We have had a week to stew over the Arsenal loss as Selhurst last weekend, and although at times they looked frightening, there are plenty of positives to take from the game.
There was not much news this week regarding any potential outgoings or incomings at SE25, the Dwight Gayle situation continues to rumble on, as well the constant speculation regarding Bournemouth and Glenn Murray which refuses to go away.
The U21 side was in action this week and they produced a fabulous match with Bolton which ended 3-3 as Palace were awarded three penalties, two of which were missed. Right at the death captain Connor Dymond converted to rescue a point for the Eagles.
I just want to take a moment to look back at the defeat last weekend. It was an assured performance by the boys, but ultimately we were defeated by a bit of class and an unfortunate own goal.
In the first twenty minutes Arsenal looked awesome, they were obviously angry from their opening day defeat by West Ham and they looked on a mission. On another day, all their chances would have found the back of net and it would have been game over. However, after Alan Pardew changed it and moved Yohan Cabaye a bit deeper we began to get a foothold in the game.
I think the best way to describe us at the moment is ‘we are nearly there, but not quite’ meaning that there were signs in the second half of last season. The only thing missing is the cutting edge at the moment.
Cabaye was again sensational in the middle, and believe me we still have not seen the best of him. Once he gets match sharpness back he will be pivotal. I also thought Scott Dann and Pape Souare were solid at the back. We all know the qualities of Dann, but Souare is still a bit of a mystery at the moment.
He has started the season well, but last season we saw he is prone to the odd lapse in concentration. Going forward he is superb, but I am still a little unconvinced with his defending. I am certainly willing to give him time, he is made for the Premier League and this season is a big one for him.
With the additions made in the summer, we now have plenty of options all over the pitch, and one area we have probably too many is upfront. Connor Wickham led the line last weekend and put in a decent shift on his debut, but waiting in the wings is Glenn Murray, the experienced pro.
Our friend from RedNBlueArmy Terrence Ford is a big fan of Wickham and rightly so in my opinion. He is still just 22 years of age and has huge potential, given he finds the right club. Sunderland was not the right club for him, but I think we are. Personally I am still undecided whether he will get 10-15 goals a season.
I am not saying Murray will reach that target, because he probably will not but I just think his overall play has come on leaps and bounds over the past two seasons. I hope our fan favourite will not be languishing on the bench this season. He can still do a job and most importantly score vital goals.
In terms of the right team and style of play, Palace is suited to Wickham’s strengths. He very nearly opened his account but the frame of the goal stopped him last week. I think young Wickham has to get a goal sooner rather than later, and then I think we will see him explode into life at SE25.
Next up at Selhurst is Aston Villa, a side which I think will be an unknown quantity this season. They lost the spine of their team this summer with Christian Beneteke and Fabian Delph moving to Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.
Tim Sherwood has reinvested the money into players which English fans might not have heard of. Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Veretout, Jordan Ayew, and Jordan Amavi have all come in from Ligue 1. They have come with a certain amount of pedigree, but whether they can cut in the Premier League will be another matter.
Last year we lost 1-0 at home thanks to a Beneteke goal after a rare Scott Dann mistake. We are stronger this year, and if we play to the level we did against Arsenal I am confident we can get a result.
The only thing I am scared of is what Villa will turn up. We cannot worry too much about that, if we play our game correctly there are not too many teams in this league that can deal with us.
