Crystal Palace: Roy Hodgson’s Eagles Are Overachieving but Lack of Youth a Real Concern

Despite laboured defeats against Leicester and Burnley over the last week, Roy Hodgson has his Crystal Palace side overachieving in the Premier League this season. With an average sized budget and wage bill compared to other sides around them in the standings, the former England manager has made his South London side difficult to break down and beat this term.

With Europa League qualification unlikely but only five points away, this season has been a success for Palace despite many pundits tipping them to largely struggle prior to the start of the 2019-20 domestic campaign. However, with one of the oldest squads in England’s top flight and a lack of minutes given to the club’s academy products again this year, the Eagles must start investing in youth in order to push on. 

Five matches remain, and Crystal Palace currently sit 13th in the Premier League, wedged between a resurgent Newcastle side and a Danny Ings-inspired Southampton. Having only conceded 40 goals in 33 matches in the league, Hodgson has relied on his experienced defensive rear-guard as a foundation for the Eagles's push towards European qualification, but with his side only finding the net 28 times, Palace have scored the second fewest in the Prem this term to date.

With seemingly little in the way of transfer funds in recent seasons despite the £50 million sale of full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United last summer, is Hodgson doing the best he can given the current situation at Selhurst Park?