There are many things going wrong for Crystal Palace of late, and they boil down to a lack of rotation, few options to change things up, and an absence of squad depth amid a hectic schedule.
That is most telling with Palace’s attack and their No 10 position. Daniel Munoz’s absence through injury has hit them hard, Ismaila Sarr being away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal has further depleted them, and Daichi Kamada’s hamstring injury has compounded their misery.
The arrival of Yeremy Pino in the summer was heralded. A young, talented Spain international forward who was sure to contribute. There have been flashes of that ability; even in October’s unbeaten run-ending 2-1 defeat by Everton, he linked well with Sarr, and his goal in a 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers was perfectly taken, but that aside, he has not offered enough.
In mitigation, moving to an unfamiliar country and learning to adapt to the Premier League will be a challenge, especially given the physicality of the league. Kamada is an excellent example of how it can be difficult to make true and fair judgements early on, given his improvement at the end of last season and throughout the start of this one, and Glasner has repeatedly made that point this season.
Pino is a long-term option; he is only 23, and in time, he may well come good, but Palace need him to step up sooner. In Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, there were moments when he played excellent passes to help build attacks, but others when he lost possession in the attacking third or failed to produce quality when it was required. Too often in recent weeks, he has given the ball away.
He improved in the second half against Tottenham, but was equally let down by the failure to finish by Jean-Philippe Mateta, among other team-mates. The responsibility is a shared one.
In other circumstances, he could be left out of the starting XI. Not because his performances have been woeful, but because Palace need something different and he might benefit from a period out of the team. Without Sarr’s direct running in behind and having not replaced that freedom-loving, individuality of Eberechi Eze, Palace are too functional and one-dimensional. Pino’s technical ability is not currently compensating for that.
A glance at Palace’s bench highlights part of the problem; there is no one to help push Pino on, to threaten his place, or simply to offer him some respite physically or psychologically. Christantus Uche is now seen more as a No 9, while Romain Esse is young, largely untested, and untrusted.
Glasner does not have a wealth of options on his bench (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The teenager Joel Drakes-Thomas has made the bench and appeared for his Premier League debut in the 4-1 defeat by Leeds United last week, but despite his talent, he is not a realistic option, with Glasner saying they would have problems if they had to rely on a 16-year-old.
Add in that the schedule of three games a week for much of this season has meant there has been little time to train, to work on different patterns of play, or address problems, and more sympathy is warranted for Pino. But it is not just about scoring goals; it is about providing assists, something he has not done enough, with just one in the Premier League this season to complement his only goal.
In the other No 10 role, Eddie Nketiah does not suit this system and has contributed little from his cameo appearances from the bench or from his more recent rare starts, often running into trouble and losing possession. Justin Devenny is a capable squad player whose energy and application are greatly appreciated by Glasner, and although he is a valuable part of the squad, he does not offer a significant threat in front of goal.
Glasner noted in his post-match press conference that centre-backs Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix have provided the most assists this season; the implication being that was an issue.
“I don’t blame anyone for missing the chances,” he said. “We have to accept we have a lack of finishing quality. It looks like we can’t replace Ismaila, Danny Munoz, and Daichi Kamada, who are very often involved in our goals. But they won’t be back in the next week(s).”
Palace’s issues do run deeper than their No 10 positions, even if they are finding it a challenge without Sarr, but it remains a big source of concern. On the Tottenham bench was Brennan Johnson, a major target for Palace in the January transfer window, whose profile is similar to Sarr’s, which would ease some of the pressure.
It is clear that new arrivals are required, and Johnson would offer some degree of relief to a fatigued attacking unit, but Glasner must also look to play Uche and Esse more often if he wants the best from others.
That right-hand side is desperately missing the familiarity and dynamism of Munoz and Sarr. Pino is more reliable than Nketiah, but the lack of pressure on his position is part of a wider problem. While set pieces have proven Palace’s downfall, their attacking failings have put additional pressure on the defence.
It is a result of not adding sufficient numbers in the summer and the manager’s reluctance to use players he trusts less.
Regardless of the reasons, unless something changes, Palace will face the same problems and have no answers to them. That would only see them slip further down the Premier League table.