Why Crystal Palace must sack Sam Allardyce with relegation looming

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It was perhaps the most humiliating defeat that Crystal Palace fans had seen in their lives. On the back of an energizing and promising victory on the South Coast of England against Bournemouth, the Palace players put on an infuriating display against fellow relegation strugglers Sunderland, capitulating to a 4-0 loss in the first half. Towards the end of the first period, the Eagles conceded three goals in six minutes, putting them back four goals, leading to fans storming out of the stadium at half-time and “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” ringing across the stands.

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It was a grim sight. The players had put on a mentally weak display, devoid of a professional mindset. Manager Sam Allardyce has not been able to rid the Palace players of their Selhurst curse. After the match, he said, “I saw frailty from the moment we went behind…fear, fear, fear,” of playing in front of the home fans.

Against Stoke City, the reaction was an improvement but illustrated that Allardyce cannot save Palace. The players put in a shift at the back and were psychologically stronger, only to be undone by brilliant link-up play by the hosts. However, going forward, Palace looked as flat as ever.

The Eagles came closest to a goal when Zaha and McArthur’s passing combination freed up Andros Townsend on the wing. Townsend played the ball back into McArthur, who’s header was wide and soft.

In the final third, Palace’s players were totally devoid of confidence and far too predictable. There were no mazy runs from Zaha that tore up Stoke’s full-backs, no penetrating balls through from Puncheon or McArthur, and no quality deliveries to Christian Benteke.

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While under Alan Pardew, Crystal Palace were no consistent or concentrated bunch. There was a fire going forward that served the players well in producing quality second-half displays when the opening 45 had let the fans down. Pardew, despite all his defensive incompetence, allowed wingers to terrorize full-backs, encouraged midfielders to load the box and play forward themselves, and assembled a potent strike force. In sacking Pardew Steve Parish had to find a man that would organize a back four that would prevent the leakage of goals and still facilitate Palace’s exciting breakneck forward play.

They hired the antithesis. Sam Allardyce’s rugged and physical style of play does not work in a team who’s creative center is built around technical players such as Yohan Cabaye. Despite his insistence that given a deep bank account he can solidify himself as a great manager, Allardyce has done nothing to prove himself, winning a sole Premier League match since December of last year.

Allardyce wants his players to play one way but his players are disjointed. At Stoke, it was ever so clear. Damien Delaney would get the ball and look for a long ball to Benteke. Once brought down, Benteke would find Puncheon, McArthur, or Milivojevic who would look to pass into the box. The disjointed pattern killed the flow of the game and reduced options going forward, allowing Stoke to regroup.

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After installing his entire backroom staff, spending more in the January transfer window than any other team, and following countless substance-less comments, Allardyce’s time must be coming to an end. Palace need to be bold and rash, even. Allardyce has had enough time to try and hammer the right mentality into Palace’s players but has failed miserably.

The Eagles need a breath of fresh air to free the players from their own demons. A bold managerial hiring like Swansea’s of Paul Clement, Hull’s of Marco Silva, and even Watford’s of Walter Mazzari is needed. Dare I say a manager like Roberto Mancini could wipe off the cobwebs of one of the most technically-able Palace squads to exist.

Crystal Palace need rejuvenation and the relegation doctor archetype that is Sam Allardyce will not fit this cosmopolitan squad. The manager has to adapt to his players like the players adjust to the manager. Neither has played their role and chairman Parish must look for new options to embolden his side.

With two weeks until they face Middlesbrough at home, if a renaissance can’t be sparked now, it’s hard to see it happening.

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