The team selection was never going to work.
If you play Benteke and Batshuayi up front you need to provide service.
Benteke is immobile and needs crosses in the air to attack.
Batshuayi is an instinctive player who needs sharp passes into the area for one touch finishes.
I’m not defending their poor performances, but cannot recall any such service to either in the game.
Eze and Ayew are not wingers and Hodgson continues to shoehorn them in unsuitable roles so it is no surprise that service to the strikers is not forthcoming.
Hodgson did not select a balanced team designed to succeed.
Ayew seemed to be everywhere on the field other than right week.
Busy I grant you, but effective?
Eze had possibly his worst game in a Palace shirt.
The way we set up it’s no surprise we struggle to score goals.
Defensively we look hopeless and 5-0 wouldn’t have flattered Burnley yesterday , or Leeds for that matter in the last game.
People may seek to blame the back four yesterday, but we have suffered heavy defeats this season when other players have been used as well.
We do not look the defensively drilled team we have in Hodgson’s previous seasons.
Have the players stopped responding to his methods or are these methods not working any more?