Crystal Palace’s underwhelming start to the season has drawn sharp criticism from two prominent football pundits, Chris Sutton and Jamie Carragher. Both have pointed fingers at the club’s summer transfer window as the root cause of their early struggles, particularly focusing on the sale of Michael Olise and the failure to adequately replace his creativity and flair. In their analysis, Sutton and Carragher warn that unless drastic improvements are made, Palace could be heading for a difficult season.
Sutton did not mince his words when assessing Crystal Palace’s summer business. In his view, the club made a monumental error in selling Michael Olise without bringing in a player of similar quality to fill the void left by the talented winger. Sutton emphasized that the loss of Olise, who was a key creative force for Palace, has left a gaping hole in the squad that no new signing has managed to fill.
“You can’t sell your best player and expect to not feel the impact. Olise was crucial to everything Palace did well last season, and watching their first three games, it’s clear they miss that spark he brought to the team. Yes, they signed some decent players, but none of them are of the same caliber. There’s no one in that squad who can do what Olise did – create magic out of nowhere,” Sutton stated.
The former Premier League striker went on to highlight how crucial Olise’s contributions were in the previous campaign, particularly his ability to unlock defenses with his dribbling, vision, and passing. Without him, Sutton believes Palace lacks the creativity needed to break down opposition teams, leaving them overly reliant on other players, particularly Eberechi Eze, to provide the spark.
Carragher echoed many of Sutton’s sentiments, but added his own concerns about Palace’s heavy reliance on Eze, who has stepped up in the absence of Olise. While Carragher praised Eze’s talent and importance to the team, he warned that the overdependence on a single player could backfire if Palace fails to find alternative attacking outlets. According to Carragher, should Eze pick up an injury or experience a dip in form, the team could be in serious trouble.
“Right now, Crystal Palace looks like a one-man team. Eze has been brilliant, but if anything happens to him – an injury or a run of poor form – where are the goals and creativity going to come from? They’re walking on a tightrope, and it’s not sustainable for a full season. You look at the other options up front, and there’s no one else who really stands out for me,” Carragher commented.
Carragher also raised concerns about Palace’s defense, pointing out that while they have a solid backline, it isn’t impenetrable. He warned that Premier League teams will find ways to exploit Palace’s weaknesses at the back, especially if their attack continues to falter. “Their defense is okay, but it’s not one of the strongest in the league. You can see that teams are going to get the better of them eventually, especially if they’re left exposed because the attack isn’t doing enough,” he added.
Both Sutton and Carragher pointed to a lack of balance within the squad, particularly the disparity between Palace’s defense and attack. Sutton argued that while Palace’s defense has generally held up, the team’s inability to consistently threaten going forward is creating too much pressure on their backline. Without Olise pulling the strings in the final third, opponents have been able to neutralize Palace’s attack with relative ease, leaving their defense vulnerable to repeated pressure.
“They’ve got a decent defense, but you can’t just rely on keeping clean sheets every week. Eventually, you’re going to concede, and if you don’t have the firepower to respond, you’re in trouble. That’s what Palace are facing right now. They’re solid at the back, but there’s no one up front, except for Eze, who looks capable of making a real difference,” Sutton remarked.
Carragher echoed this concern, highlighting the danger of being too one-dimensional in attack. “You need multiple threats in the Premier League. If a team knows that all they have to do is shut down one player, it becomes too easy for the opposition. Right now, Palace are heavily reliant on Eze, and that’s a big risk over a 38-game season.”
As Crystal Palace looks to bounce back from their early-season woes, it’s clear that the absence of Michael Olise is still being felt. Whether they can turn their fortunes around remains to be seen, but for now, Sutton and Carragher’s harsh critique rings true – this has been a “disaster summer window” for the Eagles.
