I ADMIT it. I'm guilty of it too. I'm guilty of stating that Tony Pulis would make us a lesser footballing outfit.
I'll go as far as to admit that I thought it wouldn't suit our style, our players or our reputation – that it would make us an ugly outfit.
But in truth, other than having the team of the 80s, what reputation for verve and guile has there ever been? We've got a reputation for our youth system and for great support, but our playing style has never had the kind of headlines written about it that the likes of Barcelona have received.
We have a nomadic approach to style and while it would be great to see us take on a Swansea approach to success, that takes time.
What Pulis has done since his appointment is give Palace a sense of structure; players know what's expected of them, they know where they need to position themselves and they know what to do at set-pieces. Against Chelsea, the Eagles showed a grit and determination that actually allowed the attacking players to have a bit of a go.
While the statistics suggested Chelsea had 70 to 75 per cent of the possession, they struggled to break Palace down and in the second half, Pulis' side looked like they might snatch a point.
Ian Holloway admitted that the players couldn't find their way with his attacking approach; no matter what he tried to implement, it just didn't click.
In the FYP fanzine, Keith Millen admitted in an extensive interview that the players needed to be given a defensive strategy to make them more comfortable. This was essentially the key to Palace's upturn in form.
Sure, it's not always attractive, and as Chelsea showed last weekend, it's not always guaranteed to work, but it keeps the squad within reach of opponents in a way that Holloway's side couldn't.
Why? Because when Holloway's approach failed to bring goals, the structure wasn't there for the players to prevent them from being conceded.
This Pulis side has scored more, in part because of the reduction in pressure on the attacking unit, and have kept the club in with a fighting chance of staying up.
And it's that fighting chance which has ultimately made this Palace team more enjoyable to watch – no matter how ugly it might be to some.
