Oliver Glasner's Masterstroke: Turning Crystal Palace Around

Oliver Glasner has turned Crystal Palace's season around, guiding them to a respectable 12th position and an FA Cup final appearance.

Oliver Glasner deserves recognition for his impressive turnaround at Crystal Palace. After taking over mid-season, he has stabilized the team and guided them to a respectable 12th position in the Premier League. With a tough run-in ahead, Glasner's tactics and leadership will be crucial in securing a final top-half finish.

The Eagles face a challenging trio of matches against Tottenham, Wolves, and Liverpool. However, Glasner's ability to adapt and get the best out of his players will be key in determining their final league position. A strong performance in the FA Cup final against Manchester City could also provide a fitting end to the season.

Oliver Glasner's achievements at Crystal Palace are truly commendable, considering the team's rocky start to the season. It wasn't until their ninth game that they secured their first win against Tottenham, and another five games passed before their second victory against Ipswich Town. At that point, the Eagles were 16th in the table with just 12 points.

Oliver Glasner has the highest points-per-game total for a Crystal Palace manager in history 👏 pic.twitter.com/NWGSieOdrj

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 5, 2025

Glasner's appointment marked a turning point, and he has skillfully guided the team to a respectable 12th position with three games remaining. His ability to stabilize the team and extract improved performances from the players has been impressive. The upcoming fixtures will test Glasner's tactics and leadership, but his impact so far has been noteworthy.

Glasner's Impact on Crystal Palace

Given the team's dismal start, it wouldn't have been surprising if Steve Parish had considered parting ways with Oliver Glasner. However, Parish remained steadfast in his support for the manager. “Oliver is such an important part of it all. Some people say positive things, but they don’t live them. Oliver lives those things. What he articulates is genuinely how he is. He’s made all of us think differently - that’s what he’s brought to the club,” Parish said in February, highlighting Glasner's authenticity and impact on the team.

“Oliver is such an important part of it all. Some people say positive things, but they don’t live them. Oliver lives those things. What he articulates is genuinely how he is. He’s made all of us think differently - that’s what he’s brought to the club,” Parish noted back in February as Palace were recovering from their awful start.

“He’s brought a positivity and a mentality in football matches that’s made all of us think differently about football and about this club.

“Even with all the tactics in the world, the players have got to execute, and that’s what he gets. He gets them to execute his ideas. He’s very tactically astute and a very good manager. The players and the staff take all the credit. They’ve done an unbelievable job.”

Despite suffering heavy defeats to Arsenal in both the Premier League and Carabao Cup in December, Crystal Palace's fortunes began to turn around. Oliver Glasner believes the turning point was actually the away win at Brighton, which came before the Arsenal games. He credits the form of defenders Maxence Lacroix, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Guehi as crucial to the team's resurgence.

The club's decision to retain England international Marc Guehi has proven to be a masterstroke. By rejecting Newcastle's reported £65m bid, Palace demonstrated their ambition and commitment to building a strong squad. Guehi's performances have been vital to the team's success, and his presence will likely continue to be important as Palace navigate the final stretch of the season.

Crystal Palace's Season in Numbers

Crystal Palace has shown significant improvement after a poor start, recording 16 wins, 13 draws, and 11 losses from 40 games in the 2024/25 season. Notably, six of those defeats occurred before mid-November. The team has performed reasonably well both home and away, securing eight wins at Selhurst Park and eight wins on the road. This record suggests that Palace has become a formidable opponent, requiring other teams to put in a strong effort to secure a win.

Crystal Palace has had remarkable success against Aston Villa, scoring seven goals across two matches. In February, Palace scored four goals against Villa, and they followed that up with a 3-0 win in the FA Cup semi-final. This dominance is notable, especially given Aston Villa's strong reputation under Unai Emery. Oliver Glasner's tactics seem to have cracked the code against Villa, and this success could give Palace confidence as they face tough opponents in the final stretch of the season.

Crystal Palace has shown impressive resilience against top-tier teams this season, remaining unbeaten against Bournemouth, Chelsea, Brighton, and Tottenham. The managers of these teams, including Andoni Iraola, Enzo Maresca, Fabian Hurzeler, and Ange Postecoglou, have all received praise for their innovative approaches. Given Palace's success against these teams, Oliver Glasner deserves recognition alongside these managers for his tactical acumen and ability to get the best out of his team.

Incredible Season for Palace

Given the team's limited budget and squad compared to top Premier League clubs, Oliver Glasner's achievements are remarkable. Palace's potential to finish with their highest-ever Premier League points total is a testament to his leadership. The team has also excelled in cup competitions, reaching the FA Cup final and the quarter-finals of the League Cup, with the added possibility of European football if they win the FA Cup. This season's success is a significant accomplishment for the club.

Another top Dean Henderson stop 😏#CPFC pic.twitter.com/2vTtBQxUmI

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 6, 2025

Crystal Palace are close to matching their record Premier League points total, currently sitting on 46 points with three games left to potentially reach the 49 points they achieved in previous seasons. This milestone is a testament to Oliver Glasner's leadership and the team's progress under him.

The club owner, Steve Parish, deserves credit for backing Glasner despite the team's rocky start. His patience has paid off, and the team is now reaping the rewards of Glasner's tactical expertise. Palace fans will likely appreciate Parish's decision to stand by Glasner, which has allowed the team to achieve significant success this season.