Ahead of Saturday's final pre-season game against Watford, Rob takes a look at three areas of change implemented by Patrick Vieira, and how that could inform us about what to expect for the Chelsea game and beyond. 

Crystal Palace's pre-season has not been entirely stable after a protracted managerial appointment and a significant number of departutes. However, with Patrick Vieria now in place, most of the club's transfer activity completed and just one pre-season fixture remaining, it's time to consider what we have seen so far and what the Watford game might still tell us. Here are three areas to consider. 

Palace's First Line of Defence Will be in Attack 

While Patrick Vieira's squad selections haven't given a clear indication of just who will start next weekend's game at Chelsea, the pre-season fixtures have provided some insight into the kind of tactical approach the new manager is likely to employ. Whereas Roy Hodgson made the low-press a key part of his game, in which Palace's two banks of four would apply pressure in defensive areas of the pitch in an attempt to stifle opponents, Vieria's tactics have indicated a change which will see pressure applied more in the centre and forward areas of the pitch. 

Training videos have shown the coaching staff working on routines which see Palace's forward players tasked with pressuring teammates, regaining possession and subsequently looking to create attacking opportunities. While it puts greater emphasis on Palace's offensive unit to be more persistent with opponents, it should also see them positioned in more advanced areas for when possession is regained. 

Similar responsibilities will fall upon the midfield trio selected. While there will be a defensive midfielder in the line-up, likely to be either Luka Milivojevic or Jairo Riedewald, Palace's other two midfielders will be tasked with providing box-to-box pressure in the centre of the pitch. This should see the role of James McArthur, so often the terrier in Hodgson's midfield, adapted in this side. Pressure is key, but so is the ability to drive forward into the space behind his opponents and the ability to find a quick pass into one of the front three making runs ahead of him.

While this won't be modelled on Liverpool's high press, in style it might be more closely aligned to how Manchester City play the game, just on a much lower budget. Every player will be responsible for applying pressure within their own portion of the pitch. 

Width Won't Just Come from Wingers

In Palace's first pre-season win over Walsall, it became clear early in the fixture that there would be a focus on applying attacking pressure down the wings, with reinforcement coming from the left or right-back. As either Tyrick Mitchell or Nathaniel Clyne pushed on, the player on the opposite wing tended to tuck in to create a back three alongside the two centre-backs. It also often saw the defensive midfielder, in this case Riedewald, drop a little deeper to shield that backline. 

This isn't entirely different from what Palace fans saw under Hodgson, but it does appear to be a tactic endorsed by the manager, with a focus on putting a little more at risk in order to create opportunities. Think Patrick van Aanholt becoming an additional attacking player, but in this case with a manager encouraging it and covering for such eventualities. 

For Palace, the key will be whether Mitchell or Clyne can execute in those areas. It was telling that, on a number of occasions where Mitchell did find himself in more advanced areas during pre-season fixtures, he hit an early cross deep into the box -- the kind of service that Christian Benteke would make much use of. 

A Free Zaha Should be a Fun Zaha

Vieira told Sky News this week that he'd had positive discussions with Palace's talisman, and the approach taken to utilise his talents suggests that Zaha is likely to be given a little more freedom to create chances for himself and for teammates. 

Zaha has featured in two of the first-team's three fixtures, and on both occasions found himself on either side of the central attacking player, but with the allowance to drift into more central areas when not with the ball, and to drive there when with it. In doing so, Zaha took opponents with him, opening up space for either the left or right-sided wing-back to exploit. 

Palace haven't created a significant number of chances but you can see the foundations of what they're trying to do. Pressure has come, on a number of occasions, from Zaha taking possession in the centre of the pitch, turning to face his opponent, and driving on towards the penalty area. As he does this, his teammates either make runs to pull opponents out of his path, or to create passing opportunities. 

For fans that spent much of the last few seasons frustrated at the lack of attacking intent, Vieira's approach will be different, with the potential for greater risk-taking. The concern as it stand for the new manager will be whether his players can make the most of those moments, create opportunities and crucially execute when they get them. 

Saturday's Watford fixture should give us an indication.