Team Focus: Premier League Preview Part 3 - Crystal Palace and Everton
Crystal Palace
The loss of Wilfried Zaha will be a blow to Crystal Palace upon their return to the Premier League. The young England international signed for Manchester United in January, but spent the remainder of the season with the Eagles and played a vital role in their route to the play-off final win over Watford in May.
The 20-year-old scored 8 times last season, netting 10.9% of Palace's Championship goals last year. More pertinently, however, is the injury blow to striker Glenn Murray, who netted 30 goals in 42 league appearances last term. Suffering a knee problem in the play-off semi-final win over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, it’s likely the 29-year-old will sit out most, if not all, of the season.
While the south London side will be without their best two players from last year, they can call upon the experience of manager Ian Holloway, the charismatic 50-year-old having spent a solitary year in England’s top flight with Blackpool in the 2010/11 season. Yet, while this may be an important asset to Holloway, if Palace rely on this in order to secure their top flight status, then they may as well not turn up to the first game of the season.
Avoiding dropping back into the Championship will be the primary aim for Palace this upcoming season, but the signings made don’t boast the necessary Premier League pedigree to survive. Dwight Gayle may’ve netted 20 times last season, but the chances in England’s top tier won’t come as easy as they did in League 2 (7) and the Championship (13) for the 23-year-old.
Jerome Thomas and Kevin Phillips will provide some Premier League experience, but the lack of top flight quality in the squad as a whole should show between August and May. Marouane Chamakh is expected to join and while he could thrive as the focal point in the team, a swift return to the Championship is their likely fate.
Last Season: 5th in the Championship
New Signings (at time of writing): Stephen Dobbie (Brighton & Hove Albion), Dwight Gayle (Peterborough United), Jerome Thomas (West Bromwich Albion), José Campaña (Sevilla), Kevin Phillips (Blackpool), Elliot Grandin (Blackpool)
Predicted Finish (Average of Authors): 20th
After a 10-year association, it’s all change with Everton as David Moyes succeeded compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. In his place comes Roberto Martinez following Wigan Athletic’s relegation to the Championship, albeit with an FA Cup winners medal in hand.
The Spaniard has moved to bring in a number of players he’s familiarised himself with as Arouna Koné, Antolín Alcaraz and Joel Robles all followed him to Goodison Park, coupled with the loan-capture of highly rated Gerard Deulofeu. With only one player - Marounane Fellaini (11) - reaching double figures for the Toffees last season, improving the attack line was evidently the first port of call for Martinez.
With only Manchester City (86) missing more clear-cut chances than Everton (66) last season, a bolstering of the frontline comes as the system at the club is expected to change. Martinez’s preference last season with Wigan was a 3-4-3 and it’s this formation he has used during his last three pre-season friendlies against Juventus, Real Madrid and Valencia.
Holding onto key assets Fellaini and Leighton Baines - both of whom have attracted interest from United - will be crucial to the club as they aim to better the 63 points they picked last season, a total they bettered only once under Moyes. Both played pivotal roles in this, with the former scoring 5 headed Premier League goals last term - only Michu (6) netted more - and the latter creating the most clear-cut chances (22) in the top flight in 2012/13.
Reportedly resisting bids from the Premier League champions for the pairing has ensured that Martinez has until now kept the squad intact ahead of the new season, with Phil Neville (retired) the only high profile departure this summer. Looking at the squad as a whole, the Spaniard can call upon Darron Gibson, Nikica Jelavic and Johnny Heitinga, denoting Everton’s strength in depth, while more is also expected of young Ross Barkley.
Warding off interest in their big named stars is of the highest priority for Roberto Martinez and should United move for Fellaini - their top-rated regular starter last season (7.57) - they would be severely weakened. This, along with the challenge of having to adapt a new formation that Martinez is implementing, could well mean a charge for a Champions League place is beyond them this season, with the aim surely to secure a spot in next year’s Europa League. The strength of the squad means an assault for domestic honours - be it the FA Cup or Capital One Cup - could also be on the cards and while they may finish one or two places lower than they did last season; anticipation surrounding Goodison Park is high once again.
Last Season: 6th
New Signings (at time of writing): Arouna Koné (Wigan Athletic), Antolín Alcaraz (Wigan Athletic), Joel Robles (Atletico Madrid), Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona - loan)
Possible Starting XI (3-4-3): Howard; Distin, Jagielka, Alcaraz; Coleman, Fellaini, Osman, Baines; Pienaar, Koné, Mirallas
Predicted Finish (Average of Authors): 7th
