Firstly, Crystal Palace will be relieved to prove that they can win while being dominant in possession. Last season, they took one point from the three games in which they had most of the ball. In 2021-22, they won of the five matches in which they dominated possession most (1-0 at home to Watford). Here they had 67 per cent of the ball and should have won more comfortably.
I think the reason for that instant improvement is the arrival of Jefferson Lerma, who was superb on debut. The combination of Lerma and Cheick Doucoure, player of the Season last year, acts as a very handy roadblock for potential counter attacks. Palace can push forward without fear of being exposed as they were before, particularly before Doucoure settled in last season.
About The Author
Leave a Reply