Crystal Palace fans here in the Football Transfer Tavern are cannot believe how badly their side have started the season.

Frank De Boer’s new expansive 3-4-3 formation certainly didn’t get off to the best of starts and it has seen the Eagles concede six goals across the first three games of the season which has seen our landlord conclude that the defence must tighten up if De Boer is to keep his job despite being just weeks into his new role.

De Boer will no doubt look for help from new defensive signings Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Mamadou Sakho with the latter being voted Palace’s player of the year last season, despite only starring in half the season following a loan move from Liverpool. This move was made permanent on deadline day and there is a new sense of optimism around the Palace fans in the Tavern.

However, the Palace punters aren’t one hundred percent happy about the transfer dealings from their side and there has been a lot of discussion over the mistakes made by the South London club that they may live to regret.

With that in mind, let’s check out the two transfer window blunders made by De Boer and the Palace hierarchy as told by the fans in the Transfer Tavern.

Sticking with Benteke

With De Boer looking to implement possession based football at Selhurst Park, our landlord cannot see how Christian Benteke is the striker to lead the line of a team who wants to play passing football.

The Belgium forward’s attributes come from holding the ball up and winning areal duels and there is still much to be found wanting about whether or not Benteke has the technical ability to indulge in passing football as well as play the pressing game that De Boer wants him to play.

The Palace fans agree and with no goals scored by their side this season, the need for a different type of striker is very apparent.

Lack of permanent signings

Up until the signing of Mamadou Sakho on deadline day, Jairo Riedewald was the only permanent signing made during the window which really summed up Palace’s transfer window.

The knowledge that many players will leave at the end of the season has seen the Eagles in the Tavern question the desire of the players brought in by De Boer on loan and again the start of the season has not helped their cause.