- Chris Richards speaks about Guehi’s Crystal Palace departure
- Building a strong defence with fellow partners
- A new style after Glasner leaves?
Crystal Palace lost their club captain, Marc Guehi, following his January move to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Chris Richards thinks players have stepped up in the void left by 25-year-olds.
In an interview with GOAL, Richards believes his side has handled the loss well, and he has stepped up to help the Eagles.
“When Marc left, people were looking around like, ‘Who will be the guy to step up?’ It’s something I did all summer long with the national team, and that helped me at Palace.”
While they initially struggled following his departure, Oliver Glasner’s side have only lost once since the end of February. Richards has played an important role in helping turn the tide.
Palace’s new-look defence
After Guehi joined City in a £20 million deal in January, Glasner was forced to find defensive solutions.
The Austrian manager has usually opted for a back three of Richards, Maxence Lacroix, and summer signing Jaydee Canvot, who moved to Selhurst Park from Toulouse.
While the club couldn’t pick up a victory in their first two matches after their captain left, they picked up a valuable three points against their fierce rivals, Brighton.
This was their first Premier League victory in over two months, and they were able to keep a clean sheet.
Richards was at the heart of the defence alongside his French teammate Lacroix as they both put on excellent displays.
While Glasner’s side have suffered with some poor results over recent months, this is the most consistent they have looked for many months, having only conceded five goals in their last eight matches.
Richards’ partnership with his fellow centre-back Lacroix has been imperative to their strong performances in recent weeks.
His ball-playing ability, combined with his strong aerial presence, makes him a tough opponent to face, even for some of the league’s best.
Life after Glasner?
Glasner announced that he would leave at the end of the season back in January, so what does that mean for Palace?
They have operated with a back three for a handful of seasons now, with two fullbacks that hold width and can get up and down the flanks.
It was reported that the Eagles are stepping up their interest in Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola for next season.
However, the Spaniard has used a back four since his arrival on the South coast.
With the current setup, one of the centre halves will be dropped to the side, while the fullbacks are afforded less attacking freedom.
The Selhurst Park outfit will have to adapt to their new environment if they are to pursue a manager who opts for a traditional back four.
The questions asked would be who starts at the heart of the defence, and whether the club can continue to cope without their former leader if they change their style.
