Crystal Palace vs Wolves: The inside track on The Eagles

We spoke with Andy Leisen, Crystal Palace writer for TheEaglesBeak.com, and Robert Warlow, Palace reporter for Football.London to get an inside track on Roy Hodgson's side.

See what they had to say here...

How have things been going at Crystal Palace to start the season, have they built on their performances which saw them end well last time around?

AL: Things started great for Palace with an opening day win over newly promoted Fulham, only to see results regress to the form they started last season with.

Losses to Southampton at home and Bournemouth on the road coupled with a lifeless draw at home with Newcastle.

Palace currently sit in 13th place with seven points.

However, the seven points are seven more than they had at this point last season.

RW: It has not been the greatest of starts from Palace, but it has been a lot, lot better than last season!

Optimism was high after the way Palace finished last season, and then going through pre-season unbeaten.

This continued in the first game with a good away win at Fulham, but it has gone a bit flat since then.

A defeat against Liverpool was no cause for alarm, particularly given the nature of the performance, but things have gone a bit flat in the league since then, with defeats against Watford, Southampton and then on Monday against Bournemouth.

A win at Huddersfield and a draw against Newcastle means they have seven points from seven games, which is not a disaster, but there is a feeling they could, and perhaps should, have a few more.

What sort of transfer business did Palace do over the summer?

AL: Palace only brought in three players during the summer transfer window.

One was a free transfer, one on season long loan and they bought Cheikhou Kouyate for around £10m.

RW: For a long time, there wasn't much to report in terms of transfers.

It was known back in February that Spanish goalkeeper Vicente Guaita would be joining on a free transfer from Getafe, but it took until two weeks before the end of the window for the next new player to arrive.

And it was a bit like the phrase about London buses, with two players signing in the space of two days; Cheikhou Kouyate from West Ham and Max Meyer on a free transfer.

Jordan Ayew also arrived on deadline day on a season-long loan from Swansea City, making it four signings for the summer.

What have you made of that business?

AL: There are two ways to look at Palace's transfer window.

They bought a well established Premier League player in Kouyate and also brought in Jordan Ayew on loan to give Christian Benteke some competition.

The jewel of the transfer window in my eyes is Max Meyer from Schalke.

Signing a 23-year-old German capped player on a free transfer will prove to be very good business whether he stays for the duration of his contract or is sold to one of the bigger clubs that were rumoured to be in on the midfielder.

RW: The jury is still out on the business to be honest, and time will tell.

Vicente Guaita has only played in the Carabao Cup games, although he has kept two clean sheets. And it is true that his arrival has coincided with Wayne Hennessey raising his game in goal, as the former Wolves man has been one of the standout performers for Palace so far.

Kouyate has played a few times in recent weeks and he looks to be a solid acquisition, but Meyer only started for the first time in the Premier League on Monday night, and we have not seen the best of him yet. There are high hopes for him, but he needs time to adapt to English football.

As for Ayew, he has started the last four league games, and his performances have been mixed. He has not yet scored a goal and hasn't really looked like scoring yet, but he has worked hard, and earned praise for his display at Huddersfield.

One man who is obviously a big talking point at Selhurst Park is Wilfried Zaha - having recently agreed a new deal at the club. Will he be the focal point once again against Wolves?

AL: Zaha is always the focal point.

There have been times where Palace have been called a one man club and it is hard to argue that this isn't true.

Palace have scored five league goals this season in seven games and he has three of them.

RW: He is undoubtedly Palace's talisman, and you only have to look at the statistics when he has not played over the past two years to see how important he is to the Eagles.

But he has not been at his best in the last couple of games, and has had a couple of injury concerns so far this season.

Palace's results have been heavily dependent on if he plays, and how he plays, and Bournemouth did well to keep him quiet on Monday.

However, Palace fans will still look to him as the man to lift the Eagles, a burden he has carried for some time now.

Should Zaha struggle, who else would you highlight as a potential dangerman for Wolves to worry about and why?

AL: If Zaha does indeed struggle on Saturday (as he did Monday night vs Bournemouth) I would look for Patrick van Aanholt to press forward and get a goal as he tends to do.

The other player that I am looking to step up his game in league play is Andros Townsend.

He scored a brace vs West Brom in the League Cup recently but his form hasn't translated over to the Premier League yet this season.

RW: There are other players capable of scoring goals within the team, but we are yet to see the best of them this season.

Luka Milivojevic is always a threat from set pieces, but his recent performances have been below par.

Players like James McArthur and Andros Townsend can also chip in with goals, but while Townsend scored twice against West Brom last week, he has not produced that sort of performance consistently enough.

On his day, he is a potential match winner for Palace, but too often it has been Zaha in that role.

But Patrick van Aanholt is always a threat down the left hand side as he gets forward from left-back and scores goals, like he did on Monday at Bournemouth.

How do you expect Palace to face up against Wolves? What's your predicted XI?

AL: I think Palace will line up pretty straight forward vs Wolves.

Wayne Hennessey has been a new man in goal this season and I expect that to continue.

A back line of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho, and PVA.

Captain Luka Milivojevic will man the middle of the field and I think Hodgson will make a change and insert Kouyate back in the starting lineup for Meyer.

James McArthur will look to push up the field the middle as well.

A front line of Townsend, Zaha, and I'm crossing my fingers that Benteke will be healthy enough to start but if he is not I expect Ayew to start up top.

RW: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Ayew.

Do you think Roy Hodgson may see Wolves as a target for three points given their recent promotion to the top flight?

AL: I think Roy will see Wolves as a target for three points because Palace desperately need three points.

After the heartbreaking loss on Monday to Bournemouth, Palace have a very tough run of fixtures and points will be at a premium.

RW: Palace are capable of taking points off of any team in the Premier League, but Roy Hodgson always says that there are no easy games, and the Eagles will not be taking this lightly.

In truth, all sides outside of the top six are capable of beating each other, but Wolves have impressed so far this season, and Hodgson will know his side are in for a tough battle.

What have you made of Wolves from afar? Do you think they have a team capable of doing well in the Premier League and finishing comfortably?

AL: Wolves as a very fun team to watch from afar.

I watched them battle City to a draw along with the opening day barn burner that was the Everton match.

My personal opinion, Wolves are not a stereotypical promoted club.

They are solid all the way through and did very well in the transfer window this summer.

I think they are a mid table team easy with a good run of fixtures to reach a potential Europa spot.

RW: I have been very impressed by Wolves so far.

But the way they have played - and the results they have achieved so far - have not been a complete surprise.

They were superb last season in winning promotion to the Premier League and they have continued that form into the new campaign.

They do not look like they will struggle this season, and I see them as one of the sides capable of finishing in the top ten.

They have some very good players, and their start could well be a sign of things to come.

Your match prediction?

AL: The realist in me says that Palace need at minimum a draw in this fixture and I would think both teams are capable of scoring.

The Palace fan in me thinks they need these points which means that they will get nothing and lose in heartbreaking fashion.

Final Prediction 2-2 draw.

RW: Palace have struggled at home this season, but I can see Roy Hodgson getting a reaction from his players after the disappointment of conceding late in the defeat against Bournemouth.

I think they will score, but I think Wolves will get something. So I will go for a score draw. 1-1.

You can follow Andy on Twitter here, whilst you can keep track of Rob here.