter the threat. But a winger was taken off and a defender was brought on. Five at the back and many home fan thought ‘typical Pulis’. Perhaps it was but it had the desired effect and plugged the gap. But that was not all. A central defender was taken off and a defensive midfielder was brought on. This gave Palace more impotus to get forward and start occupying the minds on the Hull bavk line.
This won the game for Palace and a critical three points. This is not the only example and is only part of what Pulis has brought to Palace. We may have lost out on seeing the growth of such players as Campana, Gayle and Williams but that is a small price to pay in our march to Premier League survival.
Who would have uttered such words in October, November or December last year?
