Just eight games into the new season and we find ourselves in our second international break.
While it has been a rather interesting opening few weeks of Premier League football, for Palace it has been particularly exciting. We are almost a quarter of the way through the fixtures, or 21% through the season 2015/16 season to be precise, and we have fared very well indeed.
It is all the more interesting considering that we have experienced an injury crisis of sorts. That coupled with the opposition that we have faced so far – four teams that finished in last seasons top five – in the eight games, fans in and around SE25 have a right to feel rather positive for the remaining thirty fixtures.
The terrific start is a real foundation for Alan Pardew and his team to build on but one of the most pleasing aspects has to be the fact that we are beating teams that we should, on paper, be beating. Norwich City, Aston Villa, Watford and West Bromwich Albion are the four results that you can look to with two of those wins at home, addressing what was considered our achilles heel last season.
An excellent win at Chelsea is not perhaps the result it once was, but take nothing away from Palace that day. Beating the reigning champions on their own patch is no mean feat while narrow losses to Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur completes the season so far.
You could say that run of results is almost perfection for a team like Palace. Winning the games you arguably should win while poaching the odd point or two off one of the top sides. Losing to Arsenal at home who finished third the previous season, losing to Manchester City at home who ended runners up last season and Tottenham Hotspur away who finished fifth last season.
Not only are Palace winning the games against teams below or around them, there is a real competitive edge against the top sides proving that we are a tough proposition for any team. Evidence of that are the narrow losses to the top sides this season and that win at Stamford Bridge.
It makes you wonder what has been the biggest difference so far this season compared with last. It could be the fact that Pardew has been in charge over a summer which has allowed him to mould the squad to his liking. That is always tough to do when taking over part way through a season like he did.
Each of the new additions have made an impact but the real difference seems clear. Last season we had Mile Jedinak marshalling the midfield. This season we have Yohan Cabaye.
This is of course no disrespect intended on anyone else at the club at all as there has been an noticeable improvement in all that we see and do now.
I know I am not alone in saying that Jedinak has been a massive part of the success story for Palace but he is one player that has been sacrificed as we strive to achieve the next level. One that the club may not have seen before.
The addition of Cabaye has simply allowed the freedom for those in and around him to play their natural game. The flair players are in their element and the Frenchman’s play has become infectious. He has built up an excellent rapport with James McArthur in the middle which is an unlikely partnership. No longer will we see the ‘McJedley’ and we will rarely see McArthur partnered with Jedinak or Ledley again now that the midfield has been permitted a license to thrill.
It is difficult to believe that we have a player of such calibre in the midfield in Cabaye, more so understanding the huge impact that he has had on the way the Palace play and approach games. He is reveling in his role with club and country and exceeding the high expectations us Palace fans had for him before he first adorned the red and blue. Long may it continue.
Vive la Cabaye!
