In another of our series of new player profiles, here's Alex Pewter with what to expect of Will Hughes. 

(Image taken from Crystal Palace interview, here.) 

Background

Leaving South Hertfordshire for South London, Will Hughes becomes Crystal Palace's 6th senior signing of the transfer window for a reported £6m + add-ons. Hughes spent the last four seasons at Vicarage Road, but rejecting a new offer from Watford hastened his exit as he entered the last twelve months of his deal. His three seasons in the Premier League ended in relegation, but his final act was helping to return them to the division.

Will Hughes rose to fame as a "wonderkid" at Derby, making his Championship debut at 16 years old in 2011, becoming an established starter the following season. By the time Hughes left Derby, he had amassed 165 appearances in the Championship, despite missing almost the entire 2015-16 campaign after suffering a cruciate ligament injury. Whilst the speculated "big" transfer never materialised for Hughes, as initially predicted, the leap to Premier League football for £8m to Watford was hard-earned and based on his stand-out technical ability in the Championship.

In keeping with the signings of both Conor Gallagher, Marc Guéhi and Ebere Eze the summer prior, Will Hughes is another player that played to the highest youth level for England. Capped in 2012, at 17, he's still the 5th youngest player to have made his debut for the England U21 side.

Playing Style

Hughes has proven himself to be a solid player at the Premier League level. Numerous managerial changes at Watford has meant he played under six different managers in four seasons at the club, seven if you include the caretaker duties of Hayden Mullins. That regular leadership turnover possibly made it harder for him to find a designated role in the side straight away, especially given some early struggles with injuries.

The 2019-20 season for Watford will be what interested Dougie Freedman and Crystal Palace's scouts. Playing a central role, rather than on the right side of the midfield he had previously occupied, he excelled with the defensive side of his game, breaking up play in midfield. This particular season's performance is the "player" and style worth focussing on from a Palace perspective. Used in a deeper role, especially under Nigel Pearson, he became more of a facilitator for the team around him, rather than Derby's creative force of the past.

One of his closest statistical comparisons from this season was James McArthur, amassing similar "per 90" stats in tackles, interceptions and pressures, as well as their contributions on the ball. There may be a preconception about him as a lightweight ballplayer, possibly stemming from his rise to prominence as an undersized teenager. In reality, Hughes' performances and work rate at Watford don't reflect this view.

Having played through injuries in an attempt to keep Watford in the Premier League, surgery delayed his return to action in the Championship. His performances in the second half of the season helped drive Watford to promotion once again. As illustrated by Statsbomb, Hughes' strengths lay in recovering the ball for his side, far ahead of the league average. 

Will Hughes, Watford FC 2020/21 pic.twitter.com/KZZbeIUUDk

— StatsBomb (@StatsBomb) May 13, 2021

Outlook

Will Hughes' addition is part of rebalancing the central midfield at Crystal Palace. Roy Hodgson's frequent reliance on two defensive midfielders, now superseded by a single holding player in a three-person setup, has left question marks over which combination of players will suit the style of play required of them. Conor Gallagher and James McArthur have already demonstrated that they fit the two "number 8" positions in the 4-3-3 formation; however, the deeper "number 6" may need some work linking up with the central defenders. In Hughes, Palace should have acquired a player able to play in either role.

As discussed in our Brentford report, both Cheikhou Kouyaté and Jaïro Riedewald have potential shortcomings in the holding/pivot position. Luka Milivojević, yet to appear this season, could present a solution for Patrick Vieira, but having spent heavily on ball-playing defenders, joining up the defence and the midfield is a worthwhile investment.

At 26 years old, Hughes' transfer is less of a reactionary move than it is forward-planning. There is an "age" cliff edge quickly approaching in the central midfield group, which he helps rectify. With Gallagher only on loan, McArthur soon turning 34 and with Kouyaté into the last year of his deal, Hughes will be someone the club can be confident to build around as he enters his peak years, purchased without overstretching the budget.

With the transfer deadline quickly approaching, the club would likely desire two or three more deals. With additional depth added in midfield, the focus continues to be on the wide and forward areas.

Crystal Palace are off the mark after an opening draw against Brentford. The game offered few chances in a hard-fought match, but both teams will come away content in the knowledge they didn't hand a victory away. Here are our quick takeaways from the contest at Selhurst Park. 

The Jigsaw is Missing a Few Pieces

Despite the result, there are reasons to be optimistic about Crystal Palace's team. Both Joachim Andersen and Marc Guéhi are already developing as the team's bedrock, whilst Conor Gallagher and James McArthur suit the box-to-box roles Patrick Vieira asks them to fulfil. However, the jigsaw pieces needed to mesh the areas of strength together still appear to be lacking. There is a philosophy Vieira wishes to deploy with his new team, but there may be a need for pragmatism in areas where players aren't as suitable as he would like.

Cheikhou Kouyaté is one of these puzzles for Patrick Vieira, as he is both an asset and a liability in different phases of the game as a holding midfielder. His passing with his slow wind-up is acceptable as a central defender where the opposition affords him more time but lacks urgency in midfield. Brentford dispossessed him in the first half in Palace's third on three occasions, which the away team should have punished. Jaïro Riedewald would theoretically be the type of pivot player that could be the deep-lying playmaker. Still, where he is often passive in the defensive phases of the game, Kouyaté continues to excel. Untroubled in the aerial battles and with several good challenges on the ground in the second half, Kouyaté was a crucial factor in keeping Brentford at bay. Patrick Vieria will balance the areas where he hasn't got the "perfect" fit will be intriguing.

Gallagher Inches from a Dream Debut 

When we looked at Conor Gallagher ahead of his loan move to Crystal Palacelooked at Conor Gallagher ahead of his loan move to Crystal Palace, he seemed ideal for a Vieira box-to-box midfielder. The stamina, the physicality and the touch were on show in his debut appearance, as Palace fielded a more combative central midfield than the game against Chelsea. Gallagher's willingness to challenge, the clever bodychecks off the ball to disrupt Brentford's play and the relentless pressing gave Palace an extra dimension in midfield.

Gallagher had the only "big chance" in Saturday's match, only to be denied by the woodwork. He met Wilfried Zaha's excellent through-ball from the right-wing with a heavy touch forcing him to take the shot from a wide-angle. Raya had no chance to stop it, the Whitehorse end thought he had scored, but the ball ricocheted harmlessly clear of the goal. 

Despite this, Gallagher was arguably Palace's man-of-the-match on his debut, his energy in combination with McArthur will be something Vieira can build around. Palace will need reinforcements to ensure the midfield has another box-to-box option, but the signs are positive.

The Search for a Goal Continues 

Whilst Patrick Vieira avoided defeat on his home debut and has a point on the board, the wait for the first league goal continues. McArthur, Gallagher and Benteke were the closest to breaking the deadlock, but much like Palace have faced in the last two seasons, it's difficult to see where a regular goal-scorer will come from in the current squad.

Brentford, much in style seen before by the likes of Southampton and Bournemouth, tactically fouled Wilfried Zaha throughout the game to reduce his effect on the result. In this, they succeeded. Zaha was involved in two of Palace's better efforts on goal but reacted to the physical nature of their defending. The danger, which has often blighted Palace in recent years, is when Zaha cannot make the breakthrough, what is the alternative?

Jeffery Schlupp, rotating with Zaha on either the left or right-wing positions isn't the answer, much like Jordan Ayew. As versatile players, both will play various roles and positions across the season. Still, with the transfer deadline quickly approaching, Palace appears two players short in the attacking areas of the pitch. 

The xG Battle

(Source: https://twitter.com/Caley_graphics/status/1429112864279773194)

Despite Brentford leading the stats with shots-on-target and overall chances, neither team did enough to win. The Bees had the bulk of the opportunities, but Palace remained calm under pressure with the mobility of both new centre backs able to remove some of the danger when needed.

Brentford is a well-drilled team, used to their setup, unlike where Palace currently find themselves. Despite their ability to create chaos from long throw-ins and set pieces, seen against Arsenal, Palace coped well.

Next Up: Watford

Palace has a quick turnaround and a change of pace as they face perennial opponents Watford, away in the League Cup on Tuesday evening.

The fixture won't come with the pressures of a league match but is still a chance the develop some cohesion against a Premier League outfit. Vieira may field a strong eleven to build some momentum with the first-team squad, partly due to the U23 fixture scheduled on Friday evening.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will be hoping for a more significant run out after his league debut against Chelsea. Likewise, yesterday's substitutes like James Tomkins and Jean-Philippe Mateta will be keen to show their worth given a chance. 

Palace travel to a West Ham side ready to steamroll whoever stands before them. Here's Rob with three areas Palace will be focusing on. 

While the focus is on Antonio's goals, it is Benrahma who Palace should Fear the Most

Adjusting to the Premier League is no easy feat, as Said Benrahma will attest. His loan move, which West Ham later made permanent, took significant adjustment as the winger disappointed with a lack of goals or significant contributions, scoring just one goal in 30 league appearances for the club.

But a positive pre-season for the Hammers has seen the Algerian 26-year-old hit the ground running, with a return of two goals already this season. An intelligent runner with plenty of skill, Benrahma is rated by WhoScored.com as very strong at dribbling and strong in five other areas including through balls, key passes and finishing. 

Benrahma's greatest threat comes from when he cuts inside and shoots from distance, meaning that Joel Ward (or Nathaniel Clyne should he be fit) will have their work cut out to keep him under control. While West Ham have plenty of other attacking threats, with Palace's apparent weakness in wide areas, the concern will be that Benrahma gets too much time on the ball and space to run into. 

Palace must find Ruthlessness to Win 

Panic hasn't quite set in among the Palace fanbase but there is certainly tension, and the defeat to Watford in Tuesday's EFL Cup tie won't have improved matters. 

Palace were wasteful. Whether it was chances missed by Jean-Philippe Mateta or Christian Benteke, the club's strikers have to show a more ruthless and clinical streak to have any hope of winning games. 

Mateta especially was guilty of some poor decision-making and, for the clearance off the line by William Troost-Ekong, could be accused of lacking bravery. On at least one occasion a cross to either Jordan Ayew or Conor Gallagher would have been better suited.

Additionally, Wilfried Zaha needs to focus on the things he can control rather than the referees and opponents he can't. As Patrick Vieria has said, Zaha is a package and it comes with that passion -- but we know that he has the ability to turn that frustration into a positive contribution. 

Vieira has made it clear that Palace need attacking reinforcements, but his frustration will still lie with some of the poor finishing and execution exhibited by the players he has available to him. 

West Ham, and Michail Antonio especially, have shown how to do it. Perhaps Palace's strikers should watch clips of the former Tooting & Mitcham striker for inspiration?

Midfield pivot is key for Palace, whether it's Luka Milivojevic or Will Hughes

It has become clear that, as part of Vieira’s plan, the need for a deep-lying midfield playmaker is a growing necessity. After a disappointing performance from Jairo Riedewald against Chelsea (with the caveat that it was Chelsea) it seems that the manager has determined that the Dutchman doesn’t suit that role. 

Palace need a player capable of taking the ball in that area in front of the goalkeeper — essentially providing him with a third short pass option — and for that player to be comfortable under moderate pressure while also capable of finding a pass. If you are aiming to break the oppositions press, a player who has some mettle and an ability to release the ball quickly is crucial. 

Milivojevic has excelled when his role has been to play as a defensive shield with diminished responsibility for attacking build-up play. He can win the ball and move it to players with greater creative spirit. 

Hughes, who at the time of writing hasn't yet signed but appears to be close, appears to be similar. He’s not a creative force but in that pivot role, he’s got all the qualities and strengths required to be a key part in the team. 

While another couple of attacking options are needed, with Milivojevic unavailable for much of pre-season, it became abundantly clear that Paace lacked that kind of presence, too. Against West Ham's impressive midfield unit, that composure is going to be even more necessary. 

As Palace face the challenge of newly-promoted Brentford visiting Selhurst Park, Robert Sutherland takes look at what to expect from the game. 

Defenders Must match Ivan Toney's Physicality 

Much of the focus on Brentford tends to be about the attractive football that they play, but beneath that pretty exterior, there is a toughness that shouldn't be underestimated. While Ivan Toney was an excellent goalscorer last season, it's the way he leads the line for Brentford that doesn't get the credit it deserves.

Toney had an excellent game against Arsenal last weekend, one in which he bullied his defensive counterparts, and it's that physical battle that Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen will have to be wary of. A look at WhoScored.com's assessment of Toney supports that assessment -- he likes to do layoffs, is physically strong, holds on to the ball well, gets fouled often and often fouls opponents -- which is indicative of a player who isn't afraid to get his body in the way of defenders and doing the dirty work.

It's fair to say that Arsenal have, through a series of managerial appointments, lost some of that physical and mental toughness they were known for -- there is hope that despite Palace's changes this summer, that toughness they honed under Roy Hodgson's direction can prevail. 

Palace's Centre Will Set Foundations for Match 

One of the disappointing aspects from Saturday's defeat to Chelsea was the way in which Chelsea's midfield just utterly dominated Palace's -- which is understandable given the quality Chelsea have -- but there was a lack of competitiveness from Jairo Riedewald and James McArthur. Palace were slow to get to their opponents, slow to challenge them and, on the rare occasion where they won the ball, were then slow to make use of possession. The intensity we had seen in pre-season wasn't visible as Chelsea worked their way through Palace's midfield. The one thing they should have tried to do was slow their opponents down by matching their cynicism and committing fouls in the centre of the pitch. 

Brentford are not Chelsea, but their game against Arsenal showed that they have a hard-working midfield that closes down opponents, will tackle them and will then transition that possession into attacking moves. Palace must match that to have a chance of winning the game. Christian Noorgard, who played as the linchpin in Brentford's midfield, is rated as being strong at concentration, tackling, interceptions and passing by WhoScored.com. He won't be an easy opponent. 

With Vieira adapting the side from a low-press defensive model to one that is focused on doing more defensive work in midfield, it's key that McArthur, Riedewald and perhaps Conor Gallagher (we assume he'll start in a midfield three) make that midfield area theirs. 

Zaha as Part of Front Three Should Make a Greater Threat

The decision to start the Chelsea game in a 4-4-2 formation, which hadn't been used in pre-season at all, was clearly tactical in an attempt to match their opponents man-for-man, but in doing so Palace left Wilfried Zaha isolated and without the ball. Against a side where those few moments of possession can make all the difference, leaving Zaha with little room to influence proceedings was a disappointing side-effect of that tactical change.

It's clear that when Palace switched to the 4-3-3 formation which they had practised so often, it opened up the pitch for Zaha to roam around in that final third. One of Palace's rare chances in the second half came from the attacker cropping up in an unexpected area which allowed him to run and attempt a shot, only for Antonio Ruediger to block it well. 

It's likely that we'll see Christian Benteke take that central attacking role alongside Zaha, with Ayew likely to be on the other flank. We've learnt with Zaha that he's at his best when he's given the freedom to find space around the other attacking players. Doing so against Brentford should pose a much greater threat than it did against Chelsea.