Just look at Crystal Palace, now an unexpected powerhouse of the Premier League this season. Manager Oliver Glasner’s progressive tactics, which have rightly gotten much attention this season, have been essential to their success. His go-to formation is the 3-4-2-1. Not only has this setup withstood the pressures of being on top of the footballing world, but it has continued being stubborn to the loss of top prospect Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze’s exit. As Palace proves more and more capable of defending its place in the league, the brilliance of this formation is underscored.
From Palace’s perspective, the backbone of its tactical success is found in that defensive triad, featuring Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards and Marc Guehi. This studious trio has led one of the league’s top defenses all season long. They’ve given up a single-digit count of goals against through twelve games. The team currently has the second-best defensive record for goals allowed. This combined achievement is a testament to the power of Glasner’s strategic campaign and the value of being prepared.
The Backbone of Defense
Lacroix, Richards and Guehi form the spine of Crystal Palace’s back three. It is their solidarity and footballing intellect that’s got them controlling those aggressive opposition attacks while helping their overlapping wing-backs. Glasner has made a fierce and organized defense the foundation of his tactical philosophy.
“The centre determines the game. It starts with the back three – you’re talking about the core.” – Oliver Glasner
This structure doesn’t just give balance, it lays the groundwork for rapid counter-attacks and swift forward movement. The wing-backs, Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell, are very integral to that plan driving them on creating lots of width. Their dynamic two-way play has been pivotal both covering defensive responsibilities and transporting the puck to support offense.
Munoz has turned himself into one of the most fierce competitors in the Premier Lacrosse League. He’s almost at 14.5 km/game at high intensity on average! Simultaneously, Mitchell sits fifth among all active Premier League players for intensity, showcasing their never-ending work ethic.
Midfield Dynamics
Glasner now shuffles Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, and Jefferson Lerma within the midfield. He then chooses two of the attackers to use as the midfielders who will sit deeper. These players are responsible for controlling the central areas of the pitch, a priority for Glasner, who believes that “the half runs, which is where most of the assists are coming from, in defence you have to protect these areas.”
The deeper central midfielders are sometimes called the “quarter-backs,” responsible for connecting defense and attack, and doing so while keeping possession. That same chessboard fluidity is what allows Palace to overload centrally and find highly advantageous positions for their attacking players.
Glasner’s plan is to stretch the play by placing two No 10s—Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr—who work the pocket spaces in between the lines. This alignment plays to their massive advantage on the outside with their WRs, joint-scorer-of-the-nation Jerry Munoz and Kyle Mitchell.
“You need pocket players, you need runners – the mix makes it.” – Oliver Glasner
Crystal Palace has managed to balance all of these factors exceptionally well. In addition to having the most feared offense in their region, they put together a nasty backend on defense.
Resilience in Adversity
Despite a difficult transfer exit this summer, Crystal Palace’s tactical framework has therefore proven steadfast. With key players like Olise and Eze on their game, they would frustrate and bamboozle half the teams out there. Glasner’s shape makes for seamless transitions and provides a great level of quality.
Dean Henderson has been equally instrumental in this success. Being one of the statistically best goalkeepers per division, he gives extra confidence to the backline. His ability to command the penalty area, combined with his capacity to make vital saves, cements Palace’s defensive bedrock.
“We have found a system where we are very balanced, where we can threaten the opposition goal and also be very consistent in our defence.” – Oliver Glasner
That balance has created stunning results both on and off the pitch. Now, Crystal Palace is in contention for the upper half of the league table—or higher.
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