With all signings complete, Crystal Palace will look to a group of new players to kick-start their season.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
Having added a trio of attacking options over the summer transfer widow, with the arrivals of Andros Townsend, Christian Benteke and Loic Remy, Crystal Place look to be in a good position.
Their summer window was always going to be a difficult one as they fought off the challenge of trying to keep Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha. Bolasie signed for Everton, but Zaha remains at Selhurst Park, after interest from Tottenham Hotspur, which will go a long way in ensuring they have a good Premier League season, rather than one where they go through the motions and just avoid the drop.
Keeping hold of Zaha was key to ensuring Palace are progressing in the right way, and the interest from Maurcicio Pochettino’s Spurs showed the resolve that Palace have in keeping players that are key not only to their survival but also to their progression up the table. But Palace fans will want more than just survival this season, especially with the additions of Benteke and Remy.
Palace supporters will be looking for more from Alan Pardew’s side, certainly more than was given last season, and Pardew himself will be looking to lay to rest the ghosts that have followed him from Newcastle United and show not only the Palace faithful that he is the right man to lead the club in the imminent future, but also the man to bring them long-term success.
How Palace line up against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium will depend largely on the formation that Pardew wants to proceed with and how he wants his team to be set-up. Against Bournemouth in their 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park, Palace set out in a 4-4-2 formation, something they are predicted to continue with. So while the formation will remain the same, it is the line up itself that takes on the changes.
We take a look at how Crystal Palace might line up against Middlesbrough this coming weekend…
Palace need to be less predictable going forward and by starting with both Andros Townsend and Zaha out wide, they will give an element of unpredictability. With both players having the turn of pace to cut inside but also go outside, it will give Pardew’s side something that they have so far this season been lacking.
Defensively Palace are where they need to be and have a fairly settled back line in Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Damien Delaney, and Pape Souare. The main concern for the Middlesbrough game is to whether Wayne Hennessey will return from injury, and with a 50/50 chance of playing, it is unlikely he will return, meaning Frenchman Steve Mandanda will keep his place.
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In the centre of midfield it is felt that all Palace are looking for is a partner for Yohan Cabaye, and while Joe Ledley gives you options in centre midfield, the belief is that until a long-term partner is identified, James MacArthur will continue alongside Cabaye as the more defensive midfielder, allowing Cabaye to play the creative midfield role.
Where Pardew will hope that his side can make the biggest impact is with his two recent signings up front. In the summer transfer window, Palace added Christian Benteke and Loic Remy, signed from Liverpool and Cheslea respectively, both have proven track records in the Premier League, although last season both struggled to hold down regular places within those squads.
But while both have track records of scoring regularly in the Premier League, both have something to prove in the sense that they still have what it takes to lead a revival after difficult periods within their careers.
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