Four takeaways from Crystal Palace’s defeat to Brighton: Hard to make a case for Patrick Vieira to stay in his post

Crystal Palace lost 1-0 at Brighton last night.

Here are Adam Sells’ takeaways.

BLANKETY BLANK

Palace are now four games without scoring, with their last goal at Brentford a month ago.

The three games without a shot on target statistic didn’t make four, as Patrick Vieira’s men took the game to their hosts, registering three efforts on the impressive Jason Steele’s goal inside the first 10 minutes.

Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise both wasted great opportunities as the visitors failed to score for the 13th time in 27 Premier League matches.

That opening 10-minute flurry was pretty much it and after conceding against the run of play, the attacking threat dissipated.

If the season could be defined in 90 minutes, this was it.

Promise that has faded quickly from a team that lacks a clinical edge.

JOE PROVES HIS WORTH

 With injuries to Vicente Guaita and Sam Johnstone, 19-year-old Joe Whitworth was called up to make his senior debut.

Academy product Whitworth had never played a senior game of any kind in his fledgling career but performed like a seasoned high-level Premier League goalkeeper.

The Palace fan produced some excellent saves in the second half to keep his team in the game. His distribution and composure on the ball was sensational.

All this, in a game against a bitter rival, away from home, in a white-hot atmosphere.

The travelling fans, though disappointed with the result, heralded ‘one of their own’ on the full-time whistle and it’s hard to find the superlatives that describe his ability to handle the occasion.

DOUCOURE MUST LEARN LESSONS

 Cheick Doucoure made a positive start to his Palace career, but his lack of discipline is threatening to undermine his future.

In his first game back following a sending of at Aston Villa, the midfielder was extremely lucky to stay on the field after making some reckless challenges during the first half, when already on a yellow card.

Vieira was forced to remove his dynamic midfielder at half-time as a result.

Doucoure must learn to control his attempts to regain possession for his team. He is an important player and he must accept his duty to both his team-mates and his manager, who has enough conundrums to solve without him adding to them.

 WHERE DO PALACE GO FROM HERE?

 It’s extremely hard to make a case for Patrick Vieira to remain in charge, given the Eagles’ plight.

The statistics make grim reading. It’s now one win in 16 matches with the side looking devoid of confidence and the Palace board must be wondering whether to stick or twist.

The lack of Premier League experience in his backroom team, aside from goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely, may well prove Vieira’s undoing.

Though it’s not impossible to suggest that the likeable boss could scramble the 13 points required to see Palace safe, right now that looks like a huge risk when the is no sign of the slide abating.

There is no opportunity to bring in personnel, so replacing Vieira and his team is the only option for change at this stage.

The lack of a lack of ruthlessness have now reached a critical point, which has been a worrying trait of Vieira’s managerial reign.

Nobody could say that Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman have been ruthless either given the manager’s record, but unless a win comes at Arsenal, with an international break looming, there will be much agonising behind closed doors.