When did you last see a big club spend years hunting a winning formula, eventually find it, then immediately break it up as soon as it starts working?
Never! So, when exactly that happens, neutrals and pundits start hitting panic buttons.
Four months ago, any neutral would’ve said the plan for Palace progress was already in Steve Parish’s pocket. A pile of crushing springtime victories screamed we’d finally found a winning formula. Hold on to Michael Olise and Ebere Eze and prepare for much more winning. Just keep the show on the road. Don’t change anything. What? Losing Olise? Well, if necessary, push the boat out to bring in a big replacement.
That’s logic for you. And we say. Screw logic. We are Crystal Palace.
Worrying The Experts
Since Olise’s departure, a month of hectic high profile buying and selling has left the “experts” worried.
Lineker, Shearer, Richards and Merson each took time from their busy lives to predict a tough struggle in the Premier League this year. Some of the pundits’ crystal balls even connected Palace with relegation.
By the time the big kick off arrived, gloom was poised to envelop hope. Seven days later, two defeats, no points, only one own goal scored, and the media were refreshing their Frank De Boer recollections online. How long did De Boer actually last? Will this wobble take Glasner down too?
In days, we tumbled down the helter-skelter from breathless anticipation of winning progress with players we know well to…. transition, is that what they call this? New faces in, old faces out.
One fan says it feels like 2015 again. But maybe not.
What Do We Already Know Of 2024/25?
Did the wheels really come off in the first seven days? Palace certainly went from 4% chance of winning a Champions League spot to early relegation candidates, while Glasner fell from the next Klopp to possibly the next to go.
Any silver lining? Well, both defeats brought lashings of bad luck. The match-changing error by a referee 20 minutes into his Premier League career didn’t help. And you didn’t have to be a professional face-reader to notice Glasner’s baffled full time expression in both games, how did we lose that? Results could easily have been very different. Both Brentford and West Ham were certainly lucky to get away without letting in more goals.
Where we definitely did go wrong was in losing both times the battle to get most shots on target compared to passes completed. In Glasnerball, losing this formula stat means we could well lose the match, and we did.
Learning What Glasner Means When He Says Wow
Before Brentford, Oliver Glasner shared his reaction to his most recent phone chat with Dougie. The call included a transfer deal update, he explained. When Friedman said what he had up his sleeve, Glasner said, “wow, exciting“. This should’ve warned Palace fans the window’s final week would be a turbulent experience. We know now. But the relief of last window’s last week with four players incoming plus a hard earned point at Chelsea was genuine.
Our 2024 Transfer Business Was Formidable
When the summer window closed, the final line was drawn under all non-Saudi transfer business for 2024.
After a hectic first six months at Palace, Glasner can look at his squad this autumn and see his picks already represent more than 25% of the first-team squad. Realistically, Glasner couldn’t have hoped for so much progress so fast.
The spine of the squad has been significantly strengthened. Centre back, central midfield and striker clearly topped the wanted list this year. Injuries will always be a risk in coming months, and supporters might find suspensions more common. The first three Premier League games this season brought eight yellow cards, compared to two last year.
The 2024 PROFIT on transfer fees is a net £20m. Even with agents’ fees to pay, we do feel stronger, player for player. Here’s why…
Palace started 2024 with Odsonne Edouard, and will end it instead with Eddie Nketiah. Chadi Riad replaced James Tomkins, Trevoh Chalobah for Jairo Riedewald. Daichi Kamada in, Jordan Ayew out. These are all sure-fire upgrades.
Olise was of course irreplaceable, but last season Palace started no fewer than 24 Premier League games without him – and Ismaila Sarr undoubtedly has qualities.
On Maxence Lacroix replacing Joachim Andersen and Matt Turner in for Sam Johnstone, we’ll all be watching.
Meanwhile, last winter’s window activity looks better all the time. When Palace signed Daniel Munoz and Adam Wharton, we had no idea each one would so soon turn out such a masterly market move. Both immediately added greatly to the performance of the team, plus they’re a terrific advert for the club, showing other players on an upward career curve that Palace is a fantastic place to take the next step up.
Beware The Conor Gallagher Effect
Whenever he comes back to Slurst, the reception for Connor Gallagher is so warm and friendly, there’s a danger it will be repeated for others this season. With the departure of Ayew, Edouard, Johnstone and Andersen, extra juice is now added to matches against Leicester, Wolves and Fulham. Especially after what AWB and, of course, what Gallagher did to us already this year. Speaking of whom…
When they sold Gallagher to Atletico, did Chelsea actually export their last shred of genuine passion? Silly question. The point is, if he doesn’t settle in Madrid, he might soon become the most famous case of homesickness since Graeme Souness was a boy walking away from Spurs.
If that’s the case, bringing Conor home to Palace, where he belongs and where his career had his best year, makes perfect sense. And Palace might just have the money to do it!
Gallagher may never be a Simeone player, but he would instantly become a Glasner player. Conor will never fill the gap left by Olise, but he would fill the one left by Conor Gallagher.
Ownership Uncertainty Lingers Longer
John Textor wants to own Everton, but he can’t keep his shares in Palace at the same time, so his 45% (approximately) is up for sale. We’re told the owners disagree among themselves on price, depending on whether they’re buying or selling. Nothing new there then.
What’s the club worth? In May, Forbes magazine reported Palace value in the region of £624 million, much higher than when Textor bought his shares. In fact, there’s no doubt that Textor’s original investment in 2021 gave the club a valuable leg up. Clearly, Textor now hopes this uptick shows in his eventual sale price.
Let’s see if there are interested buyers. That’s the official story at the moment.
Thanks Newcastle For The Laughter
All summer long, I’ve been grateful to Newcastle, because whenever I needed a laugh (which has been often), I only have to turn to the Magpie blogs discussing Marc Guehi. Their repeated sideswipes at our club about Parish’s negotiating, Palace’s “spiteful” moves in a hunt for some kind of revenge and of course the so-called “Toon Tax” make me think the Mags will still be bleating next time we play them.
Of course, one reason Guehi’s price is so high is because of the “Manure Tax“. Harry Maguire went to Manchester United for £80m. Find me someone who thinks Guehi won’t be better than Maguire has ever been – for years and years to come!
Thanks Newcastle For The Free Valuation
As part of their vile bile, Newcastle fans graciously provided their forecast assessment of Guehi’s value next summer on the basis that he didn’t make the move to them. Applying all their in-depth knowledge of the markets, bitter bloggers from Newcastle say a 2025 transfer for Marc Guehi would top out at £20 or £30 million.
Steve Parish might beg to differ, and here’s why.
More than one club might be interested next summer in owning the future of such an exceptional player who is still young and has very little performance ceiling. It’s not unreasonable to expect that a bidding war might drive this fee well above current Toon Army estimates. Which might be fun. Guehi himself can be assured the very fat pay packet he will deserve wherever he rocks up.
With Guehi staying another season or two, Palace fans might expect a nice bonus. If he can avoid injuries, we will all get to enjoy watching the future England captain continue his development at Palace.
Crazy Investment Opportunity
As you watched Jared Bowen score the second goal to bury Palace, your thoughts may have turned to the “bet” on Palace to win the Premier League. Hmmm. I’m still holding on to my investment, I know we will climb the table. But, even I admit, my confidence in Palace pipping Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal for the trophy is starting to slip….
