CRYSTAL Palace manager Tony Pulis feels the attractive football his side is playing is helping to get "a pigeonhole off his back".
Pulis sometimes came in for criticism at Stoke, for adopting a rugged, direct style of play.
But Palace are combining defensive solidity with plenty of pace and creativity going forward - paying off with five wins in a row.
And the Palace boss says a certain, often-maligned Arsenal forward - missing against West Ham on Saturday - has been integral to that and is the Eagles' "best player".
He said after the 1-0 win at Upton Park: "Someone has just said to me now that that pigeonhole is off your back. We played well at Stoke at times but never got the credit and you get pigeonholed with it.
"I think we're an exciting team and we've missed our best player today. Chamakh has been wonderful for us. He really links the work we do defensively with the work we do going forward."
Paying tribute to another member of his squad, Pulis added: "I thought Joe Ledley in there today, again, the quality on the ball, he slows the team down to give us time to get up the pitch - he's just wonderful."
