If there’s one thing Sam Allardyce has always been able to do, then it’s to bring a bit of stability to teams. Of course, he wasn’t able to do the same with the English national team, but regardless of how he goes about his job in terms of footballing style, his ways are more often than not, effective.
Allardyce did a brilliant job at West Ham United and even though the supporters eventually grew disillusioned with the team’s style of play in his final season in charge, he paved the way for better things in the following seasons. The Sunderland job was an entirely different challenge.
At Wearside, Big Sam simply had to get it right as they were heading towards the drop. A smashing transfer window saw Allardyce and the club signing some good players who added more balance to the team and Sunderland survived. Who knows, maybe they could have been mid-table had he stayed on.
At Crystal Palace, Allardyce once again has to deal with an emerging façade. For 80 odd minutes, Palace showed the resolve against Everton but in the end, the result was once again a painful one. The defeat, coupled with Swansea’s win, meant Palace slid down to the bottom three and the nervousness around Selhurst Park is more prominent than ever.
Allardyce is a keen observer of the stats, even though he likes employing the direct game. Palace’s three at the back system did fairly well and the team ‘adjusting to his methods’ is slowly occurring. Sadly, the moment of controversy, where Jeffrey Schlupp was down injured yet the game went on, resulted in the solitary Everton goal that led to Palace’s defeat.
Palace’s search for stability has been hindered by a weak defence, something Allardyce is trying to address. Signings in the final week of the winter transfer window will be crucial and if he’s able to bring in one good defender, it’ll go a long way in making them a good defensive unit, something on which Allardyce’s sides are built on.
At the moment, nothing but wins will satisfy the worrying Palace fans. With crucial fixtures against the likes of Sunderland and Middlesbrough to follow, the team will have to buckle up or run the risk of being cast adrift. The upcoming game against Manchester City, though, could be equally crucial.
The art of last ditch defending is something Big Sam’s sides have always been good at. Grinding out results to stay in the hunt will be crucial and perhaps a positive result, which includes a draw, against Manchester City can help instil some confidence in the dreary Palace defence.
