Do you like to have a little bet on the football from time to time? We certainly do and whether it is in play betting or season long bets, we love nothing more than adding to the excitement of watching the results unfold with Betolimp South Africa, especially when we win! Today we are going to look at season betting, and who will make a charge for European football, beyond the top 6. First off we are going to look at Crystal Palace, a team who were seemingly doomed to relegation last year, before Roy Hodgson took hold of the club, and guided them to an 11th place finish. Knowing that they needed new players, the board have supported Hodgson with the players that he wanted, leading many to think they may have a tilt at Europe this year, let’s ahem a look.
Holding On
Arguably the best bit of business that the London side have done during the summer was holding on to Wilf Zaha, the man who makes just about everything happen in this team, and a player of true class.
Tottenham and Arsenal were sniffing about for Zaha but were put off when the Eagles slapped a £75 million price tag on him. Zaha not only stayed at the club but has also signed a new contract.
Clear Out
Hodgson has not only brought in players that he nows can plug gaps, he has also looked to streamline the team by getting rid of some dead wood. Luxury or aging players such as Yohan Cabaye, Damien Delaney, Cheong-yong Lee and Bakary Sako have been shipped out as Hodgson looks to create a team with his hallmark on it. Selling players can often be as important as buying, and these are players which the club will be better without.
Simple Policy
Palace have not gone crazy in the window, as their -£9.3 million net figure suggests, what they have done however, is bought smart. The Eagles were weak in central midfield last year, which makes the investment of Jordan Mutch and Cheikhou Kouyate such great business, especially given that both players know all about the Premier League.
Arguably the signing of the summer for the Eagles was Max Meyer, a 22-year-old who has long been tipped for greatness, they even managed to bring him in on a free transfer! Jordan Ayew will also return on loan this year, to give Palace that little bit of extra firepower up top.
Can They Do It?
There is no reason why Palace cannot push for a Europa League spot, they have a solid group of players and most importantly, a very sage manager. Palace will need to get a good run going however, they cannot afford to be streaky if they want to get up to 5th or 6th position. The first weekend has already shown signs of how good this Palace team can be, especially when players like van Aanholt, Zaha, and the young and mightily impressive Wan Bassaka get involved. It won’t be easy, but there is no reason why Palace can’t get the job done.
