Summer Is Over, The Season Can Begin For Crystal Palace
Article by Dave Graham - Follow on Twitter @DaveG_blogFollow e-Crystal Palace on Twitter
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Now the transfer window has closed we can all take a breath. Things are looking rosier than a couple weeks ago.
Whilst most see the appointment of Warnock as a step backwards, which in the cold light of day it is, his return has been somewhat comforting. That is, after the recent turmoil at the club.
A familiar face, who loves the club and has a Pulis-like attitude when it comes to management. Pulis didn’t love the club, in fact it often seemed as if he thought himself better than it.
Warnock will be on board with CPFC2010 plans, vital if we are to see a working relationship forged between the two.
Part of those plans will involve our much praised academy, which Warnock has always been a vocal advokate of. If you worried that Pulis would never bring any kids through, you needn’t worry anymore – Warnock will.
If he moves up to a Director of Football role in the next few years, he will have a big say on the progression of academy players too.
I’m sure a DoF role has been discussed. Last week Parish talked of a “succession plan”.
The general consenus is that this means Warnock’s assistant will be lined and moulded as his successor. Shaun Derry was linked but said he isn’t interested.
Whoever it is, the idea of a “succession plan” sits well with me. Long-termism as opposed to short, to provide continuity and stability. An appointment will surely be made during this international break.
So what of our transfer window? The one question I ask, is whether our squad is better than it was at the end of last season. The answer is yes.
With Kelly and Fryers, we have improved at full back. Both are young and have sell on value, important to a club like ours – something Pulis didn’t understand.
At centre back, the jury is out on Hangeland. He’s started poorly. At the moment he seems unable to mark a man. I feel we will soon wish we had kept Gabbidon. A 2.5mil bid for Tyrone Mings on Monday makes me wonder whether Warnock feels the same.
We have undoubtedly strengthened in central midfield. James McArthur, a great buy, will show/remind fans what a quality box to box midfielder is. Everything KG was not.
On the wing we have seen the return of Wilfried Zaha. It was inevitable in the end. Mistreated and wasted by Manyoo, loved and appreciated by us. Warnock will put his arm round Wilf’s shoulder, massage any ego and the lad will excel.
Our strikeforce rouses the biggest debate -
Last season Cameron Jerome divided opinion. I thought he was ineffective. A waste of pace and power. We replaced him with Frazier Campbell.
Against Arsenal and West Ham Campbell played in an advanced role, in front of Chamakh, and didn’t impress particularly. After 3 league games Gayle has taken that spot already.
I like Campbell, but prefer to see him play deeper, which of course is where Chamakh plays. He has played at a higher level, like Chamakh, and links play well.
The worry I have is that he wont work hard enough to play in that role for us, even in Chamakh’s absence. And he’s on a fair whack wage wise to be sitting on the bench.
For that reason I can see Monday’s late aquisition, Kevin Doyle, starting v Burnley.
Highly rated a few years ago, he is now an unknown in my eyes. Certainly not a has been. I can’t see him scoring goals but believe drop deep, work extremely hard and link play.
Many fans have critisised the decision to sign Doyle. They have cited the fact that the departed Glenn Murray is better and have questioned “the point” of the deals.
I agree, Muzza is better. But he wanted to go. That it “the point”. We owed him whatever he wanted. Murray’s superiority therefore shouldn’t form part of the critisism of Doyle’s arrival.
We tried to get a better played than Doyle to replace Murray, but were quoted 11mil for David McGoldrick of Ipswich. That being the case, I’m glad we went for Doyle on loan.. We are not Hull, we do not overpay for average players.
Not since Holloway showed us how not to buy players last summer anyway.
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