1. Roy Hodgson
The former England and Liverpool manager has certainly not enjoyed the rough with the smooth.
The English coach has not managed to turn around the form of the Eagles, who have been languishing in the pits of the Premier League.
Palace have only picked up five points from the first 12 league games which, if they keep going with their recent form, will just eclipse the worse points finish ever in a single season (just beating Derby County’s measly 11 points).
Hodgson is in dire need of results, so needs to pick up at least a point against perennial start-of-season strugglers Stoke.
2. Christian Benteke
The Belgian striker was once given a potential rating of 85 in FIFA Career Mode.
This made the majority of young fans believe he was destined for stardom on the world stage.
After a disastrous season-long spell at Liverpool playing third fiddle to Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge, Benteke decided to move to Selhurst Park in a bid to reignite his career.
The form of last season (finishing with 15 goals) has alluded the 6’2 forward, whose goalscoring prowess has suffered as a result of Palace’s poor performances.
Eagles fans are desperately hoping that he can regain his eye for goal, and quickly in order to pull off the unthinkable, and stave off relegation.
3. Between the Sticks
Gaffer Roy Hodgson has made the capture of a third goalkeeper a priority this coming transfer window.
After releasing free-agent Steve Mandanda leaving him free to his boyhood club Marseille, the Eagles have also said goodbye to now-free agent Kleton Perntreou.
If any knowledgable football fan was standing in the shoes of Steve Parish, they would instantly shout for QUALITY!
With struggling Wayne Hennessey and 38-year-old club icon Julian Speroni the only recognised keepers in the squad, it is paramount for Palace to replace these two with a keeper of great talent.
Conceding 24 goals in 12 league games this season doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the Palace keepers, so if they could hijack Newcastle United’s proposed move for Jasper Cillessen, they would have an increased chance of staying in the top flight this season.
4. The Opposition
Don’t be fooled into thinking that Palace are the only team suffering in the Premier League this season so far.
As the vast majority of teams in the bottom half of the season are only averaging a single point a game, this season is shaping up to be one of the worst, in terms of points scored, in recent memory.
Taking this into account, teams down the bottom of the table need to take advantage of this ‘narrative’ in action by taking points off fellow strugglers.
For Crystal Palace, there is a refreshing, yet unsure wave of optimism coming from Roy Hodgson. With the Palace manager not seeming intimidated by the opposition, maybe this is the time where Palace come out of the darkness and into the light (of Premier League safety).
5. Wilfried Zaha
Wilfried Zaha has easily been Crystal Palace’s best player so far this season… AGAIN.
The Ivorian winger has enjoyed a scintillating run of form after his recent comeback from injury,
scoring three goals in six games.It really is no wonder why the attacker is, again, being linked with a transfer to the top clubs again, particularly North London giants Arsenal and Tottenham.
His failed stint at Manchester United, however, shows that maybe Zaha is not yet ready for a continual presence in a top Champions League club.
At this time, however, Zaha remains an Eagle, and it is time for him to take the team by the scruff of the neck, Roy of the Rovers style, and pick up three points against the Potters.
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