Just 254 days ago Crystal Palace were flying high. Captain Marc Guehi held the FA Cup aloft at Wembley - the club's first major trophy after upsetting Manchester City in the final - and Oliver Glasner was already making plans for a European campaign. Match-winner Eberechi Eze was sold to Arsenal in the summer, Guehi moved to Manchester City, while Glasner himself announced he will be leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season and talisman Jean-Philippe Mateta told the club he wants to leave.
Just 254 days ago Crystal Palace were flying high.
Captain Marc Guehi held the FA Cup aloft at Wembley - the club's first major trophy after upsetting Manchester City in the final - and Oliver Glasner was already making plans for a European campaign.
But so much has changed since that glorious afternoon.
Match-winner Eberechi Eze was sold to Arsenal in the summer, Guehi moved to Manchester City, while Glasner himself announced he will be leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season and talisman Jean-Philippe Mateta told the club he wants to leave.
Results have also taken a downward turn, with Palace failing to win any of their past 11 games across all competitions - the longest current winless run of any Premier League side - including losing at non-league Macclesfield in the FA Cup.
Sunday's 3-1 home loss to Chelsea extended their winless league run to eight matches, with six ending in defeat, and left them 15th in the table and eight points clear of third-bottom West Ham.
Palace ended the match with 10 men after midfielder Adam Wharton - another player linked with an exit - was sent off after receiving two yellow cards.
"Confidence is what you get from results," Glasner told BBC Match of the Day.
"It is my job, my responsibility, with my staff, my group, to get this confidence back. I saw a lot of positives, but when you are losing 3-1 and have not won for 11 games then it's completely right to say, 'where are the results?'
"That's what we have to get. It is up to us to find these puzzle pieces. There's no magician. I always believe in this group, these players, that we will turn it around."
Despite Palace's poor form, they are still one point better off than at this stage last season and can book a spot in the last 16 of the Conference League if they come through a two-legged play-off against Zrinjski Mostar from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"These are tough moments, tough games," added Glasner.
"I look at the team and 3-0 down, a red card, you can go out five or six-nil, but we came back, scored a goal and made a fight of it, so that shows the great character of the group and that gives me a lot of confidence this group will turn it around."
With Palace enduring a difficult spell - on and off the pitch - is Glasner still the best person to turn things around? Or would it be best for the Eagles' season if the board cut ties before the end of his contract?
Category: General Sports
