Crystal Palace Fan View: Sakho loss bigger than dropping points against Tottenham

Another loss in defence is worrying

Yesterday’s loss is largely irrelevant to Crystal Palace, it was a game we really ought not to have got anything out of if Tottenham were worth their salt as Premier League title contenders. What certainly isn’t irrelevant was the sight of Mamadou Sakho being carried off on a stretcher in the second half , the importance of which far exceeds the importance of Tottenham beating us.

We lost Dann against Chelsea after an awkward fall, ruling him out for most, if not all, of the rest of the season. Tomkins managed nearly an entire game, against Liverpool, before a rash challenge from Grujic appears to have ruled him out for the rest of the season. Sakho? With suspected ligament damage he’s extremely likely to be out for… you guessed it – the rest of the season.

That leaves two fit centre-halves in the squad, Martin Kelly and Damien Delaney. I have the utmost respect for Damien Delaney, he has been a fantastic figure at this club in what has been a period of great change but he simply isn’t in the same league as Sakho or Tomkins. In a team built on defensive solidity, injuries to our three first choice centre-halves is hardly ideal.

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Allardyce continues to bring the best out of everyone

Martin Kelly has been a bit part player at Crystal Palace up to this point. Ward has been untroubled at right back since his arrival and

That being said, I think we were all a little sceptical when the answer to our central defensive crisis came in the form of Martin Kelly. I wasn’t immediately convinced, as I pointed out leading up to the Arsenal game, he struggled against Southampton and against Arsenal’s array of attacking talent, I feared for us.

I needn’t have.

His performance against Arsenal was excellent and he’s subsequently followed it up with fantastic performances, particularly last night. Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in world football, Dele Alli is an extraordinary talent and Moussa Dembele is a technically gifted man-mountain. As a unit, the defence kept them at bay and were very comfortable – we were beaten by a wonder goal, not by conceding chance after chance.

As the defence has changed around him due to ineligibility and injury Kelly has been the constant running through the terrific run. I was wrong.

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Question marks over Hennessey for second week running

All eyes are on Wayne Hennessey again after Christian Eriksen beat him from a frankly outrageous distance on Wednesday evening. It was a fantastic strike, a testament to the quality and desire in Spurs’ side, however at a towering 6’6″ you have to feel that Wayne should have got there.

Perhaps I’m being unnecessarily harsh on Hennessey. Taking just one step against Chelsea cost him and us, while he certainly saw Eriksen’s shot late – they’re hardly huge gaffes I grant. He’s had some fantastic games in recent memory too, performances that have single-handedly ensured that we’ve stayed in games.

However, I can’t help but feel that a truly top class keeper would have saved at least one of the last two and for that reason, along with the performances earlier in the season, I would be surprised if Hennessey remains between the sticks as first choice next season. Areas of our squad are exceptionally strong. Goalkeeper isn’t one of them.