We go into the new season with question marks over all three centre forwards,
1) Benteke doesn’t seem to suit Roy’s narrow 4-4-2 formation which requires mobile strikers that will close down defenders and run the channels
2) Wickham has not featured in the pre season games and looks some way off a first team return.I can’t see him back in the early weeks of the season as a minimum
3) It’s early days but Sorloth looks short at this level.
It would not be a surprise if Roy starts the season with how he finished last season with Zaha and Townsend up front, in particular if another midfielder is brought in.
This may be ok short term but is not sustainable over the season.

Why is this formation not sustainable going forward. I thought it resulted in some of the best football I have ever seen played by a Palace team in the near 50 years I have been watching. Let’s also see who we bring in.

I agree that our striker options aren't good enough, especially with something approaching 50m and 200k p/w in wages spent on the three.

Our form was great at the end of last season. Dabbling is the last thing we want to do unless we don't have suitable players to play this way. Hoping to see this come through this season like Pards first 2 seasons (but without the shocking decline in the 2nd part of the season). A full season not struggling would be great, something that hasn't really happened since we have returned to the PL.

“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

The Townsend/Zaha combination did work at times last season and the football played by the team was good.
However, two key components of that team (Loftus-Cheek and Cabaye ) are not at the club.
Cabaye was essential for his linking of the play with fellow midfielders and ball retention.
Loftus Cheek gave the team a lot of attacking power and skill coming in from the left and linked very well with Zaha and PVA.
I don’t think the system would work as well without this quality or players of equivalent ability.
Furthermore, Townsend is willing but does not convince as a striker or look a goalscoring threat.
The central point remains that in the current squad a lot more is going to be required from Benteke,Sorloth or Wickham.

I might be amongst the minority here but I thought RLC didn't bring huge amounts to the team last year even though he looked superb at times. He certainly isn't as big a loss as Cabaye whose contribution can't be overstated. I know his legs were starting to go last year but he was still a class player.

I don't have too many worries about our forward line and believe Jimmy Mc or at a push Schlupp can play in RLCs role but I am worried about our central midfield. We need Drinkwater on loan and we need to buy another 1 or 2 central midfielders, perhaps the two Max's that are available or Kouyate. If you look at the games we struggled in last year it was when Cabaye went off or got tired and there wasn't enough strength in the middle of the park. We have full backs in AWB and PVA who when linking up with Zaha/Townsend will frighten any PL defence but we MUST shore up the midfield.