Crystal Palace's Premier League season started with an opening weekend defeat away to Brentford.
This was the first competitive game without star man Michael Olise after his move earlier this summer to Bayern Munich. The Eagles received a reported fee of around £50 million for the Frenchman, after Bayern Munich activated Olise's release clause, which to many Palace fans was some way below the correct value for a player with Olise's quality.
Looking at the sheer number of goal contributions provided in the last campaign by Olise in limited minutes, as well as the high potential and tremendous ability shown so far, it is understandable why fans would view the transfer as a steal for Bayern.
During his pre match press conference ahead of Brentford, manager Oliver Glasner said that: "It's not about replacing Michael one to one and having the same type and quality because we would have to spend more money than we got for him."
The statement rings true. A player of Olise's quality and potential would cost a lot for any club, let alone one the size of Palace. He has superstar potential and can go on to be one of the best players in the world if he continues the current trajectory shown so far.
If there was no such release clause in his contract, Palace may have been asking for a fee closer to the range of £80 - £100 million to get him out of South London.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Olise and his advisors are a very shrewd team, and they were unable to secure his services without a release clause in place.
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What is it Palace miss without Olise?
Palace will have to play differently now Olise has departed. This is not necessarily a negative, but a mere change of approach.
Glasner has confirmed the Eagles will not be replacing Olise with a like for like player: “We decided (we want) different profiles and different players with their qualities. The opposition never knows who will play and which kind of player they can expect.”
This summer they have brought in Daichi Kamada from Lazio on a free transfer, and Ismaila Sarr from Olympique Marseille for around £12.5 million, to fulfil the right sided "ten" role which Glasner's system utilises.
Kamada, who has previous history with Glasner from his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, has previously shown his superb ability in that position.
Using Kamada does have its differences to Olise. He plays a lot more narrow than Olise did, which means Palace lose a lot of width down the right side. The Japanese international is also not naturally left footed, which is another obstacle and changes the inverted "ten" role.
Sarr is more of an out-and-out winger. He has a lot of pace, which the Eagles have lacked, and can produce individual moments of quality, but how often the Senegalese international can consistently produce those moments will be the telling point.
Glasner opted to start Kamada for the opening fixture against Brentford, and there plenty of positives for Palace despite the disappointing result.
Eberechi Eze and Kamada linked up well, creating several attacking moments when coming inside, which allowed the Eagles to stretch Brentford's back line and create opportunities for Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell to overlap.
One concern will be the lack of service Jean-Philippe Mateta received, but this can be down to a lack of match sharpness and familiarity with one another after a disjointed pre-season, which will only get better over time.
At times it looked as if Eze was trying to do too much himself. This may be down to increased pressure on the England international since Olise departed, but the flashes of connection demonstrated with Kamada was promising viewing for Glasner.
It will take time for the players to gel and for someone like Kamada to find his feet in a new team and league, but there is optimism a player of his quality will adjust soon.
The Eagles are going to miss Olise's quality on the ball the most, the way he manipulates the ball to get it on his left foot is Arjen Robben like.You might know he wants to go that way but stopping him is a different matter.
The width he provided the team before cutting in then allowed the wing back to then either underlap or overlap, but with Kamada the only real option is overlapping since he plays more central within the half-spaces.
Olise's goal scoring and creativity are going to be big misses for the South London club, and they will need to find a way to replace his goals from elsewhere.
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Will there be any further replacements?
Palace are said to still be in the market this summer in a few areas, with Glasner desiring to add another "number ten" before the transfer window closes.
The hope is that whoever Palace bring in this summer in attacking areas, will be able to help contribute what Olise had provided previously. They will all also be slightly different profiles, and offer something unique depending on the game.
According to various reports over the summer Palace have been linked with a number of forward options, who for one reason or another haven't been acquired.
Antonio Nusa had been a long term target for sporting director Dougie Freedman, but he has since moved to RB Leipzig for a fee of around £18 million. There were some concerns regarding his injury record, which may have put the Eagles off a move for the Norwegian.
There had also been reported interest in Matías Soulé from Juventus. However, his preference was to stay in Italy, which resulted in a move to AS Roma earlier this summer.
As the summer progresses, the shortlist of targets is slowly getting smaller, but there will still be a plan in place to bring other players in, who will hopefully offer an immediate impact to the first team whilst also providing resale value later down the line.
If reports are to be believed, then one of the current options the Eagles are considering is Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 20 year-old has been with Chelsea for two years now since his move from Aston Villa in 2022. He wasn't selected in the last three pre-season games by Enzo Maresca, and missed out on the squad in the first game of the season, suggesting he is not in the new head coach's plans for the upcoming season.
The stumbling block for Palace could be the asking price and wages. Chukwuemeka is said to have a release clause of around £40million but this could be negotiated down.
The attacker is also said to be on £115,000-a-week, which would make him one of the South London clubs highest earners.
Unless both parties are able to find a resolution, then Palace may choose to explore cheaper alternatives.
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What can fans expect going forward?
Despite defeat on the opening day it is not all doom and gloom at Selhurst Park. Had luck been on their side, and the referee not blown prematurely after Eze's magnificent free-kick, the entire game would have been different.
They also created a lot of chances and occupied good areas, which has been a problem in the past for Palace. Once the Eagles gain match sharpness and build the connection and flow they ended last season with, the final ball and goals will surely come.
Defensively there was a slight concern but for large parts Dean Henderson was untested. The goals Brentford scored were disappointing and Palace will know they need to improve in this aspect going forward.
Alarm bells will not have started ringing yet, but finding that final ball, and ruthlessness in front of goal, will need to come soon if the South London club are to live up to expectations.
Anymore additions Palace make from now will be welcomed and only strengthen their growing depth.
There have been reported bids and interest for both Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen in the last week from Newcastle and Fulham respectively, but until their valuations are met Palace have no plans to entertain selling the pair.
If one was to leave, another centre back would need to be purchased, with Palace linked to Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg, who has entered the final year of his contract.
The Eagles have also been linked to Trevoh Chalobah, who has been isolated by Chelsea and told to find a new club.
Glasner is also reportedly hopeful to bring in further wing-back cover but as always for Palace it will be about getting the best value possible for whoever they acquire.
Palace have players who can create and produce special moments, but without Olise they lack that player who can take matches by the scruff of its neck, and take the Eagles over the line with individual brilliance.
Glasner will hope someone like Eze can step up to the role this season, otherwise Palace may need another attacking threat.
