AliousCrystal Palace returned to Selhurst Park to face West Ham, showing promise in the first half but failing to capitalize on chances.
Ebere Eze hit the crossbar, while Odsonne Edouard missed a clear opportunity.
West Ham punished Palace’s wastefulness in the second half, with Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scoring to secure a 2-0 victory.
Key takeaways from Palace’s consecutive defeats:
1. Michael Olise’s absence is keenly felt. Despite signing Daichi Kamada and Ismaïla Sarr, the team lacks Olise’s impact. Manager Oliver Glasner is still seeking an attacking midfielder before the transfer window closes.
2. Palace’s usually solid defense appears vulnerable, especially to counter-attacks. Selling Joachim Andersen without an immediate replacement may have contributed to this weakness.
3. Jean-Philippe Mateta is struggling to replicate his end-of-season form from last year. Fatigue from the Olympics and Olise’s departure may be factors. Rumors of interest in Eddie Nketiah suggest Palace is looking for attacking reinforcements.
4. Adam Wharton has emerged as a standout performer. His vision, passing ability, and defensive contributions have been impressive. Palace has set a high asking price for the young midfielder, anticipating future interest from other clubs.
Overall, Palace needs to address their attacking deficiencies, shore up their defense, and build around promising talents like Wharton to improve their performance in the coming matches.
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