Away from home is where the heart is for Crystal Palace

“Home sweet home” as the saying goes. However, for Crystal Palace, home seems to be anything but sweet.

The ‘home field advantage’ is a well known aspect of modern football. So it is all the more baffling that The Eagles managed only six home wins in total last season, losing a staggering ten matches at Selhurst Park. However, Palace successfully counteracted this poor home form with an impeccable away record, winning seven and drawing another six, including victories at Stoke, West Ham and a memorable victory at Anfield.

So why is it that Palace are so emphatically bucking the trend?

Before we point any fingers at the terraces, The Eagles’ poor home form is not down to a lack of support at Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace often being sighted as having the rowdiest support in the Premier League. Rather, this questionable home record is better explained by Palace’s style of play.

Simply, Palace are a counter attacking team. The most dangerous weapons at The Eagles disposal are pace and power, in an attack spearheaded by Bolasie, Zaha and Jason Puncheon. This swashbuckling play, though exciting to watch, is better suited to away games, where the impetus lies with the opposition to control possession and attack, leaving holes in behind to be exploited. This was no more clearly seen than in Palace’s 1-3 away win at West Ham as Palace conceded 66% possession to the Hammers, yet came away with a solid win.

However, this style of play seems to hit a stumbling block in home ties, whereby the away team are much happier to sit deep and concede possession. With a team sheet bristling with pace and power, but perhaps lacking in technical ability- this is where Palace have come a cropper. When Palace met West Brom at Selhurst Park, for example, they lost 2-0 having controlled 68% of possession. The Baggies sat deep and didn’t allow Palace in behind. The Eagles looked short of a plan b and fell to defeat because of this.

So what is to be done if Palace are to make Selhurst a fortress this year? The acquisition of Yohan Cabaye is a great start. The Frenchman should add a much needed presence in the middle of the park, as The Eagles a have recently been without a central midfielder who is really comfortable in possession. Likewise, last seasons additions of Jordan Mutch and Lee Chung-Yong point to a move by Alan Pardew towards a team that is as comfortable in possession as it is on the counter attack.

Now, following Palace’s first home game of the season just days ago, We got given another frustrating loss at Selhurst Park, but because of no fault of our own. Here’s hoping home can truly be sweet this season.