Crystal Palace are having a pretty decent start to the Premier League campaign and aren’t their fans in the Tavern loving it!
The Eagles supporters have every right to be optimistic too – they’ve been playing well and go into the international break in eighth place in the Premier League. Alan Pardew’s side sit just two points behind Chelsea in what must be regarded as a successful start to the league campaign.
Even the pub landlord here at the Tavern has tipped Palace for success, and he’s a hard man to please!
But even with Alan Pardew’s side doing the business on the pitch, there have been a couple of individuals in the squad that haven’t been excelling as some might have expected this season.
But who are the players that need to step it up or risk losing their place in the first-team?
With all this in mind, here’s TWO players Alan Pardew must drop in each game going forward….
James McArthur
Surely Crystal Palace can’t keep leaving Yohan Cabaye on the bench for much longer – he’s got too much quality to be sat on the sidelines.
So unfortunately for James McArthur, he’a going to have to make way for the Frenchman, who has so much to bring to this Palace side.
McArthur just isn’t good enough to play ahead of a player like Cabaye, regardless of form.
He’s creative, a good passer and knows where the net is too – surely he has to come into the first-team fold any week now – but someone has to step to the side too.
Fans in the pub? They want Yohan, not McArthur…
Jason Puncheon/Joe Ledley
Following the 1-1 draw with Everton this weekend, it’s now been 12 successive Premier League games without a clean sheet for Crystal Palace, which is a tad worrying.
If the Eagles are going to seriously challenge for a top-ten finish or better, they need to sure it up. A potential option could be bringing Mathieu Flamini into the first-team fold at some point as he has some serious experience in this top flight.
He marshalled the Arsenal defence for years and knows this league like the back of his hand. It’s a controversial shout that has been met with mixed reactions in the pub but it could be a move that makes sense.
Making way? It could be a player like Jason Puncheon or Joe Ledley, if things need to be tighter. The pair just aren’t good enough at the back.
