Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner has bought back the ‘happy everything’ factor – but will it last in the 2024/25 Premier League season? |Football News

When Crystal Palace is at its greatest, Selhurst Park comes alive. The stands cheered, Dave Clark 5’s “Glad All Over” was sung just like the nationwide anthem, and followers pledged their allegiance to the Eagles.

This has develop into the norm within the last quarter of the 2023/24 season – a welcome break from the earlier months.

As Crystal Palace edged right into a relegation battle, followers have been as soon as once more dissatisfied with the route of the membership underneath Roy Hodgson. Regardless of producing a number of the brightest younger expertise, Selhurst Park nonetheless lacks the spark of creativity that folks crave.

Hogson was then changed by Austrian Oliver Glasner. “He is an underrated coach, he is a tactical planner, he has his personal concepts,” mentioned Philipp Hinze of Sky Germany.

The Europa League-winning coach took some time to settle in, needing time to implement his manner of working and adapt to a brand new league – one thing soccer managers hardly ever get the prospect to do.

However as soon as Glasner and his gamers hit it off, issues bought thrilling.

Glasner Palace improve

They’re unbeaten of their final seven video games, successful six of them, together with video games in opposition to Liverpool and Manchester United. Solely Fulham took factors from them within the 1-1 draw.

Total, Glasner managed 13 Premier League video games and misplaced simply three. Even in defeats or attracts, there have been indicators of enchancment – a brace in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, for instance, which isn’t any imply feat.

Glasner has scored extra targets, created extra huge probabilities and stored the identical variety of clear sheets in his 13 video games for Palace in comparison with his earlier 25 video games.

The Eagles’ offense was full of intent, confidence and creativity, resulting in a plethora of targets. Throughout that point, even with out the injured Mark Guerhy, solely 4 targets have been conceded.

As you possibly can see from the comparable warmth map, Crystal Palace have definitely gone additional within the shadows of the opposition half underneath Glasner.

Matetta emerges as huge winner from Glasner’s arrival

Jean-Philippe Mateta is likely one of the gamers who has benefited enormously from Glasner’s arrival.

It is exhausting to consider he has been on the membership since January 2021. Generally it really works, generally it would not.

However final season, he began 25 video games within the Premier League, and the arrival of Oliver Glasner allowed Matata to enter the shape.

In these 13 video games, he has scored extra league targets (13) than Roy Hodgson (5 in 35 video games) or Patrick Vieira (6 in 44 video games). Need extra. That included back-to-back doubles and a hat-trick in opposition to Aston Villa on the ultimate day.

He additionally continued his type into the summer time, taking part in for France on the 2024 Olympics and scoring 5 targets as Thierry Henry’s facet received the silver medal. It completely illustrates how confidence drives sports activities.

Glasner agreed, saying in April: “When forwards rating targets and have faith, their decision-making is healthier.

“He will get probabilities in each recreation and makes nice runs. He places in lots and works very exhausting. 10 instances he made runs with out getting the ball, however he did it [anyway]. This helps the crew create house and create alternatives.

Returning to Crystal Palace after such a profitable summer time ought to be unbelievable for followers and workers alike. The expertise of being coached by one of many biggest strikers in Premier League historical past is certain to be an added bonus too.

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How will the ins and outs have an effect on the brand new season?

Palace is not going to need the season to finish. However nothing lasts perpetually, and the query now could be can the Eagles proceed their type into the 2024/25 season?

This has been a summer time filled with modifications. Not solely is that this the primary switch window for Glasner to form his facet, a few of his star gamers have additionally been linked with exits.

Michael Olise has left, becoming a member of Bayern Munich for £50.8 million. Glasner’s success up to now has largely trusted the health and availability of Olise and Eberechi Eze.

Each have been suffering from accidents over the previous few years and have been sidelined in the direction of the top of Hodgson’s tenure, however they have been a formidable duo who led Palace to an unbeaten run. Their link-up play behind Mateta allowed Palace to play with fluidity and creativity.

Now, Glasner should discover a technique to change not solely Aulis, however Eze as properly. Whereas there are not any concrete hyperlinks simply but, it would not be stunning if the England midfielder finds himself on the hook for a big-money transfer this summer time.

Geshe’s excellent efficiency within the 2024 European Cup additionally attracted the eye of Newcastle and Liverpool. One other participant who thrived at Crystal Palace, there is no denying he shall be an enormous loss, however the crew have confirmed they will survive with out him.

On account of a knee harm, Gersh solely made three appearances underneath Glasner, beginning solely within the last recreation of the season. Daniel Munoz and Joachim Andersson type a wonderful centre-back partnership and this summer time noticed the signing of Chady Riad from Barcelona for £14m.

However Anderson can also be topic to presents from Fulham – the place he spent the 2020/21 season on mortgage – and dropping two first-choice centre-backs in a single window can be a tall order.

Then there’s Jordan Ayew. He has typically been the crew’s silent anchor, however has additionally been linked with a transfer away. Crystal Palace have introduced in Ismaila Sarr, who may restrict Ayew’s minutes on the precise.

Sarr will not be a direct substitute for Olise, though that’s not to say that he can’t carry different qualities, however the membership is eager to herald one other winger. One in all them could possibly be Wilfried Zaha, who solely left Crystal Palace for Galatasaray final summer time.

Whereas it’s going to definitely evoke nostalgia, Crystal Palace’s switch technique has lengthy been about discovering younger expertise and growing them into high gamers – and we have seen it in motion time and time once more.

The newest instance is Adam Wharton, whose meteoric rise has seen him named in England’s Euro 2024 squad. He solely joined Palace from Blackburn Rovers within the January switch window, however his intelligence and technical potential rapidly made him a must-start participant.

There are different golf equipment within the 20-year-old this summer time, though Crystal Palace is arguably the perfect place for a participant of his age group to develop additional.

Glasner hopes that, regardless of dropping some actual expertise, he nonetheless has the precise gamers on his crew to execute the sport plan that labored so properly late final season.

There are nonetheless just a few weeks till the window closes. It might achieve success to retain some key expertise whereas additionally making different trades to strengthen the crew.

However in the end, it is a window that might go a great distance towards Palace’s success this season.

The Eagles should now proceed to have extra success

Followers are cautiously optimistic that the “blissful every part” issue can proceed. They’ve a sensible and dynamic supervisor on the helm and have taken steps to exchange gamers who’ve left or are about to depart the membership.

Glasner shall be properly conscious of the switch cycle at a membership like Crystal Palace and he has confirmed his credentials as a coach. Now we’ll see if he could make the identical changes within the Premier League and, most significantly, assist the Eagles go additional.

Any relegation battle is out of the query. Maybe a extra lifelike aim for the Eagles ought to be to make important progress within the cup competitions, the place they’ve had some success in recent times.

It has been a profitable pre-season, however the true proof will come on Sunday, when Crystal Palace kick off the 2024/25 Premier League season with a visit to Brentford, stay sky sports activities.