We at 32 Flags are previewing every team in the English Premier League, two teams a day until the beginning of the season. Get ready as we preview your favorite team or maybe we can help you pick a team to root for if you are undecided so far. Today, we’re covering Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace F.C.
Founded – 1905
Last Year Position – 11th Place
Transfers In (As of 8/8) – Chris Kettings, Frazier Campbell and Brede Hangeland
Transfers Out (As of 8/8) – Neil Alexander, Kagisho Dikgacoi and Jose Campana among others
Projected Finish (Voted among 32 Flags staff) – 13th Place
Rivalries – M23 Derby with Brighton and South London Derby with Charlton Athletic, Millwall and Wimbledon (none in EPL)
Famous Supporters – Liam Neesen and Rebecca Lowe among others
Crystal Palace started last season as a newly promoted team. After struggling early in the season, Ian Holloway resigned in October 2013 and eventually led to former Stoke manager, Tony Pulis being hired. Tony Pulis was famous for playing Stoke as a slow, boring, park the bus, highly defensive game. Say what you want about the strategy but Pulis kept Stoke in the Premier League and he made the comeback to even get Crystal Palace to a very respectable 11th place last season.
This season should look like more of the same. They seem to have broken out of that promotion/relegation rut and now look to be a solid mid table team. They may even play the role of spoiler late in the season as they play Manchester City in April and Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool in May. If it’s anything like last year when they came back to knock Liverpool out of the top spot, they can do it again.
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If you want to compete against us and other fans, feel free to sign up for our fantasy EPL league at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/my-leagues/259028/join/?autojoin-code=1087976-259028. We will give prizes for the best team name and the winner of the league. The more people who sign up mean the better the prizes so sign up and tell your friends.