Why Patrick Vieira has it tough at Crystal Palace
The spectre of Roy Hodgson’s steady and pragmatic management over the last four years may hang over Patrick Vieira as he looks to dramatically alter Crystal Palace’s playing style over the coming months, but a more haunting presence, in reality, is Frank de Boer.
We all know what happened under the Dutchman in 2016. De Boer’s attempts to implement an aggressive attacking strategy at Selhurst Park led to four defeats from four at the start of the 2017/18 Premier League season and his instant dismissal.
The club were spooked by the catastrophe and remain on edge four years later.
Vieira has one of the hardest jobs in the Premier League and is already overseeing the biggest tactical upheaval of any manager in the division. But his position is made considerably more difficult by the memories of De Boer’s failure, by the twitchiness in the boardroom, and among supporters on the eve of this daring new project.
Palace right to move on from Hodgson
Under Hodgson, Palace were arguably the league’s most defensive team. He stuck rigidly to a 4-4-2 system, holding a very low block to absorb pressure and then hit on the counter-attack: only two teams averaged less possession than Palace’s 42.9% or recorded a lower PPDA (passes made per defensive action) than their 16.8.
PPDA is the amount of passes made by an opponent, divided by the amount of defensive actions (tackles, interceptions etc.) made by the team in question.
It was solid, grinding, dull, and effective: a system designed to negate the opposition and keep Crystal Palace in the division. By that measure it was undoubtedly a success, but fans can be forgiven for wishing for more.
In the modern game, when the gap between the super-clubs and the rest denies supporters at Palace’s level the chance of major silverware, all that is left is entertainment and the capacity to dream big. Neither of those things were achieved by Hodgson. Both are expected of Vieira.
What style of play will Palace use under Vieira?
There is little evidence that the former Arsenal midfielder is the right man for such a comprehensive overhaul. At Nice, Vieira was fired after a disappointing two-and-a-half years in which no discernible tactical style emerged beyond a broad possession system with limited chance creation.
In fact, towards the end of his time in France, Vieira appeared to pick a team and formation almost at random, his trial-and-error approach creating little cohesion and certainly not providing the attacking or progressive framework demanded by his new employers.
But the early signs from pre-season have been positive. Palace look considerably more aggressive, with left-back Tyrick Mitchell pouring forward, and Palace’s two free eights, from within a 4-3-3, looking to exert their dominance in an expansive formation. By all accounts, Palace are attempting a high defensive line with plenty of positional rotation.
Of course, pre-season is never a good indicator of what’s to come, especially when opponents are of Championship (Reading) and League One (Ipswich and Charlton) standard. All we can learn from their performances in these games is the intended direction under Vieira, although that was never really in doubt.
The 45-year-old was appointed specifically to turn Palace into a more attractive team. Whether or not he can do it depends on some huge unknowns regarding his managerial ability and, just as importantly, the quality of some unproven young players in the Palace squad.
Palace have recruited well but need fast start
Nevertheless it has been a very good transfer window so far. Wilfried Zaha is not expected to leave the club, and, while Eberichi Eze’s long-term injury is a major blow, Palace have added serious quality.
Marc Guehi, signed from Chelsea, is an exciting prospect who should comfortably step up to Premier League level after a strong season on loan at Swansea City. He will partner Joachim Andersen, a recruit from Lyon who should help restructure a defence that shipped 66 goals from 67.2 expected goals against (xGA) last term, the third most in the Premier League.
In midfield, Michael Olise, the Championship young player of the year, arrives from Reading while Conor Gallagher joins on loan from Chelsea. Both could be particularly shrewd pieces of business, even if Palace still need more midfielders through the door before the window is out.
Right now, the biggest obstacle in Vieira’s path is a lack of line-breaking, ball-carrying quality through the middle of the pitch; Cheikhou Kouyate, James McArthur, and Luka Milivojevic are classic Hodgsonian midfielders who lack the agility or dexterity to function in a possession-based 4-3-3.
Should a couple more faces add to an impressive summer so far, then, along with Jean-Philippe Mateta settling down, Crystal Palace will have a considerably more sophisticated and talented squad than last campaign.
But a question mark hovers over Vieira, and will do until he gets a few wins under his belt. Palace play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the opening day and face Tottenham and Liverpool in their opening five games.
That’s a tricky start for a manager with much to prove, with a revolution to enact, and with the thought of De Boer’s nil points lingering over Selhurst Park.
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