Crystal Palace’s final league position could majorly help with added cash to spend on summer rebuilding job on squad

BY SAM SMITH

While finances remain tight in a season defined by its abnormalities, Crystal Palace adopting a conservative approach against teams fighting for Premier League survival makes sense. After all, the higher the Eagles finish, the more money there will be to rebuild a squad that is threatening to become stale.

There was fair criticism of Palace’s poor attacking display in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Fulham. Roy Hodgson’s side scarcely entered the final third, especially in a second half largely dominated by the Whites.

Josh Maja curled wide after also forcing a good save by Vicente Guaita. Gary Cahill blocked a close-range effort by Joachim Andersen that was destined for the net.

Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was only tested when team-mate Andersen diverted Andros Townsend’s cross towards goal. No Palace player came close to threatening the scoreline.

Without Wilfried Zaha, who will remain absent for Palace’s next fixture at least, that has been a familiar theme. The victory over Brighton was the first time the South Londoners had scored twice in a game without the forward since a 2-0 win against Fulham in February 2019.

A dominant attacking performance against Scott Parker’s team was unlikely. That is not to defend a failure to register a shot on target, but it has become a harsh reality when Zaha does not play.

This was a game against a Fulham side whose Premier League position does not reflect their strength. The west Londoners had just 39 days between their play-off final success and the opening game of the season to assemble a squad ready to compete in the top tier.

They completed most of their summer signings late in the window, including three on deadline day almost a month after the campaign began. Two of those – Andersen and Tosin Adarabioyo – have since formed their usual centre-back pairing.

Taking time to settle in those signings means that Scott Parker’s side have been catching up with the rest of the division since November. Their six games prior to their visit to Selhurst Park had them eighth in the Premier League form table. That renders their actual league position deceptive.

“Momentum is firmly with us. I don’t know what the numbers are in the last 16, 17 games but we’ve probably lost three games,” Parker concluded after the game.

“I think we’ve shown over a longer period of games that we can compete with any team in this division. I’m hoping that’s not going to be any different in the fixtures coming up.”

Aside from the fact that Fulham have instead lost five of their last 17 matches, Parker is correct. Had Maja or Andersen taken one of their chances in SE25, they would have moved within a point of 17th-placed Newcastle United.

The Magpies have won just one of their last five matches. They also have three key players – Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron – expected to be injured until April.

Despite an immediate run of fixtures that sees them host Tottenham, Manchester City and Leeds, and visit Liverpool, it is very plausible that Fulham will overtake the Tyneside outfit come the end of the season.

Supporters will correctly demand more entertainment from a Palace side that has too often misfired this season – but there was sense in maintaining the 10-point advantage over the bottom three. Without Zaha, being risk-averse and frustrating Fulham was the easiest way that was going to happen.

Keeping distance with the struggling teams allows the Eagles to look upwards. It is also sensible given that their run-in is hardly favourable.

The higher Palace finish, the more money they earn. In previous seasons, the difference between each place has been around £2million. That would go a long way in rebuilding a squad to better perform in games such as this.

STAR MAN

Gary Cahill. The defender performed excellently for the second-successive game and earned Palace a point with a good block to deny Andersen.

BEST MOMENT

Vicente Guaita denied Josh Maja from point-blank range, before Cahill’s block from Andersen at the resultant corner.