Crystal Palace secured their first Premier League win of the season with a victory against Tottenham Hotspur. They are currently sitting in 17th place, with 1 win, 3 draws, and 5 losses, just above the relegation zone with a total of 6 points from their eight games.
It’s a sharp contrast to the team we witnessed at the end of last season, where Oliver Glasner’s side won six of their last seven league games. This included memorable victories over Liverpool, Manchester United, and Aston Villa. Last season’s exciting, free-flowing side seems a distant memory, with their current performances drab and ineffective. So, what has gone wrong for the Eagles?
Crystal Palace are struggling to create and score goals
For starters, they are struggling to score goals. Palace’s six goals scored is the worst record in the league, and they have netted just twice in their last five league matches. The primary reason for their abysmal goal-scoring record is poor finishing. The Eagles have taken plenty of shots, with a fair amount on target. According to their expected goals (xG), they should have scored at least nine goals by now. However, they have underperformed their xG heavily, with their xG underperformance of -5.1, the second worst in the league after Man United.
While Eberechi Eze’s xG underperformance is the highest in the squad (-1.8), other attackers, such as new signings Eddie Nketieh and Ismalia Sarr, have also struggled to finish. However, everything can’t be blamed on their conversion rates. Palace have also been poor in creating chances. Their xG (9.1) and touches in the opposition box (173) are the fifth lowest. An average shot distance of 18.6 yards (second highest in the league) and an xG per shot of 0.08 (joint lowest) suggest that while the Eagles take many shots, they lack quality.
Michael Olise’s departure is a big reason for their struggles
The question remains, though. How has such a big decline happened in just a few months? There are a few possible explanations for this. A major reason is the departure of star player Michael Olise to Bayern Munich. The Frenchman was an excellent dribbler whose skill and directness opened up the opposition defences last season. The Eagles attempted to replace him with Daichi Kamada and Nketiah, but the two have been ineffective as attacking midfielders. Nketiah is at his best when leading the line, but Glasner has persisted in playing him as a number ten.
While new signings take a while to adjust to their new club, Glasner unfortunately does not have the luxury of time with him. He must soon turn things around for the London side to keep his job.
