I don't mean to sound patronising with this, but because the majority of people are expecting Palace to finish rock bottom - or thereabouts - I feel the need to stress that they're not actually that bad! Don't get me wrong, I know this was a buoyant team full of enthusiasm, playing off the back of a morale-boosting promotion, who haven't yet been deflated by a ten game winless streak or anything of the sort, but Palace looked solid and organised, with players like Mile Jedinak being particularly dominant in physical battles. Indeed, following the introduction of veteran striker Kevin Phillips and newcomer Marouane Chamakh, Palace looked dangerous up front. If they can keep up this kind of form for the entire season, they'll certainly be competitive in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
