Five Things TEB Learnt From The Opening Day Win At Fulham

A new season is off and running and the sixth in succession for the Eagles. Here are the five things we learnt from the opening day win at Craven Cottage.

1. Momentum goes a long way. Palace ended last season with an unapologetic swagger which saw them finish as one of the league’s form sides, but the big question was whether or not they would carry that into this campaign. With the core components of a winning team still intact, there was no sign of that confidence being eroded at Craven Cottage, only a side that looks intent on finding out how high it can push its ceiling this year. There remains work to do with a midfield in transition, but Saturday served as a reminder that the Eagles can be one of the most clinical counter-attacking teams in the league.

2. In contrast, Fulham somewhat nullified the end-of-season form which saw them storm to the cusp of automatic promotion by starting seven new signings together. Despite a positive start, the home side looked disjointed at the back and quickly found out that the Premier League does not stage welcome parties. Spending £100million might be able to buy you good players, but it will not guarantee results.

3. Wayne Hennessey was unrecognisable on Saturday – from the moment he made his first save to deny Cyrus Christie right up until when his outstretched arm appeared out of nowhere to push away Ryan Sessegnon’s goal-bound header. This was one of the Welshman’s few match-winning performances for Palace, and while the 31-year-old has come in for some serious criticism in the past, he might finally be about to warrant the number one shirt rather than occupy it out of necessity.

4. It is possible that Hennessey might have been woken up by the arrival of Vicente Guaita, who will be waiting in the wings should the Welshman’s form slip again. Palace may not have made a big batch of signings this summer, but those they did secure have created genuine competition for places. The midfield now knows that Cheikhou Kouyate and Max Meyer are breathing down their necks, while Jordan Ayew will be nipping at the heels of Palace’s forwards. For the first time in a long time it feels like the Eagles have some quality in depth, and that is only going to raise the game of those in the starting eleven.

5. At the risk of getting carried away, the sky appears to be the limit for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 20-year-old kept last year’s hottest prospect in the Championship quiet and his assist for Wilfried Zaha’s goal showed a glimpse of what a threat he can be going forward. It is important to urge caution when a player is still in a key stage of his development, but Wan-Bissaka has coped admirably with every object thrown in his direction so far.

 

 

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