Captain Luka has signed a new deal, giving Palace fans a real opportunity to rejoice.

One of the ongoing sagas of the summer, and of last season, came to an end when Crystal Palace’s club captain Luka Milivojevic’s put pen to paper on a 4-year-contract at the club, ending months of speculation that this could be his last season at Selhurst Park.

Milivojevic’s influence shouldn’t be underestimated at Palace. The player is a truly critical cog in the machine. His ceaseless energy helps to drive the side forward, while his boundless confidence from the penalty spot is enough to strike fear into even the most accomplished goalkeeper. 

 

With 24 goals in 88 Premier League appearances, 19 of which from the penalty spot, it’s clear that the midfielder has an important part to play in the side. It’s his defensive work and his role in transitioning the team from defence to attack that really makes a difference however. It’s those passes that don’t always get the same kind of credit that his goals do.

 

The fact that the Palace captain hadn’t signed a new contract was, for many Palace fans, an indicator of deeper-lying problems. What kind of established Premier League side can’t even convince their on-field leader to commit to staying? 

 

There was also a concern that his reluctance to agree to a contract would signal a repeat of the Yohan Cabaye impasse, which resulted in the club thinking he’d agreed to a deal only to then be unveiled as an Al Nasr player on Twitter.

 

Combined with the transfer window malaise, in which Palace flounder in their pursuit of a striker and a right-back, there was a genuine sense of inertia at a club that, for a long time, had made plenty of progressive strides.

 

Milivojevic signing a new deal is no indicator of future endeavours, nor does it resolve Palace’s recruitment needs. A cynic might suggest that the renewal announcement was held back to soften that blow a little. Whatever the case, there was a sense of relief and delight.

 

 

Wilfried Zaha’s ongoing attempts to leave the club also prove that signing a five-year deal means little if that player changes his mind — but Milivojevic’s contract does protect Palace’s original investment in the player. That cliff edge every Palace fan feared is no longer on the horizon.

 

The hope for all Palace fans now is that Milivojevic’s confidence in the ‘project’ is a sign of a change in attitudes at the club as a whole. Perhaps that’s asking for a little too much, too soon.

Crystal Palace have secured a new defensive midfielder. Rob takes a look at why that might be.

One of the overriding themes of last season appeared to be Palace's inability to create opportunities for Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and the team's other attackers to take advantage of.Palace have a lot of attacking flair and skill but, last season, showed an inability to really take advantage of it.

The simple solution was to just play Max Meyer in that advanced midfield role; the complex question that followed however was how Palace would make that strong spine work when one of the key elements of it was being sacrificed for more adventurous forays forward. It was ultimately a decision Roy Hodgson was unwilling to take.

What Palace missed for most of last season wasn't really creativity, but tenacity. All too often Palace would flounder as opponents passed the ball around them. Even against Bournemouth, Brighton and Watford, sides equal in strength to Hodgson's team, that lack of driving power in the centre of the pitch showed.

While James McArthur is a highly capable ball carrier, he lacks that aggressive, snarling, hounding quality that a midfield terrier should have. It's all well and good having creative midfielders, but they become toothless if they don't get the ball. And in Meyer's case, the art of winning possession isn't his speciality.

In Luka Milivojevic, Palace have a midfielder who comes with a reputation for being a hard-man but his ability really lies in joining the defence to the midfield. Like McArthur and Meyer, that tenacity isn't really there. The fact also remains that for the club to really get the best out of the Serbian midfielder, depth is needed to ensure he gets rest at times when it matters. When performances weren't coming in the early stages of last season, it showed. Palace lacked options to pull him out of the firing line.

The answer appeared to be Cheikh Kouyate, who arrived at the start of last season, but the Senegal midfielder failed to make that kind of impact. In the more intense midfield battles, he often went missing. It was hoped that his signing would see Palace win the ball in central areas and for the team to drive forward with it. That vision wasn't realised however, and Kouyate very often slowed play down rather than sped it up.

The new hope is James McCarthy. The Everton midfielder ticks that tenacity box. He's unafraid of challenges, drives his team forward and controls the pace of the game. Palace haven't had that since Yohan Cabaye left so abruptly. Everton fans are both disappointed at his departure but willing him to do well at Palace.

That terrier-like quality doesn't come without dangers however, and McCarthy's injury record -- which has seen him feature in a very limited number of matches over the last two and a half years -- are a concern. The Ireland midfielder had looked like he'd made a full recovery from a nagging muscular injury -- apparently the result of poor management at international level -- only to have his leg broken by Salomon Rondon in a freak incident in his return to the Everton side in late in 2018.

It became clear over the course of last season that Hodgson's side lacked something in their midfield. The key to McCarthy succeeding isn't just his fitness but the necessity that he does what others have struggled to. To win the ball, keep it, and move it forward. A ball-winner doesn't just give the team a defensive quality, but an offensive one too. If the club really want to see what Meyer is capable of, he'll need more opportunities on the ball.

Some bite where it matters might just make Palace a more vicious opponent.

Samuel Jordan takes a look at the big issues raised over the summer, and gives us a few thoughts. 

That’s it, summer’s over.

A vintage edition of Love Island has been and gone, England won a home World Cup that won’t be thought of again until the squad list appears in the final round of Pointless in 5 year’s time, and we had a full season’s worth of heat in one terrifying day.

Throughout it all Palace were Palace. A break in Bern before batterings by Barnet and Berlin (pre-season condensed for you fans of alliteration). It‘s frustrating (and a teeny bit funny.) 

Now, just like that the season’s upon us. A Wilfried Zaha-less Everton visit a presumably Wilfried Zaha-less Palace in our home opener, drawing a line under a strange few weeks.

I tweeted yesterday about feeling unusually pessimistic ahead of the coming season. It seems to be a view shared by at least a few others; disillusionment, frustration, despair in some cases. They’re feelings that have been bubbling under the surface for a while now.

The transfer window scraped shut and I understand fans’ frustration at how things played out. It was a late, not-entirely-inspiring flurry again, and there are legitimate concerns raised about each new addition (to counter: there are some positives too).

The sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka hasn’t seen the influx of talent some thought it might, nor has it led to a replacement right-back being signed, which could make things interesting if our defence sees another injury. And on top of that, an additional option up top would have been nice.

Being asked ‘to pay’ for pre-season live streams had also left a sour taste for some and reopened the wounds of the age old battle: Season Ticket Holders vs Members.

(There’s a danger I’ll go off topic if we take that any further, but given his comments yesterday, charging to watch Roy’s Friday press conference could have been the real money spinner!)

And the now annual Zaha summer stirring came to a fairly ugly conclusion with the reports of a transfer request as the sand in the hourglass began to pile high. Speaking with no inside knowledge on the subject, I can appreciate his want to play at the highest level (not sure Everton are at that level, but we’ll see what this season brings) and I also understand patience wearing thin amongst the fanbase given what he means to us.  A local boy - who got bit and came back home - no one gets him like we do and on his day he’s the potential difference between an assault on the Europa League places and an undignified dogfight to stay in the division. 

For what it’s worth, Zaha is the best footballer to play for Palace since I started watching. And I know some older fans feel the same, despite the successes and excitement of the 1970s to ‘90s. Opposition fans scoff at the stats, a career-high 10 Premier League goals last term may have outsiders raising eyebrows, but it’s about more than the numbers. He’s the player I’m excited to tell my son about in a few years time; he steals souls, breaks ankles and loses his head at the officials with the rest of us. Yes, the fans are hurt at the moment, and he’s reportedly ‘fuming’, but time is a great healer and once he’s physically ready to play (presuming he’s a few games off due to his late summer return) it’ll be time to get behind him again. 

I’d agree with the calls on Twitter to get behind the team on Saturday, and I don’t doubt those in attendance will. It’s not Joel Ward’s fault he’ll have to avoid injury all season, nor is it James McArthur’s fault we reunited him with his friend Macca instead of buying a £23m forward. And Max Meyer wasn’t pushing for fans to tune in to the live streams, though given how well he played maybe he would have!

I’m not particularly looking forward to the football side of the season still, but I am looking forward to being back at Selhurst Park. I’m looking forward to a pre-match pint with family and friends, or a half-time eyebrow raise as I pass someone I half-know in the guts of the Holmesdale (“Not a classic,” is my go-to). 

It is frustrating, and it is hard to get fired up for what looks set to be a long campaign, but at least we don’t have to hear from supposed-ITK arseholes for a few months or fret about losing any more of our best performers - and we can all focus on trying to laugh to save ourselves from crying.

Who knows, maybe low expectations will leave us all pleasantly surprised.

Follow Sam on Twitter at www.twitter.com/samuelpjordan. 

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. 

Kieran Trippier, Remi Matthews, Giovanni Simeone, Carl Jenkinson, Ezri Konsa, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Charlie Austin, Edson Álvarez, Timothy Castagne, Che Adams, Martin Hinteregger, Allan Saint-Maximin, James Justin, Kennet Andersson, Ryan Sessegnon, Jean Michaël Seri, Neal Maupay, Simon Mignolet, Javier Ontiveros, Danny Drinkwater, Bilel Hassaini, Fabio Borini, Jay Rodriguez, Ademola Lookman, Scott McTominay, Lucas Veríssimo, Max Aarons, Jerdy Schouten, Thomas Ouwejan, Kévin N’Doram, Shkodran Mustafi, Khouma Babacar.

Want some more?

Adama Soumaoro, Mario Lemina, Santiago Muñez, Reece James, Jordan Amavi, David Okereke, Davis Abanda Mfomo, Jack Butland, Harry Wilson, Duván Zapata, Wilfried Kanon, Max Kruse, Isaac Hayden, Josh Murphy, Timothy Weah, Steve Mounie, Ollie Watkins, Kaylen Hinds, Gustavo Gómez, Seko Fofana, Alexsandar Mitrović, Michail Antonio, Mbaye Diagne, Mohamed Elneny, Jonjoe Kenny, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Benjamin Siegrist, Danny Welbeck, Jack Clarke, Calum Chambers, Reiss Nelson, Kyle Walker-Peters, Yannick Bolasie, Stephen Henderson.

There are knowns, and unknowns, and known unknowns. The above is pretty much every player Palace have been linked with since the end of last season, as well as the odd ringer thrown in to see if you were paying attention. The sheer volume demonstrates that substantially more than a pinch of salt is required.

Tabloids, as is tradition, churn out names and float fantastical figures, competing now with clickbait websites and Sky Sports News and Twitter users pretending to be semi-retired agents, vying for attention in the never-ending quest to discover Who Won The Transfer Window?

READ MORE: What does 'the next level' represent for Crystal Palace?

Existing prejudices or desires tend to dictate what people do or don’t believe - getting excited at things that seem fanciful or, conversely, become pre-emptively annoyed by things that will never happen. Football fandom and rationality are not natural bedfellows, and transfer windows seem to turn that divide into a chasm. 

It is easy to dismiss rumours - and there is plenty of fiction - but there is often a kernel of truth involved, or at least some applied logic. Agents plant seeds and play games like never before, eager to enrich themselves as much as their clients. 

Contracts and clauses and representatives and intermediaries make for a messy landscape in which getting things done quickly is virtually impossible, unless you have very deep pockets or can afford to overpay - at odds with the clickable worldview offered by FIFA and Football Manager. 

Naturally, certain publications offer more weight. In terms of print media, various studies have found The Guardian to be the most accurate source of transfer news with, unsurprisingly, the red tops bottom of the table. There are club and region specialists, too - when Dom Fifield speaks, Palace fans should certainly listen. 

Under Steve Parish, Palace have been good at keeping transfer business quiet, even when targets have been dependent on any number of other moves taking place. In reality, it’s not worth getting too exercised by names until you see them enjoying a chinwag with Chris Grierson. 

None of us really know what is or isn’t happening at boardroom level, or how much we have to spend in the coming weeks, but it could be a defining period. If Wilfried Zaha were to follow Aaron Wan-Bissaka out the door, the task would be huge. 

Many disagree, but Palace’s Premier League recruitment has worked up until now, but there is acknowledgment that the strategy needs to change, and last summer was the first step in a new direction, with Dougie Freedman not given enough credit for his work in securing Max Meyer and Vicente Guaita. 

READ MORE: Who should Palace sign to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka?

There have been mistakes, and there will be more (other clubs make them too, believe it or not), but we should be cautiously excited to see how the club looks to develop an underrated but unbalanced squad. Part of Freedman’s remit is to generate first-team pathways for academy players, and many observers expect guys like Tyrick Mitchell to make an impact this year.

There are A-lists, and B, and C, right down to Z, and much will depend on things falling into place elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, right-back and centre-forward are the current priorities. 

Things do change, though. For instance, with Joel Ward more than capable, the club could wait a window or two to secure their first-choice right-back, if that’s what it takes. It might test the patience of some fans, but such a scenario could push funds into other areas. 

There is interest in a number of Championship players and, such is the way of the footballing world, we can probably expect a colt from the Will Salthouse stable to arrive, along with a player the majority of us know very little about - even if we pretend we do.

Whatever happens and whoever arrives, there will be disgruntlement, as befits the sense of entitlement that seems entrenched in the Premier League - witness the grumbling at the addition of an experienced and cheap third-choice goalkeeper, and the forthcoming purchase of a decent squad player in Jordan Ayew for relative pocket change.   

Fan frustration is understandable when it looks like a lot of competitors are doing things bigger and faster, but it’s considerably easier if you have been gifted a stadium, or if your club is being used to launder a reputation. There may come a time when a change in ownership creates opportunities to throw money around, but that in itself is no guarantee of success, nor the only way to show ambition. 

Palace are still feeling the effects of going large in previous years. With infrastructure projects ongoing, and ownership uncertainty, the club needs to be cute and stretch resources further. In the bleak winter days of administration and Championship boredom, what we would have given to be burdened with such problems.     

READ MORE: Crystal Palace's new away shirt is basically kit porn