5 Tactical Changes Crystal Palace Fans Can Expect This Season

With Joe Ledley, Martin Kelly, Brede Hangeland, Glenn Murray, Damian Delaney and Mile Jedinak often in the same side, Palace could regularly rely on set-pieces to get themselves out of sticky situations. They scored from more dead balls than any other team in the Premier League last season - and it was no wonder. All of the aforementioned players are excellent in the air and love to cause havoc in opposition boxes.

However, with the signings that have been made over the last two windows we are likely to see Ledley or Jedinak replaced by Yohan Cabye, Kelly replaced with Pape Souré, who will become first choice, and Murray replaced by Patrick Bamford - while Delaney will be nervously counting down the remaining days of the transfer window as Pardew flutters his eyes and makes kissy faces at Fabricio Coloccini. Losing three aerial targets will obviously restrict us in this area, so Palace will have to look for more ways to exploit what we have on pitch. Where a long, cross field, hoof from Delaney to Murray would win Palace three or four free-kicks per game in dangerous areas, this probably won't happen with Patrick Bamford, who is much happier with the ball at his feet. 

The signing of Connor Wickham would suggest that Pardew has not given up entirely on the old Delaney special but it is much more likely that Palace fans will be seeing a technical approach for the majority of games, leaving Delaney's particular set of skills for the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.