Crystal Palace boss hopeful on new signings as break allows for mid-season review

BY ANDREW MCSTEEN

With just 14 league games of the season played, competitive action for Crystal Palace ground to a halt as the World Cup kicked off in Doha, Qatar.

The mid-season break is a first for the Premier League, but it has provided Eagles boss Patrick Vieira with some time to look back at the season so far.

“I enjoyed it, to be honest with you,” said Vieira about the pause in proceedings. “These weeks give us time to reflect on the first 14 games that we played. We had a plan about how we want to improve and now we just have to work on those things.

“You really reflect. [From] the first day I arrived and where the team is at the moment – what can we improve from the last 14 games? How can we have and have more impact on the team and how can we improve?”

“You [also] reflect on the relationship with the chairman, with the sporting director and try to bring some new ideas [in] and see if we can take the club one step forward.”

Vieira was talking after his Eagles drew 0-0 with Brazilian side Botafogo on Saturday at Selhurst Park before travelling to Turkey for a mid-season training camp next week and two competitive games against Trabzonspor and Napoli.

Vieira is under no illusions that he has to strengthen his existing squad with the January transfer window imminent.

“There’s options there – we never close the door and we know what we need,” said Vieira to the South London Press about possible transfers coming in.

“We know that we need to bring some new faces in to challenge the players that we have. We will work for that and if we can make it happen, we will.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD