Much will depend on what happens re the players out of contract and who is brought in (if anyone) in the transfer window.

I suspect Rak-Sakyi may well be sent out on loan to a Championship club and that both Wells-Morrison and Ozoh will be loaned out to League 1 or 2 clubs.

There is then the question of those coming back from loans.
-Phillips had a good half-season at Shrewsbury but rumours are about suggesting he wants to leave
-Street may well be let go - I don't see him as PL material
- O'Brien has been a mainstay in Belgium but what does that mean? - who knows? He may stay there if the club are promoted to Belgian top division
- Ebiowei and Plange don't seem to have progressed.
- Banks has had an injury-interrupted season so difficult to assess. Apart from his free kicks, I'm not convinced by him
- Gordon will need more loans out to help his development.
- Malachi Boateng has had a great season at Queens Park but we are talking only Scottish Championship - enough said

IMHO only Adamarola is ready to step up and challenge Mitchell for the LB spot. He certainly offers more going forward.

Edited by doombear (01 May 2023 11.53am)

It's so difficult to gauge when a young lad, who has been out on loan, might be able to press for a place in our squad.

The Scottish championship is not a good standard at all. Time there may serve to toughen up a couple of the kids, but not to indicate premier league quality in a player, even if they do really well.

League 1 is a better standard, but still a mile away from the level of the Premier league. Most of the loans we arrange at that level seem to serve only to confirm that the player isn't good enough for us, in that if you don't stand out there when you're 19 or 20, it's very unlikely you'll develop into what we need.

If a player stands out a bit in the championship then that's probably the clearest indicator that he is ready to join our squad. Eze, Olise and Guehi have all recently made the step up successfully. All three remain works in progress, but they had a lot more learning to do when they joined us. The key is that they got games at Palace. Rak-Sahki won't get any better on our bench, and Olise is a formidable obstacle to his progress.

Generally though, Palace tend to put youngsters straight in the team or not at all. I can't remember the last player to go out on loan and use it as a successful stepping-stone to the Palace first team.

I would not like to see Phillips go, before he has a chance, physically he looks ready, and obviously Rak-Sakyi.

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

I too have noticed him, one of the good things about the Palace TV option is you get a chance to see the U21 games & become more familiar with the players participating, however even on TV its clear that there is an enormous difference between whats going on the Copers Cope pitch in front of maybe 300 people & being in the first team in front of a packed Selhurst Park surrounded by better players on both sides working to much finer margins & considerable stakes vested in the outcome - its no wonder that so many first team coaches (if they have a choice) would rather see a club buy someone who is first team ready rather than risk untried academy product.

The amount of money involved in first team success or failure at PL level significantly restricts clubs willingness to gamble on relative youngsters.

I do remember SP saying several years ago he wouldn't let AWB & Zaha leave in the same window because it was just too unsettling for a club our size to lose 2 shining lights without a suitable replacement plan in place so I guess its not really surprising that its been carried forward as despite our 10 years in the PL with every club in the League doing whatever they can to strengthen their position around us we are effectively treading water (not a criticism its just where we are)

Yep, discounting injury this lad definitely has a career as a footballer.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)