Crystal Palace season preview

Crystal Palace narrowly avoided the drop last season. Will new manager Frank de Boer be able to get the best out of a talented squad in 2017-18?

INS: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (loan, Chelsea), Jairo Riedewald (£8 million, Ajax)

OUTS: Steve Mandanda (£2.7 million, Marseille), Zeki Fryers (free, Barnsley), Kwesi Appiah (free, Wimbledon), Luke Croll (free, Exeter), Mattieu Flamini (released), Joe Ledley (released), Frazier Campbell (free, Hull), Jonathan Benteke (released)

THE STORY: Crystal Palace enter their fifth consecutive season in the Premier League in 2017-18, looking to improve upon their 14th-place finish and minus-13 goal difference from last term. That they finished even that high was down to Sam Allardyce, who took over from Alan Pardew halfway through the season, made some shrewd additions in the January transfer window, saved the Eagles from the drop and then promptly retired.

The new man in charge is Frank de Boer, who will feel he has much to prove after getting sacked by Inter Milan after only 85 days in 2016. His most immediate task on the pitch will be to fix a defense that conceded 63 goals last season, the 13th-worst record in the top flight. But he’ll also be expected to establish a long-term plan and identity, to set the club on a clear path after four wildly inconsistent seasons.

In his introductory press conference, de Boer said he wants to give more opportunities to young players, which should help get fans excited about the future, instead of simply worrying about the present. The former Netherlands captain has a long track record developing young talent, having served as the head of the Ajax academy before taking over the senior squad. He helped develop, among others, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Daley Blind, and worked with many of the Ajax players who made it to the Europa League final last season.

De Boer has already made his commitment to youth clear in the transfer market. His two signings so far, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (on loan from Chelsea) and Jairo Riedewald, are 21 and 20 years old, respectively, and can both expect to see considerable playing time this season. Riedewald has been playing in a back three during preseason with Loftus-Cheek in central midfield.

De Boer won’t only be relying on unproven youngsters, however. Luka Milivojevic, Andros Townsend, Jason Puncheon, Scott Dann, Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke will all have big roles to play, and on paper form the spine of a team that looks good enough to challenge for a top half finish. Zaha, in particular, looks primed for a breakout season. The 24-year-old was excellent last year, despite playing for a mostly dysfunctional team.

There are serious concerns about the quality at the back. Milivojevic, a defensive midfielder, has been playing there during preseason, but de Boer will be hoping his decision to shift to a 3-4-3 will help mitigate any lack of quality. The club were heavily linked to a permanent move for Mamadou Sakho, who helped them avoid the drop after joining on loan from Liverpool in January last season, but the interest seems to have fizzled out.

Still, even with those concerns, there’s more than enough quality in this squad to finish mid-table, especially in attack. The Eagles scored 50 goals last season, more than any other team in the bottom half of the table. Given de Boer’s commitment to attractive, attacking soccer, things should only improve in that department this season.

KEY PLAYERS: The time is now for Zaha. The Ivorian has taken a few years to rebound from his failed move to Manchester United in 2013, but last season was his best yet, as he scored seven goals and added 11 assists. The question is whether last season was his ceiling, or whether he’ll continue to improve. In a more settled team, and under a manager who gives his attacking players plenty of freedom, count on the latter.

Benteke had a solid but inconsistent first year at Selhurst Park. After a big money move from Liverpool, he scored 15 league goals for the Eagles, but only once from January to March. Palace need more consistency throughout the season from the big Belgian, but he’s another who could benefit greatly from some tactical and managerial stability following a few uncertain seasons.

It’s hard to pinpoint any key players in defense, since it’s still unclear exactly who’s going to play there, but Dann and Milivojevic, whether he plays in midfield or at the back, are likely to have important roles to play.

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THE MANAGER: De Boer qualifies as a major appointment for a club that have at least flirted with relegation four seasons in a row. In six season as Ajax manager, de Boer won four straight Eredivisie titles, but is coming off a difficult spell with Inter Milan. He lost of four of five games, and was sacked after only a few months. It would be foolish to judge him on such a short spell, but it raises some small doubts about his pedigree.

He employed a traditional 4-3-3 during his time at Ajax, but has been using a 3-4-3 during preseason with Palace, and has said he thinks his players are better suited to playing with three at the back. The formation will be coupled with a greater focus on possession, no straightforward task for a side that averaged 46.8 percent of the ball last season.

But given de Boer’s emphasis on player development and his desire to overhaul the Eagle’s playing philosophy, this year shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than what it is, a chance for the Dutchman to begin implementing the ideas he thinks can take Palace to new heights in the seasons to come. As long as they stay clear of the relegation battle, de Boer should be given plenty of time to set the club back on the right path.

BEST CASE: De Boer thrives in his first season and his youth movement helps Palace finish in the top half.

WORST CASE: The 3-4-3 doesn’t work, de Boer can’t fix the defense and Palace get dragged into another relegation scrap.