Chelsea host a bit of a bogey team in Crystal Palace. Can the Blues keep Roy Hodgson from getting too creative and sneaking something away?
If it feels like Roy Hodgson has been around since the dawn of time it is only because he pretty much has been. Hodgson has been managing for decades and has had stops at clubs such as Malmo, Inter Milan, Fulham, Liverpool, the English national team and of course Crystal Palace.
Hodgson pulled off one of the greatest escapes in Premier League history by keeping Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Chelsea’s own Ruben Loftus-Cheek played a big part on the bookends of the season but it is hard to deny that Hodgson’s ideas changed the club’s trajectory.
Palace is not running to safety this season, but at least they are keeping their heads well above water this time. And seeing as how they normally give Chelsea issues, Maurizio Sarri should be prepared for a tough fixture. Hodgson is a wily old manager and could have a trick up his sleeve.
Hodgson’s preferred formation for Palace is the simple 4-4-2. This season, it usually takes the form of a traditional 4-4-2 but Hodgson has shown a liking to a diamond midfield as well. The simplicity of the formation suited the players Hodgson leaned on and allowed him to build the side around Wilfried Zaha having freedom near the box. The other flashy players have largely fallen by the wayside as a result, but Palace is still more than capable of pulling off some stylish stuff.
Offensively, the team is understandably all about Zaha. He is very much the big fish in a small pond at Palace and as he goes so does the team. So the name of the game is to get numbers forward and get the ball to Zaha as quickly as possible. If Zaha cannot create something, the idea is to have enough bodies around him to help to cover or catch a rebound shot.
Defensively is where Palace appear to be strongest. “Appear” being the key word there because often they are undone by very smart players taking advantage of their simplicity. When they are not tricked, they look to force the opponent wide and win the ball back quickly before rushing it up to Zaha.
Their biggest weakness is that they are totally dependent on Zaha doing something great. If Zaha has a poor match or does not play, Palace really struggle to do anything near the box. In addition, they often over commit to the press and attack which leaves them vulnerable in behind.
Their biggest strength is Hodgson and whatever the latest trick he has up his sleeve is. It is easy to make fun of Hodgson for being uninspired (especially after his England stint) but deep down he is a smart manager with a good read of the game. His wins against bigger teams usually come from some new trick he figured out that sends the opponent into fits.
Given that Palace seem to always up their game against Chelsea and cause the Blues problems, Sarri should be careful in this match. Chelsea is sure to have a ton of the ball but will also face a lot of counters (which they have struggled with at times). The defensive line and the press will be tested by Palace, especially if Hodgson has a trick to pull. Chelsea should be okay offensively, but it will require the front three to play a smart match.