Can Glasner Turn Palace’s Fortunes Around Amidst Mounting Pressure?

Following Crystal Palace’s red-hot form towards the back of end of last season, many fans felt Oliver Glasner had brought a new sense of optimism to Selhurst Park.

The Austrian coach, who guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, arrived with a pedigree that many believed would elevate the Eagles towards the top ten in the coming seasons, and quickly repaid the faith entrusted in him by the Palace hierarchy. Winning 7 of his first 13 Premier League matches, scoring 29 goals and finishing in tenth place on 49 points, Glasner provided a glimpse into the potential and promise that he could bring to the club.

Since then, however, the Palace boss and team have struggled to replicate that impressive form, leaving fans questioning what has gone wrong in the early stages of the current season. Still searching for their first win in the Premier League and now languishing in the relegation zone, this season’s prospects do not appear very promising for Palace fans.

And yet, despite the team’s current struggles and a winless start to the season, fans are remaining patient with Glasner even in the face of a prolonged relegation battle, a luxury that was not afforded to many of his predecessors. Accordingly, many fans are perhaps still holding on to the thrilling memories of last season’s conclusion, staying largely optimistic but equally desperate to see an upturn in results, hoping the recent international break offers a chance to reset and turn things around.

As for Glasner, this isn’t unfamiliar territory. Palace’s sluggish start may be reminiscent of his time in Germany, where he secured only one victory in his first 10 Bundesliga matches with Eintracht Frankfurt during the 2021/22 season before going on to dramatically win the UEFA Europa League title, defeating Rangers on penalties in Seville. Similarly, during the 2020/21 season with Wolfsburg, Glasner guided his side to Champions League qualification despite a winless opening four games, showcasing his ability to turn difficult starts into successful campaigns.

Publicly, Glasner has signalled the need for a fresh approach to matches, calling for unity and hard work to turn the season around. In an interview with Palace TV following the narrow defeat to Liverpool, he stated, “The only way to get the turnaround is invest, stay together, and work.” He remains confident that by sticking to this mindset, the team will soon start seeing results. “This is what we will do. Then we will get the turnaround. Then we will get the wins because we have the quality, we have the working mentality, we have the togetherness.” With this determined attitude, it appears Glasner aims to inspire not only his players but also the loyal fan base that is eager for a revival.

The Austrian manager has also stressed the importance of moving forward rather than dwelling on last season’s achievements, while quietly acknowledging the need for immediate results. Speaking on Match of the Day, he stated, “We have to stop talking about last season. It was a different squad,” opting instead to focus on the present as Palace grapple with a tough start to the season.

We see we are always close; we were close to getting the result against Liverpool,” he noted, underscoring the team’s competitiveness as he works to recapture the magic that led to last season’s top 10 finish. However, even with great determination, a renewed focus, and fans remaining largely patient, the clock is ticking for those competitive performances to translate into points on the board, helping pull Palace out of the relegation zone.

Ultimately, time is of the essence for Glasner and Palace as they navigate these early-season challenges. There’s no denying that improvements must come quickly, and with a relegation battle looming, the Austrian coach needs to ensure improved performances turn into valuable points, even if last season’s instant success buys him some time.

While fans may be anxious about recent performances, the team have showed some resilience and flashes of quality under his leadership, which hints that with the right adjustments, results will improve. Given the manager’s proven track record of turning around poor starts in previous seasons, fans can only hope that history repeats itself at Selhurst Park. If Glasner can harness the squad’s potential and unite the supporters, the stage could be set for a significant revival in the campaign.

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