Although our play prior to Burnley was better, our attention to defensive shape and detail were worse.

Without Macca we lost our press, and without Anderson we lost our ability to play out as threateningly from the back.

I can accept losing a little focus on defensive shape for the play PV has added. But our set piece defending must improve.

Gallagher, Macca and Anderson are the critical components in Pat-ball. He needs a clearer plan for when he doesn't have them.

If you want to live in a world full of kindness, respect and love, try to show these qualities.

The loss of Macca means Conor is playing deeper to compensate and CB is in the team to defend set pieces. It's taken the wind out of our sails

So many reasons but the main thrust for is that we did far better than expected early on and both the team and the Manager are feeling their way.
Whilst I have whinged on here at times I would have accepted 40 points at the start of the season and hopefully we will end up there.
Some thoughts -
Some of our players are bench only players but are getting a lot of game time currently and their strengths do not work with PV's way of playing.
Our forward line is weak and PV needs to find a way to get Edouarde working because he absolutely knows where the goal is.
Gallacher playing too deep and he looks tired - he is too young to play every week - especially out of position.
Wilf is losing his powers quickly.
Our right back slot is weak.
The team reverts to type when things don't work out - hoof ball.
Most of all though - PV needs to find a way through this patch because I think he is the right man for the Club

*edit* To address the topic header - nothing has gone wrong. We are in the first season with a new manager who is implementing a new style: it's a work in progress. We've shown we can hold our own, we can also see what needs work.

Yes, this is the concern. PV has to impress his football philosophy on a squad that is quite disparate and create a single cohesive force. Quite a few are "Royballers" and featured heavily under Hodgson; frankly they don't have what it takes to apply PV's game tactics. This is a season of transition, everyone needs to keep that in mind.

Living where I do, in a Brighton stronghold, when discussing The Game with Brighton supporting friends ( I know ) we usually make comparisons between our clubs.

So my view is that Palace are roughly where Brighton were 3 years ago. They sacked Hughton in search of more expansive football - we said goodbye to Roy in the summer.

They appointed Potter, no Premier League experience - we appointed PV.

They struggled for the last 2 seasons. But they managed to stay up. In the meantime '' Potterball '' has been truly embedded, a squad of players has been built that are comfortable with the playing style. In turn, when they lose players to injury or suspension, the impact is lessened. Their biggest problem has been scoring goals as we know. But this season they look like steering clear of any relegation worries, albeit they are struggling to win games, as are we.

Palace are still work in progress. Much more work to be done with the squad which contains players that don't suit the style that PV wants to play, or are simply in decline. That of course costs money, and Brighton have spent well in excess of what we have over the last few years.

As I wrote on another thread, 3 defeats in a week hurts. Fine margins in the Premier League. Indeed Brighton, thanks to those injury time goals from Maupay, have squeezed 3 points from their last 3 games, 2 of which could/should have been defeats.

Palace are about to play 3 games in which we need to get the points tally up. If we go into Christmas and New Year with just 3 wins under our belt, it's going to be a tough 2nd. half of the season.

For those on here speculating about winning 7 consecutive games / finishing 4th., you've just had a reality check.

It's a tight league this year, success may just be all about staying in it, disappointing as that might sound.

Old, Ungifted and White