How quickly things can change in football.
Oliver Glasner was batting off praise at the end of last season after transforming Crystal Palace into one of the most in-form Premier League teams. From his first match in February, Palace gathered enough points for the equivalent of a fourth-place finish, sending fans into the summer brimming with optimism.
Glasner has been keen to manage expectations this season. Six wins in his final seven Premier League games was a rate that would never be sustained, but defeat by Everton on Saturday afternoon means Palace are now winless in their opening six matches this campaign. They are also in the Premier League’s bottom three for the first time after a full round of matches (all the weekend’s fixtures being complete) since March 2018.
It is quite the reversal in fortunes. That summer optimism is beginning to feel like a distant memory.
Palace arrived at a buoyant Goodison Park with Everton fans spurred on by the club’s impending takeover from the Friedkin Group, meaning the primary task was to dampen the atmosphere in the early stages.
Marc Guehi’s opener after 10 minutes — the first time Palace had scored first in the Premier League this season — was the perfect way to do so, and there were encouraging signs that Glasner’s side were in control of the contest by overpowering Everton in the middle of the pitch in particular.
The approach was clear in the first half. Palace’s midfield duo of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada were often pressed man-for-man by Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and Orel Mangala. That left Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah to find space between the lines in Everton’s 4-4-2 defensive structure with a midfield box (take a look at the pass network in the match dashboard below).
“(The idea was) to get them (Eze and Nketiah) in the pocket to turn and have the wing-backs high to create a five-v-four and make runs,” Glasner said in the press conference after the game. “We had this situation many times in the first half but we were not always accurate in these passes to score more from it.”
With half-time boos echoing around the stadium from the Everton faithful, Palace’s plan seemed to be working. Within 10 minutes of the restart, it had unravelled.
Two quick Everton goals halted any momentum Palace had built in the first half, and they struggled to regain control. The spaces Eze had found earlier grew smaller as Everton’s defensive shape became tighter to defend their lead. Forced wide in search of space, his attacking influence faded as the second half progressed.
“We lost the game in the first 15 minutes of the second half,” Glasner said. “(After that) you could see that we got a little bit nervous. We wanted to get the equaliser but we didn’t find the right spaces and they defended with everything they had.”
After Ismaila Sarr replaced Kamada on the hour mark, Jefferson Lerma pushed into midfield from left centre-back. Glasner’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 — and later a 4-2-2-2 upon Jeffrey Schlupp’s arrival — did little to turn the tide in Palace’s favour.
Lerma provided a strong defensive performance and offered greater quality on the ball when Palace built from the back, compared with the injured Chris Richards. However, the Colombian international’s starting position as a left-sided central defender was symptomatic of Palace’s unsettled back line this season.
Injuries and transfer disruptions have forced Glasner to field a different centre-back trio in all six Premier League games, preventing any defensive cohesion or stability.
| Opponent | LCB | CB | RCB |
|---|---|---|---|
 Brentford |
Guehi
|
Andersen
|
Richards
|
 West Ham |
Riad
|
Guehi
|
Richards
|
 Chelsea |
Richards
|
Guehi
|
Clyne
|
 Leicester |
Lacroix
|
Guehi
|
Clyne
|
 Man Utd |
Richards
|
Guehi
|
Lacroix
|
 Everton |
Lerma
|
Guehi
|
Lacroix
|
Guehi has been the only constant and will be disappointed with Palace’s turn in fortunes after enjoying such a fruitful summer for his national team. The England international cut an unhappy figure in the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat and was visibly frustrated as Palace made their way down the tunnel.
Trevoh Chalobah was fit enough for the matchday squad but has yet to make an appearance this season as he returns from injury. The expectation is the Chelsea loanee will come straight into the side when he does reach full fitness, meaning further alterations are anticipated in Glasner’s back line in the coming weeks.
“Today, both goals had nothing to do with the back three (that we had),” Glasner said.
“It was two second balls after set plays that we conceded. We didn’t give them many chances from open play or in transition. It hurts more because we defended the set play but conceded the goals after a clearance from the second phase.”
Changes are not exclusive to the back line. Only Newcastle United and Manchester City have made more changes to their starting lineup so far this season, with Palace still searching for the perfect formula across the pitch — most notably in midfield as Glasner looks to find a position that best suits new signing Kamada.
We know Glasner’s teams tend to start seasons slowly, and there is understandable defiance in his tone despite Palace’s recent form. However, the reality is that things might get worse before they get better.
Palace host table-topping Liverpool next Saturday afternoon. It is an opportunity to kickstart their season before another international break. But another loss will mean the contrast between Palace’s first seven games this season and their final seven last season could hardly be more stark.
(Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
