Size of Task at Hand Obvious as Pulis’s Reign Starts with Defeat at Norwich!

Tony Pulis’s record of never having been relegated in his twenty one year managerial career looks to be in danger as he tries to steer Palace to Premier League survival. A first half Gary Hooper goal gave Norwich all three points sealing this tight encounter at Carrow Road. Norwich dominated the early exchanges and Johan Elmander hit the crossbar from the impressive Nathan Redmond’s free kick, and on half an hour Norwich made their pressure count when ex Celtic striker Gary Hooper scored with a low shot converting Wes Hoolihan’s cross.

Palace could have equalised soon after going behind but Norwich defender Olsson managed to get the slightest deflection on a Barry Bannan shot to divert it onto the crossbar. Palace continued to pressurise after the break in what was a tightly fought, close win for Norwich. It put the two sides level historically on forty three wins each and seventeen draws in a fixture that has been contested on one hundred and three occasions.

In the second half Palace was nearly level when Dean Moxey produced a dangerous low cross that was very nearly sliced into his own net by Canneries defender Sebastian Bassong. Later in the second half Palace freshened up the attack with Gayle replacing Chemakh, Williams replacing Bannan, and Kebe replacing Puncheon. The substitutions nearly had the desired effect as Williams combined well with KG Dikgacoi and Gayle laid the ball off to Kebe who shot narrowly wide from eighteen yards in the closing stages.

Tony Pulis was left reflecting on missed opportunities that could have led to a draw or better as Norwich shaded a 1 – 0 victory in what was a tight and scrappy game at the bottom of the Premier League. Pulis’s task is now all the clearer going into a home game against West Ham Utd on Tuesday night. Palace will need to take their chances if they want to take anything out of the match points wise, but fortunately all is not lost thanks to the three points picked up at Hull last week. Yet Crystal Palace’s relegation threatened black hole will be a lot deeper if they don’t pick up the home points available from the next two fixtures against West Ham Utd on Tuesday and Cardiff City on Saturday.

Tony Pulis remains upbeat about Palace’s chances. Possession was again good for long spells against Norwich Palace simply lacked the experience to take their chances. That is something Pulis will try to alter in the January transfer window hopefully adding some killer instinct and experience to get Palace over the line. Regardless of what magic Pulis finds in January the key objective of keeping Palace in the Premier League remains in December an elusive prize.