Crystal Palace 2022-23 end of season review – where did it go wrong for Patrick Vieira and right for Roy Hodgson?

Crystal Palace secured an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League.

EDMUND BRACK assesses the Eagles 2022-23 season.

HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE THE SEASON?

It very nearly was a lot worse.

If you had told anybody associated with Crystal Palace that their season would end in finishing above Chelsea for the first time in Premier League history, then Eagles  fans would have been making sure their passports were in date.

However, the final league table is more a damning indictment of the west Londoners’ campaign.

After Patrick Vieira’s first season, which saw Palace reach an FA Cup semi-final and finished a point off their record points tally in the Premier League, there was lots of optimism heading into this campaign.

But after a disjointed pre-season – one group jetting off under Vieira to Singapore and Australia and one another bussing it to friendlies at Gillingham and Ipswich – Palace were already on the back foot.

There were high points before the World Cup break – wins against West Ham and Wolves but the cracks had begun to appear.

Frank Lampard’s struggling Everton played Palace off the pitch at Goodison Park and a dismal 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest left a sour taste before the winter.

Vieira was sacked in March after a 1-0 defeat at arch-rivals Brighton. The Eagles were lingering above the relegation zone and win just one win in 14 attempts.

Roy Hodgson returned and immediately gave the players confidence, winning five of the club’s final 10 fixtures with scintillating victories at Leeds and Southampton.

Palace pulled clear of danger and could watch the relegation battle unfold in safety.

WHERE DID IT GO WRONG FOR VIEIRA?

Before the final game in charge, the defeat at Brighton, following the pre-match press conference, the former Arsenal captain shook the hands of the press pack who had covered the club regularly during his time at Selhurst Park – it felt like an admission of what was on the cards.

Splitting the pre-season did not help, and Palace also failed to replace loanee Conor Gallagher or the experienced Christian Benteke and Cheikhou Kouyate.

But Vieira consistently made a rod for his own back. He told the fans to come to games with “higher expectations” after the 1-0 home win against Manchester United in the final game of the 2021-22 season.

So was it acceptable that Palace became the first club in Premier League history to go three games without a shot on target and failed to win in 12 games in all competitions?

Throwing away two points in a late 1-1 draw at Brentford and a drab defeat at Aston Villa, where the Eagles were particularly lacklustre going forward, already confirmed that Vieira was on thin ice.

The biggest concern was that the French World Cup winner and his coaching staff showed no signs or possessed the experience to extricate Palace out of danger.

Vieira’s job had become untenable.

WHERE DID IT GO RIGHT FOR HODGSON?

Once Vieira left his post at Selhurst Park, it’s clear his biggest crime was failing to find a way to get a tune out of Eberechi Eze.

The Greenwich-born playmaker was played in his favoured position by ex-England boss Hodgson, driving his way through the centre of the pitch and gliding past players to set away the attackers ahead of him.

From playing just 66 per cent of his possible Premier League minutes under Vieira this season, the former QPR star played 100 per cent of the minutes under Hodgson, with his form at the tail end of the campaign earning him his first senior England call-up.

Hodgson injected instant confidence into the Palace squad with Joel Ward, Tyrick Mitchell and Jordan Ayew all performing at their highest level in the final 10 games.

And with Wilfried Zaha’s injuries limiting him to just four starts over that same period, the swagger in which Palace played Leeds and Southampton off the pitch in the early stages made Hodgson’s spell even more convincing.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Michael Olise.

Only three players recorded more assists in the Premier League this season – Leandro Trossard, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne. Not bad company for the French U21 international to be associated with as he comes to the end of his second full season in the top flight.

From the wonder free-kick against Manchester United in January which salvaged a late point in SE25, to an abundance of stylish assists, Olise has gone from strength to strength.

His defensive aptitude has also been excellent, tracking attacking runs and getting back to help clear any danger.

He may still lack that final ball or awareness when to take aim with his weaker right foot, but Palace have one of the best youngster in the world on their hands and he gives the club optimism heading into next season should Zaha leave on a free.

MOST DISAPPOINTING SIGNING

Albert Sambi-Lokonga.

The Arsenal loanee never really nailed down a starting spot and his one start under Hodgson – a 2-0 defeat at Wolves – was less than convincing.
He was unable to dislodge Jeffrey Schlupp or Cheick Doucoure.

BEST PERFORMANCE

The 2-1 win against Leicester in Hodgson’s first game.

The first half was the best 45 minutes of football the Eagles had produced all season, having shot after shot at Daniel Iversen’s goal.

Hodgson’s side recorded 31 attempts at Leicester’s goal and came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 win Jean-Philippe Mateta’s last-minute winner.

The performance turned Palace’s season around and Leicester were unable to bounce back, sacking Brendan Rodgers after the defeat and eventually suffering relegation.

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING NEXT SEASON?

There are two massive questions looming  – who will be the manager and will Zaha still be a Crystal Palace player?

Our paper understands that the club will ask Hodgson and his coaching staff to stay on for another year – and the likelihood is that the 75-year-old will agree to it.

Zaha, 30, has an offer from the club on the table.

Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur have departed the club after Sunday’s draw at home to Forest, leaving Palace with a lack of midfield depth and experience.

Midfielder Jefferson Lerma, 28, looks set to sign on a free from Bournemouth.

Ward, Nathaniel Clyne and James Tomkins are all out of contract too but are in discussions over extensions.

There are issues Palace have to address to make sure that next season is less of a rollercoaster and more of a smooth drive into the inevitable 12th-placed finish.

Mitchell needs competition at left-back to ensure he is playing at his maximum week in, week out.

Palace have not spent money on improving the right-back spot since Aaron Wan-Bissaka left for a club-record £50million in 2019.

And Odsonne Edouard and Mateta have never nailed down the starting role in leading the line in the top flight.

The glaringly obvious lack of attacking options on the bench has also been a problem this season – Palace always lack a Plan B going forward.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is returning from his excellent loan spell at Charlton, but it would be at a disadvantage to Palace’s long-term gain if the winger goes from starring every week in League One to playing in spurts in the Premier League.

PROSPECT TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Tayo Adaramola. The 19-year-old has rebuilt his confidence over the course of the season after Coventry quickly aborted their loan after just one appearance, and he has looked better every time he steps on the pitch for the U21 side.