O, how the mighty have fallen. Defeat at the City Ground on Monday evening was an all too familiar feeling for relegation candidates Crystal Palace as they extended their winless run to eight in the Premier League.

The Eagles soared high in the final eight games of last season, putting 19 points on the board, whereas this term, Oliver Glasner’s side have taken just three points from the same amount of games. Confidence is low, the quality of football is below par, and the outlook is harrowing, with ambition evaporating in SE25 as Palace turn their attention to an unexpected relegation battle. 

Since the start of the season, Palace’s entries into the opposition box have dipped by 17% from when Glasner took over last term, while their carries into the penalty area have dropped off by almost 35%. The statistics make grim reading.

Glasner hides behind the fact that his team have missed chances, but the reality is that they are failing to create clear-cut moments. The majority of Palace's shots are coming from outside the box because there is a lack of expansive attackers to breach defences and earn high-quality opportunities inside the penalty area. 

Naturally, Palace should change shape to accommodate more width and creativity into the team. Glasner’s footballing philosophy relies on wing-backs to provide the width, albeit he has not got the personnel capable of fulfilling the role at Crystal Palace. Tyrick Mitchell is not incisive enough on the left, while Daniel Munoz has been hit with a huge downward spiral in form and seems incapable of taking players on. 

Glasner must stop shoehorning players into a system that does not suit the profile of his squad and adapt to those around him, otherwise, the Austrian will be saying Auf Wiedersehen to South London sooner than he imagined.

Switching to a back four seems the obvious choice to get the best out of Mitchell and Munoz, taking the attacking pressure away and allowing the defenders to aid attacks rather than expecting the duo to kick-start them.

However, such an adaptation still leaves attacking issues, and therefore Glasner must emphasise a formation with wide players rather than inverted tens. The best solution, a 4-2-3-1 when defending, expanding into 4-3-3 on the attack. 

Palace’s anaemic squad has left them in a precarious position where their options to rotate are limited - especially in wide areas. Materially, it is simple to diagnose the issues: a lack of pace, a lack of width and a lack of creators. But the solutions are few and far between. 

Perhaps Palace’s best course of action is to utilise their rapid right-winger Ismaila Sarr, slotting Eberechi Eze behind the striker while bringing in the experienced Jeffery Schlupp on the left.


(Image: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire/PA Images)

Ideally, Palace would not have to rely upon the 31-year-old Schlupp in 2024, but to provide balance and use players in their natural position, he is one of very few options. 

The Ghanian would fill a huge hole for Palace, providing more parity and cohesion in attack. At this point in his career, he is not going to be the most exciting winger in the world, but he would be capable of doing the job, playing the ball inside to Eze, carrying the ball into the box, or even picking the ball up in the penalty area and getting an effort away at goal. 

In his brief cameo on Monday night, Schlupp created an excellent chance for Palace, attempting a bending effort minutes after coming off the bench, forcing a huge save from Forest keeper Matz Sels.

The suggestion to start the former Premier League winner does, however, come with an asterisk attached. The Ghanaian has mistakes in him and by no means will solve all of Palace’s problems, but the crucial point is that he will provide more balance to their play. Essentially, you know what you are getting. A player who understands the position, tries hard and shows fight and desire to execute his role. 

Should Glasner add the left-sided profile to his side, it would give Eze more freedom, allowing him to roam the middle of the park and pick out space. Sarr could be let loose with his pace, and, consequently, Palace would break into their opposition's box more often - creating chances for the lone striker, whether that’s Jean-Philippe Mateta or £30 million Eddie Nketiah. 

Of course, the proposal to use Schlupp is a damning indictment of Palace’s failed transfer policy. The Eagles sold two wingers, Michael Olise and Jordan Ayew, this summer while losing Wilfried Zaha the season before on a free. Yet Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman replaced the trio with just one right-sided winger. Palace have a lack of quality to deploy on the left, and failing to replace Ayew and/or Zaha was criminal.

(Image: PA)

The more attractive solution in switching to a formation with wingers would be to leave Eze on the left, start Sarr on the right and play Daichi Kamada in his natural ten role. On paper, it would make Palace a more fluid attacking unit. However, questions remain on Kamada's effectiveness and Eze is much better suited to the free-roaming ten rather than providing the width on the left.

Stubborn so far in sticking with a back five, Glasner has considered the possibility of changing shape, but his most public proposal has been to work Nketiah and Mateta into the same eleven. 

However, starting two finishers would fail to address Palace’s struggle to enter the opposition box; it would be counter-intuitive to add another striker into the mix when there is nobody to carve a chance for them.

Glasner faces serious conundrums in the coming weeks, and the pressure is rising on Crystal Palace. The Eagles dangle in the Premier League relegation zone and must find a way to breach opposition backlines. Otherwise, the Austrian coach will be sacked by the November international break.

Next up for Palace is Tottenham at Selhurst Park on Sunday, before a colossal six-pointer against Wolves.