Crystal Palace’s heavy defeat by Brighton has prompted calls for a change in formation, with supporter Ollie Thomas identifying the defensive structure as the first issue the club must address.
Thomas believes Palace should move away from a back three and instead use three midfielders, arguing that a stronger presence in the centre of the pitch could help protect the defence. He warned that Palace could otherwise find themselves involved in a relegation battle.
His criticism also focused on the make-up of the defensive unit. Thomas described the back five as undercooked and said the summer recruitment had not been good enough, leaving Palace too exposed in matches.
The defeat has therefore raised a wider question for Palace: is the formation the main problem, or do the defensive personnel and recruitment also need to improve? Thomas believes the current system is placing the team’s weakest area under repeated pressure, but the debate over how the Eagles can avoid a relegation fight remains open.
