Strong. Resilient. Quick on the counter attack. These are just a few of the traits characteristically associated with a typical Crystal Palace squad.
A group of eleven resolute players who work for each other, soak up the pressure from the opposition, and distinctively look to play off a target man through tricky wingers.
In recent years, however, the versatility of the squad and their ability to adapt has been challenged, with disappointing results. It began with Alan Pardew's intention to change the Eagles' famed counter-attacking style into a more possession based game, in which the ball would be played out from the back and attacks were created through the middle.