Crystal Palace are juggling an unprecedented fixture list this season with UEFA Conference League football to play.
It means Oliver Glasner must contend with four competitions this season, with the Austrian needing to manage his squad carefully to avoid any injury problems.
Training at Copers Cope has already had amendments made to it as a result of this congested fixture – according to The Athletic – and it does not bode well for young talents or new signings at Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace training no longer offers many opportunities to impress
As Glasner aims to keep his squad healthy, training is now said to have become “predominantly” focused on recovery work as well as tactical messages shown in videos – as opposed to actually carrying out drills on the grass.
It means players such as Romain Esse – who has already been told to improve in public – as well as new signings like Christantus Uche might take some time to adjust to what is being demanded of them.
Here’s what a session tends to look like when the players do get out onto the training field.
While this lack of actual training will undoubtedly make it harder for fringe players to impress Glasner, it is a necessary evil when you consider the amount of injuries in football nowadays – let alone for a side playing European football as well.
Christantus Uche already put his chances of further playing time at risk
Uche is yet to start since his £17m move from Getafe on transfer deadline day, and he ran the risk of infuriating Glasner after coming on in the 89th minute against Everton.
The Nigeria international was the subject of a VAR check after appearing to punch James Tarkowski in the stomach, an act he ultimately managed to get away with.
However, had Uche been dismissed for this just minutes after coming on – especially while the scoreline was still level – it surely would have left Glasner livid.
It may have been a case of the Crystal Palace No.12 letting out his anger due to a lack of playing time, but he needs to be more careful when he does manage to get onto the pitch.
