Defence is the best form of attack for Crystal Palace as they look to scale new heights under Oliver Glasner.
From winning the FA Cup to a club-record 19-game unbeaten run, Glasner has transformed Palace by making them hard to defeat and devastating in transition.
Setting up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Palace’s success is built on solid defensive foundations, with captain Marc Guehi the centrepiece of the Eagles’ backline.
So crucial is Guehi to Palace that a Deadline Day move to Liverpool was vetoed at the 11th hour because the club could not find a suitable replacement.
The England international lines up alongside Maxence Lacroix and Chris Richards, and together the trio have kept 11 clean sheets since the start of last season. Palace have registered 15 shutouts overall in that time, the third-highest tally in the Premier League.
Glasner, though, does not just want his backline to sit in and defend; they are also a key attacking component.
Since the start of last season, Palace have scored 60 Premier League goals, with 34 of those either scored or assisted by a defender.
Right wing-back Daniel Munoz, for example, is central to Palace’s energetic performances. The Colombian has contributed 17 goals and assists since the start of last season, while still managing to complete the most tackles of any Premier League player last term.
Academy graduate Tyrick Mitchell is less comfortable going forward on the opposite flank but has begun to show signs of development, as evidenced by his sweetly-struck volley away to West Ham last month - a move Mitchell said Palace had practiced on the training ground.
The 26-year-old has worked hard on improving offensively, with summer signing and understudy Borna Sosa an accomplished crosser of the ball.
Mitchell, who has played every Premier League minute so far this season, has received the ninth-most progressive passes of any player in the Premier League, showcasing his willingness to get into attacking positions.
He also ranks first for tackles won and fourth for crosses into the penalty area. It’s clear why, from both a defensive and offensive standpoint, he is so well-trusted by Glasner.
Set-pieces also play a big role for Palace - they scored the highest percentage of goals from corners taken last season - and this is where Glasner looks to Lacroix, Guehi and Richards to make a difference in the opposition box.
Palace’s proficiency from corners, in particular, is a far cry from the team Glasner inherited in February 2024.
As of February 28 2024, Palace had failed to score from 195 successive corners; a little over a year-and-a-half on, they are statistically the most efficient team in the Premier League from them.
By building a backline that is proficient in the air - Richards, Lacroix and Guehi are all among the top 20 players in the Premier League for aerial duels won this season - Glasner has made every set play an opportunity to score.
Glasner has made every set-piece an opportunity to score
Whether that’s from corners, throw-ins or free-kicks, Palace are alive in the first and second phases.
Their ability from set-pieces somewhat hides their inefficiency elsewhere; while they lead the league for dead-ball passes resulting in a shot, they sit 11th for the same metric from open play.
It was this inefficiency in front of goal that led Everton to end their unbeaten run in dramatic fashion at the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier this month.
However, a stoppage-time defeat and an international break have given Palace an opportunity to reset after a whirlwind 18 months. Focusing on the solid foundations that got them to this stage will be key.
