Crystal Palace have endured a difficult start to the season, and manager Oliver Glasner has subsequently faced criticism for not knowing his best eleven yet, and for not fielding a settled back-line.
The South London side have amassed just three points from their opening seven Premier League matches, are yet to win a game and currently sit in the bottom three. Despite producing a spirited display at home to Liverpool on the weekend, they ultimately slumped to a narrow defeat against the Reds, courtesy of an early goal from Diogo Jota.
This has prompted mild criticism for Glasner, with journalist Michael Hincks lamenting the German’s constant changing of personnel in the Eagles’ defence.
Appointed as Palace manager mid-way through last season, replacing the veteran Roy Hodgson, Glasner stabalised a turbulent team and eventually finished the campaign with a flourish, winning six of their last seven games. Despite losing Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, the former Eintracht Frankfurt manager kept hold of the likes of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, and thus Palace were tipped by many at the start of the season to build upon their impressive end to last campaign and compete for a place in Europe this time around.
Affairs at Selhurst Park have not transpired according to plan, and Glasner’s team now sit 18th after seven matches. While the tactician certainly isn’t under immediate pressure, results will have to improve in upcoming weeks.
Glasner ‘Needs to Find Settled Back-Line’
Several different players have been used
In an attempt to diagnose Palace’s issues, journalist Hincks attributed some of the side’s failings to a lack of consistency in who is being named in the starting eleven, particularly in defensive areas. Guehi has already been deployed alongside the likes of Joachim Andersen, Chadi Riad, Nathaniel Clyne, Chris Richards, Trevoh Chalobah and Maxence Lacroix, and Hincks believes this constant chopping and changing isn’t facilitating defensive stability.
Writing for iNews, the Palace reporter said:
“This certainly hasn’t helped the cause, with this disjointed defence essentially diagonal in the moment that mattered against Liverpool, who carved Palace open thanks to the space the hosts’ faulty back line created. It is something that can be fixed, and that would certainly be made easier if players were allowed to build an understanding together.
There is every chance then that Guehi, Chalobah and Lacroix are the trio of choice going forward, and they can arguably take heart from reducing Liverpool to just one goal, but it will be on Glasner to make that decision. Right now, though, it feels as if he doesn’t know his best XI, and that is having a detrimental effect.”
Palace Eyeing Milwall Teenager
He’s highly thought of
Glasner could receive a boost in January, as Palace are reportedly eyeing a swoop for Milwall teenager Romain Esse. The 19-year-old starlet has begun the season excellently for the Lions, scoring twice in nine Championship appearances, and the Eagles are reportedly prepared to pounce and land the prospect.
The attacking midfielder would likely be enticed by a potential move to Selhurst Park, although he is said to be attracting interest from an array of suitors. The potential move could be a sign of early succession planning for Eberechi Eze, who continues to be linked with a move away from Palace.
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