What did we learn from the 3-1 win over Reading? Here's Robert Sutherland with his thoughts. 

(Image taken from PalaceTV interview)  

1. Guehi is a Rolls Royce Defender

There's something very reassuring about seeing a young defender look as calm and composed as Marc Guehi does -- you realise that the money invested in his signing was justified. The centre-back, signed for £18m from Chelsea this summer, made a number of key interventions in today's game, most notably a recovering tackle which prevented Reading from scoring an equaliser.

However, it is his ability to find a pass, and his comfort with the ball at his feet, that really shone through. Guehi might be young but he looks like a seasoned professional. While Premier League football can't compare to pre-season friendlies, the signs are good. Both he and Joachim Andersen will make Palace's defence more capable both defensively and in moving the ball upfield, too. 

2. Mateta Needs Matches, Confidence and a Little More Composure

English football is different from the continental game, and Jean-Philipe Mateta is having to learn that quickly. After scoring against Brighton & Hove Alibon, the French striker found opportunities limited and would have likely felt frustrated at that lack of game-time. With Christian Benteke only just returning from his Euro 2020 exploits, the opportunity to impress upon the new manager has presented itself -- and Mateta needs to take it.

We can see some of the things that he does well -- he's physical, he's quick, he has awareness of his teammates and he has that competitiveness needed. The problem is, the opportunities he's created for himself have subsequently been snatched at.

The loan signing from Mainz created an excellent opportunity for himself late in the first half with his strong leap which won him the ball -- but his composure as he bore down on goal went amiss and a poor touch allowed the Reading goalkeeper Rafael to collect the ball at his feet. Mateta later won and scored the penalty which put Palace 1-0 up -- let's hope that goal gives him the boost he needs to find the net more easily from now on. 

Good test ?? pic.twitter.com/DyqWniA8Ru

— Jean-Philippe Mateta (@Matetajphilippe) July 31, 2021

3. Pre-season is About Opportunities for All

Patrick Vieira has made it clear that the progression of youngsters into first-team duties is a priority, and his inclusion of Rob Street and Nya Kirby from kick-off, with Scott Banks and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi making appearances from the subs bench, is indicative of the fact he wants to see more of he young players available to him.

While Cheikh Kouyate's sending off brought an early end to Kirby's performance, he shouldn't be disappointed with his contribution. Street showed physicality and willing throughout, while little flashes of brilliance from Rak-Sakyi will have pleased the manager too. Banks rounded the game off with a beautiful free-kick curved over the wall and into the top corner of the net, and the young Scotsman has impressed his new manager, who said last week that he and Rak-Sakyi would likely be involved in first-team duties this season. 

A new manager doesn't have to pick a new squad. But Palace clearly want to make more of the young players they have, and Vieira is likely to be the kind of manager who will allow that to happen. It can only be a good thing for the players and for the club.

Scott Banks free kick ??? #CPFC pic.twitter.com/voK27RF5pX

— Chris ?????????? (@cjbearcpfc) July 31, 2021

4. This isn't a Full-Strength Squad, but it Might Have to Do

Point 3 really leads into point 4. Palace appear to be looking to make another signing in attack, and potentially in midfield -- and that will then be it. With the injuries currently blighting the squad -- Jeffrey Schlupp, Wilfried Zaha and Luka Milivojevic picked up knocks this week, in addition to the more long-term absences of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise -- there is definitely reason to be concerned about the club's fortunes this season.

However, the squad currently available to the manager is still capable, and it's likely we'll see the three short-term omissions return in due course. Today's game wasn't with a full-strength squad but the foundations are there for Palace to build upon. It's likely that Vieira's selection fo younger players is aimed at bringing them up to speed should they need to be called upon. Opportunities come to those who want them, and while a few players are missing, the young players can stake their claim for inclusion.

5. McArthur Suits the Mid-Press Game

James McArthur has been missing from this Palace side for some time; his terrier-like qualities make him a formidable opponent, while his knack for finding a simple pass, or for finding his way out of tight situations, is always worthy of credit. Many have written the Scottish midfielder off over the years, including managers, but McArthur's ability makes him a perfect experienced foil for this Palace side's midfield.

To many, the midfielder has been deemed as a defensive player -- lumped into that category to make a point about Roy Hodgson's love of defensive midfielders -- but McArthur isn't that. He's always been a transition midfielder for Palace. A box-to-box player who contributes defensively but is quite happy to push up with the ball and ask questions of his opponents. With Palace doing more defensive work higher up the pitch, putting opponents under pressure in the centre of the park, McArthur is the ideal candidate for that role.

What can Crystal Palace fans expect of the club's latest signing? Here's Alex Pewter with the lowdown. 

Background

Crystal Palace centre-back signings, much like London buses, have arrived all at once, as Joachim Andersen has signed from Olympique Lyonnais for a deal reportedly around €17.5m with addons on a five-year contract. The twenty-five-year-old Danish defender came to Premier League fans' attention last season on loan at Fulham, but his career path to date has taken him across Europe before landing in England. 

Having left his native Denmark as a teenager, opting to develop his game in the Netherlands for FC Twente, Andersen established himself as a starting defender at 19 years old. Sampdoria seized upon FC Twente's financial issues in the summer of 2017 and snapped up the centre-back for around €1.5m to give Andersen his first chance at a top-five league in Europe. After a season primarily as a substitute, Andersen shone at their defence's heart, starting 32 matches. Playing in Marco Giampaolo's 4-2-3-1 formation, he was a high-volume passer ending with the 10th most completed passes in Serie A, whilst frequently carrying the ball out of defence as they advanced the ball. 

Andersen's upward trajectory continued as his Sampdoria performances drew the attention of Lyon, who signed him for more than €20m in the summer of 2019. Having started 17 times in Ligue 1 whilst making his Champions League debut as the club made their way to the Semi-Finals of the competition, Andersen's time abruptly ended at the start of the 2020-21 season as he left for Fulham on loan. Whilst his season at Fulham ended in relegation, his standing in the game was elevated, impressing against the top teams in the division whilst earning the captain's armband.

Playing Style

First and foremost, Andersen is an intelligent defender. His positioning ability gives him an excellent chance to intercept the ball or win in the air. His defensive workload at Fulham was far higher than he had experienced at either Sampdoria or Lyon, doubling his tackles and interceptions per 90min but in doing so gave teams like Palace plenty of data to analyse his performances against the league's elite.  

As a passer, Andersen is very accurate when simply retaining possession across the backline, but his ability to quickly switch play from a distance is his real strength. His highlight long passes for Fulham last season made him a creative outlet from their half, ending on par with players like Harry Maguire for completed long passes over 30 yards in the Premier League. The ability to intercept the ball and immediately to be able to spring a counter-attack gives him a direct part in creating goal-scoring opportunities from a turnover. 

Listed at around 190cm (6'3") tall, Andersen has the prototypical size teams covet at the back. He was tested in the air at Fulham almost twice as much as his previous full season for Sampdoria. Winning nearly 75% of his aerial challenges, he held up well in a league deemed to be more "physical" than others he has played.

Photo by Steffen Prößdorf

Outlook

Doubling down on the centre back position is a big statement from Crystal Palace. Both acquisitions have likely used up a large percentage of the transfer budget but are the foundation Patrick Vieira can build on. The long-term goal must be a partnership with Joachim Andersen and Marc Guéhi, a complete turnaround in a single transfer window, and a credit to Dougie Freedman and the board.

Andersen is only just 25 and, in theory, a couple of years off the start of his prime years. He's already battle-tested in different leagues and formations, either in a four-person setup at Sampdoria and Fulham or on occasion as the central player in a three-person system at Lyon. As Patrick Vieira's strategy of playing out from defence develops, having a player not only capable of recycling the ball but having the vision and ability to switch play to break the press will be vital. 

Given Andersen's quick ascension to captaincy at Fulham, a rare feat for a loan player, his presence ought to help to fill the leadership void left in the wake of Scott Dann, Mamadou Sakho, and Gary Cahill. In theory, the move leaves the club with more than enough depth across the backline, possibly even affording them the chance to sell one of the older centre backs if the opportunity arises. The priority now shifts onto attacking players, particularly out wide.

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

(Image taken from Crystal Palace interview, here.) 

Background

Crystal Palace made a mistake last season. Conor Gallagher was reportedly set to move from Cobham to Beckenham on loan when the club decided to switch their focus to former-loan signing Michy Batshuayi.

Wilfried Zaha's switch to a central role in the first half of the season, followed by a Benteke redemption arc in the second half, left Michy with only 700 minutes of game time across the season. Meanwhile, in a struggling West Bromwich Albion side, Gallagher raised his profile as a Premier League player. 

Born only 20 minutes from his eventual training ground, Gallagher has been a Chelsea player since he was eight years old. Capped by England from U17 to U21 levels, he was part of the U17 World Cup-winning team under his future manager, Steve Cooper, alongside Marc Guéhi and Nya Kirby. Having only a season of U23 football to his name the year prior, Gallagher jumped straight into Championship football with two loan moves in the 2019-20 season, splitting time at Charlton Athletic and Swansea City. 

Deployed as more of a deep-lying midfielder for Charlton and as an attacking midfielder for Swansea, Gallagher made 44 starts with the headline stats of six goals and eight assists to his name. In the following season, Gallagher jumped into Premier League football, making 28 starts and scoring one of his two goals against Palace at The Hawthorns in the 5-1 rout. 

Playing Style

Having looked on paper as more of a creative force at Charlton and Swansea in the Championship, Gallagher's time at West Brom was a box-to-box midfielder. In a team that arguably spent most of the season outmatched, he competed to the physical levels required in a top-five league in Europe. He pressed the opposition at a very high rate in this role, ending with the 14th most successful pressures in the league, where his team recovered the ball within five seconds. His final total of 180 put him on par with box-to-box threats such as Bissouma of Brighton and Ndidi & Tielemans of Leicester. 

When Gallagher recovers possession or receives a pass under pressure, he shows the agility to shift away from his opposition to retain the ball. When he has more freedom to drive forward, like at Swansea, he becomes more of a rounded attacking threat, getting into the opposition box late or playing more expansive passes. In a team where Wilfried Zaha naturally draws the most attention, potentially Gallagher will have more opportunity to progress the ball forward.

Outlook

The return to last season's "Plan A" loan is possibly more of a fit for Patrick Vieira than under Roy Hodgson. Given the likely need for two "number 8" type midfielders playing in a 4-3-3 formation, akin to what was used by Vieira at OG Nice, Gallagher is an immediate upgrade. Setting out a game plan for a higher press, displayed in pre-season thus far, a player with the stamina to carry this out will be ideal. 

It is expected that Vieria will aim to work the ball out from the back in the long term, reinforced by the high-profile signing of Joachim Andersen. Alongside players like Jaïro Riedewald and Jeffrey Schlupp, Gallagher gives the club another player at ease taking the ball under pressure in the middle of the pitch, with the ability to carry the ball or pass it out of danger. 

This loan, currently without the option to buy, is adding to the young core Palace is starting to put in place. Ignoring the current injuries to Eze and Olise, those two players, Mitchell, Guéhi, and Gallagher, form a young base that the club could look to build around in the medium-term. Whereas the asking price and salary for Ruben Loftus-Cheek were always out of reach, Gallagher could be available at a more reasonable price in the future.

Palace dominated Ipswich Town for significant spells, but couldn't quite make that dominance count with goals. But what did we learn from the game? Here's Alex Pewter. 

(Image from Crystal Palace's video interview with Patrick Vieira, here.)

Following the opening pre-season win against Walsall, Patrick Vieira's next pre-season challenge came in League One, Ipswich Town. With Kouyaté, Ward & Milivojević back in training following extended breaks and Marc Guéhi making his first Palace appearance, more first-team options were available. The team lined up in the new 4-3-3 formation, making two changes to the XI that started the week prior. The team started brightly and arguably ought to have led at the halftime break. Wilfried Zaha's second-half well-struck penalty separated the two sides before the game petered out after both teams made changes deep into the match. 

Kouyaté at Centre Back

Cheikhou Kouyaté was a fill-in centre-back last season, covering for numerous injuries afflicting the other options. With Palace having already signed a prospective starting centre-back and with media links to other options, such as Joachim Andersen, there are question marks over whether Kouyaté will remain an option at defender, return to midfield, or play as a hybrid option. Today, he got a 60min run out in that right-centre-back spot he occupied last season. 

Last season, Kouyaté's passing was accurate from the back, particularly at the medium range of 15-30 yards, at 87.1% completion, which should be an asset Vieira would value more than Hodgson. On the ball, Kouyaté looked in good touch today, happy to take the ball under pressure when needed as Palace shifted the ball around the back to build possession. Whether his passing style would be suitable for the defensive midfield role Riedewald has filled for two games is yet to be seen. Jaïro is happy to play quick touch passes as the centre midfielders shift around to create space, a role we haven't seen him in for Palace. 

Slow Start for Mateta

Jean-Phillipe Mateta had limited chances given to him under Roy Hodgson following his loan move from Mainz, partially due to the upsurge in Christian Benteke's performances. Supposedly it was a positive Covid test that has stalled his pre-season, restricting him to a sluggish 17-minute cameo against Walsall. 

His first start of pre-season similarly seemed off the pace, as a good break-away from Jeff Schlupp found Wilfried Zaha out wide, only for his cut-back to go tamely wide by an off-balance Mateta. That chance was the only clear-cut opportunity created by the side in the first half, but the run made by Mateta to get open from inside his half was encouraging.

It was clear Mateta's redemption story was going to be left for another day after hitting both the crossbar from a corner routine and the inside of the left post later in the second half. There will undoubtedly be negativity floating around Twitter post-match expecting Mateta to have come away from this match with a couple of goals to his name. Still, you would rather see a forward getting himself into goal scoring positions rather than being a bystander for the match at this stage of pre-season.

Growing Confidence in Possession

Patience is the key to how Palace are looking to work the ball out from the back this season. Both pre-season performances have seen the team dominating possession, which admittedly is less likely in the opening game against Chelsea. Still, there are already clear plans about how the team should move the ball into midfield. Compared to the train-wreck stay of Frank de Boer, where the passing was short but scatty, Palace's seem well-coached, finding space to get open.  

Ipswich was far more capable of closing down today than Walsall, which is precisely what Patrick Vieira will want to be facing. The ball made its way into the opposition half with ease, but possibly the attacking play is still too reliant on the brilliance of Zaha near the opposition's box. McArthur and Schlupp have risen to the challenge of a new role, if not position, looking increasingly comfortable either circulating the ball or driving forward. 

This afternoon's shape was asymmetrical, as Ipswich allowed Zaha to float inside into the half-space too often, giving Tyrick Mitchell the freedom to play as a winger rather than a defender. As Premier League teams will be more disciplined defensively, Palace is less likely to have such an easy outlet open for the whole game and will need more creative passing to break defences.

Lovely footage of that Zaha penalty to put Palace1-0 up.

? @AnnissDuncan pic.twitter.com/DgWswBlVXO

— Plan Quinquennal?? (@FYPFanzine) July 24, 2021

Lack of Depth in Attack? 

With the signing of Marc Guéhi, the re-signing of Joel Ward, and the presumptive announcement of a Nathaniel Clyne contract, the defensive depth looked a lot more solid today. Where there are still notable holes is in the attacking areas. Rak-Sakyi and Street continued their impressive pre-season, having a reasonable effort on goal each as they subbed on amongst two batches of changes past the hour mark. Gametime for any of the younger players was limited as Patrick Vieira gave the starters increased minutes. 

Due to injuries to Eze and Olise and the confirmed departure of Townsend, once the team is past Zaha and Ayew, the team is very reliant on the U23 crop of players to cover. There is still time for the club to add further signings to the squad, but it would appear that the wide areas should be the priority as we near the opening fixtures. 

Guéhi's First Appearance

After wholesale changes at the 60th minute, the new signing from Chelsea made his way onto the pitch at the left-centre-back spot pairing with Martin Kelly. Aside from one moment where a forward beat him to the ball in the air, Guéhi was untroubled by a tiring Ipswich side. He looked at ease on the ball and immediately organised the backline, despite being the junior member of the back pairing.  

Impressive in stature and by far the most mobile of centre back options Palace currently have on offer, he is a fascinating prospect and one that will be exciting to watch when he debuts in the league.