Crystal Palace trio the league’s best: In which area?

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Crystal Palace’s defensive solidity under Tony Pulis has been much admired, but three players have been key.

Tipped widely for relegation at the beginning of the season, when they began under Ian Holloway the critics looked like being proved right.

Despite numerous signings, Crystal Palace failed to gel early on and it was only when Tony Pulis took over as boss did the side begin to look settled and turn their fortunes around.

Palace sit 15th, two points out of the relegation zone, but another three would see the Eagles soar as high as 10th.

Defensively, Palace have conceded 13 goals in 13 games under Pulis, in comparison to the 21 in 12 before him.

Key to this are three players, who have a huge impact around their own penalty box, statistically the very best in the Premier League.

Midfielder Mile Jedinak and defenders Damien Delaney and Daniel Gabbidon rank highest in the division for making the most interceptions in their own 18-yard box, stifling the attacks of their opponents.

Jedinak himself has made the most interceptions as a whole in the entire division, illustrating why he was deemed worthy of winning Australia’s Player of the Year Award back in November.

The overall effect Tony Pulis has had on the club can be seen below, with regards to their Premier League record before and after he arrived:

With teams in the division in worse form than Palace, and racked by uncertainty, it’s the newly promoted side who appear to have the edge in the relegation battle.

So long as their players continue to perform to a high standard, as it stands it would actually be a shock if they did lose their fight for survival.

image: © Ronnie Macdonald