It wasn’t a great performance but I wonder if SJ missed the corresponding 4-0 thrashing last season, I remember looking clueless in that game for 90 minutes. Doesn’t surprise me that SJ is quick to criticise Vierra.

The big problem for Palace is they are working to a budget on transfers, which makes it far more difficult. A lot of work goes into selecting the right players within their means.
Buying potential is fine, but it’s not going to work straight away and some may fail. The need for experienced Premier players is also needed, but they are generally on high wages. Hughes fits the bill currently.
We are never going to be in the same position as top 6 clubs, who can throw £40m on a player, then stick him on the bench as not good enough for a starting place.

Interesting that the youngsters on The bench were Hannam, Banks, Street and Rak-Sakyi

Of those, Rak-Sakyi got on the pitch, so we may assume that he's 'ready'?
Of the rest, I thought Banks was close - especially after his performances in Preseason.
So was he talking about Hannam and Street, or would Banks and Rak-Sakyi be included in the list Of youngsters not ready?

"It was a Team effort, I guess it took all players working together to lose this one"

Of the four you mention, I think Rak-Sakyi is the ' closest ' without necessarily being ready. He certainly looked comfortable when he was introduced on Saturday.

Banks looks promising but I think he's not near enough to the required level.

Street looks raw. Quite a physical player but doesn't look like an out and out goalscorer. Reminds me of a young Dave Swindlehurst actually.

Hannam is going though one of those spells that young players do. Needs to play through it but not in the First Team.

Old, Ungifted and White

It’s interesting , but mainly because it highlights how much two or three experienced additions to the squad are needed.
I agree with Neillo, on this , only Rak- Saki, is near to being ready yet. And Hannam, would get in a terrible state right at this minute if dropped in, as his form is suffering right now.
Beyond that , what Saturdays game highlighted IMO, is the fact that many of the players retained are really not up to taking on good opposition in any other way than a backs against the wall defensive mode, which is no surprise , unless you thought we were like that because of Roy.
Viera, makes it clear we,he ,needs more players, and from what I have seen of Palace, for a few seasons, it’s not just to push kids aside it’s to improve on some of the senior options .
As he took the job, I only hope he knew this before he got involved,
and that the club promised what was needed, and will go through with it. This is, and has been Palaces problem all along a coach can only really use tactics that suit the players available , if the player situation is not improved to suit what Viera, coaches. Then you have to fear for him , and the clubs status.

By making that assertion in public the manager runs the risk of 1. Undermining our negotiating position with potential selling clubs and players. 2. Annoying the board who may interpret it as an open criticism. 3. Alienating the current playing staff who are deemed not good enough. Perhaps a more considered approach would have been to make those points to SP in private. I suspect it was because RH understood the need for diplomacy that he enjoyed such a long and distinguished career. It might not make for great tele, but i’d prefer anodyne waffle over the awkward truth every day, if that’s the best thing for the club. The only circumstances I can see in which a manager might go public with such a view is if he has already made the point privately without effect and feels he needs to put pressure on the decision makers to change their mind. If that is what was behind PV’s comment then it really is worrying. My hunch however is that it was an ill advised comment by an inexperienced manager looking to save face after a very poor performance.