Half Season Analysis- Part 2

Before I continue with the analysis, here is my favourite goal of the season till now. Came right out of the blue and was a brilliant goal. You could argue that the Arsenal goal against Norwich was better, but for individual brilliance there have been none which have bettered this.

Crystal Palace

Can Pulis guide Palace to safety?

Crystal Palace were many pundits favourite for the drop this season and they started the season like they did not want to disappoint those pundits. At one point the club had lost 7 games in a row. Ian Holloway would also leave the Crystal Palace job, sighting burnout as one of the reasons he decided to leave by mutual consent. Ian Holloway believed a new manager would probably do better than him and thought it was the right decision.

In came Tony Pulis on 23/11/2013 and results have certainly improved, so much so that Crystal Palace now find themselves outside the relegation zone( at the moment of writing). Four wins and three losses have been a decent start for Pulis' side and fans will be hoping that this continues till the end of the season. Tony will be looking to funds being made available to him, as the former Stoke City manager would look to strengthen his side especially in their defensive ranks. Tony's teams are known to be a hard side to break down and you can expect him to try and do the same with Crystal Palace.

Whether or not Tony can upset the predictions made by pundits at the start of the season, we will have to wait and see.

Performance Score: 4/10
Best Player: Mile Jedinak
Under Performer: Adrian Mariappa
Transfer Market: New players needed in defence and in midfield and scoring boots for Cameron Jerome 

Everton

Martinez has made Everton more attacking...but can he make them more successful? Time will tell... 

What a start to the season the blue side of Merseyside have had. The fans certainly did not see it coming. Having lost David Moyes to Manchester United, everyone expected them to drop out of the top ten this season, expecting the new manager to find it difficult to work on a shoestring budget. 

All those predictions have been blown apart by the explosive start to the season under new manager Roberto Martinez. They have lost only two games till now are fighting for the top four spot. There brand of football has under Martinez evolved into a more attacking style. Roberto's Wigan were known to concede goals while creating loads of chances in attack, but this Everton side are rock solid at the back as well. David Moyes does deserve credit for handing Martinez a back five that was stable and solid, and it has certainly helped Maritnez, as it would any manager coming in. 

Ross Barkley has been one of many bright sparks emanating from Everton this season. Not long before the big vultures come to swoop him.  

Lukaku's arrival on loan has certainly helped improve the goal scoring prospects of the club and Gareth Barry has also found a new lease of life at Everton. His work allows Martinez to implement the expansive style of football that the manager prefers. Barkley has also announced himself in the Premier League.  Seamus Coleman has been one of the biggest benefactors of the Martinez era, with more license being allowed to roam forward he has been consistent for the club and has been the best right back in the league this season. 

The question now is, that can Everton continue on this run till the end of the season and possibly nick a fourth spot? Remember Newcastle two years back? 

Performance Score: 7/10
Best Player:  Seamus Coleman

Under Performer: Nikica Jelavic

January Transfer Window: A possible back-up for Lukaku? Also possibly try and make the temporary loan deal of Barry a permanent one. 

Fulham

Rene has a relegation dogfight on his hands!

Fulham are part of a set of clubs this season, who've already changed managers this season after having shown Martin Jol the door. Time and patience is a commodity that has been too expensive for some managers to buy and Martin Jol found that out at Fulham.

The signs for the club do not look bright at the moment. The club are stuck in a relegation battle having registered only five wins so far this season.  Rene Meulensteen has been tasked with the job of getting Fulham out of trouble having replaced Jol as manager at the start of the month. 

Also star striker Dimitar Berbatov has made his displeasure known and could be seen at a new club in the New Year after agitating for a move away from the club. Rene will need to convince Berbatov that things will improve at the club and also look to make signings of his own to improve the faltering fortunes of the London club. Jol left an ageing squad at the hands of Rene and he would do well to infuse some freshness to the squad. 

Performance Score: 3/10
Best Player: Scott Parker
Under Performer: Bryan Ruiz

January Transfer Window:  Infusion of fresh legs. More creativity and solidity in defence. Rene has a big task on his hands, in what could turn out to be a crucial transfer window for the club.

Hull City

Steve Bruce has done a good job till now, can he keep it going?

The return to the Premier League has been good to the Hull City fans so far. Having notched up twenty points from the first eighteen games this season and  placed twelfth in the league, Steven Bruce can say he's done a decent job so far. 

The club did well in the transfer window, and Bruce who can be termed as a fairly experienced manager will be confident of securing another season of Premier League action for the fans. Whether they will be known as Hull City AFC or Hull City Tigers, is another debate altogether though. 

It is certainly Hull's home record which has ensured that the club managed to get off to a decent start with the recent loss against Manchester United being only their second loss at home. Infact before the Red Devils strode into town, Hull had only conceded three goals in eight home games this season.

Bargain Signing: Davies has been a key player in the Centre of Defence for Hull City

The defence has been a key part of Hull City's good start and Curtis Davies could be termed as  bargain of the season having enhanced his reputation in his first Premier League season. Tom Huddlestone has managed to grab all the headlines at the club with his performances but it could be argued that Davies has been better than the former Spurs midfielder.

Another player who started off brightly before succumbing to injuries has been Robbie Brady. The former Manchester United winger has scored three goals this season, and the top scorer at the club. Out of the five games that Hull have won this season, Brady scored in three of them outlining his key contribution to the club. The fact that he is the top scorer with only three goals underlines how badly in need of goals and hence a striker Steve Bruce will be when the transfer window opens in January. 

Performance Score: 6/10

Best Player: Curtis Davies

Under Performer: Danny Graham

Transfer Window: A proven goal-scorer is the need. Hull have the fifth worst goal scoring record in the league and if they want to stay up they will need to improve on that. 

Half Season Analysis Part 1 can be found HERE.

Please leave your comments below. Part 3 of the Analysis will be out tomorrow. Cheers!