Why Crystal Palace Could Be Missing A Trick With This 22-Year-Old Blackpool Loanee

Why Crystal Palace Could Be Missing A Trick With This 22-Year-Old Blackpool Loanee

This season Crystal Palace have faced the stark reality of playing in a European competition.

On the surface, a European tour promises whimsical adventures and joyous memories to last players and fans a lifetime, but whilst that is true, there are also a plethora of problems which arise in tandem with the extra games.

Going into a premium competition even marginally underprepared can wreak havoc on a season and see a fairytale story turned to an uphill battle in the blink of an eye.

And that, in many ways, is exactly what has happened to Palace.

Oliver Glasner has been vocal about the difficulties he's faced in managing the squad, with the Austrian even forced to play two completely different starting XI's in adjacent games due to fixture congestion.

But, whilst Palace do deserve some sympathy for the struggles they have faced thus far, their issues with squad depth may well be a problem caused by their own volition rather than one to cry victim over.

This list of players Palace have out on loan this season makes for interesting reading, with many marking profiles who wouldn't look out of place in the first-team picture.

The likes of Matheus Franca, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and David Ozoh all mark prospects who could serve Glasner well this season.

But perhaps the most intriguing of all those out on loan is wing-back Daniel Imray, currently on loan at Blackpool, who is turning heads with his performances this season.

The Daniel Munoz Problem

Perhaps the most damning of Crystal Palace's problems, at least in recent weeks, has been the absence of Daniel Munoz.

Whatever you may believe about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance from the Palace ranks, there is no doubt about the impact left in all phases of play by the Colombian not being there.

Instead, Palace have been left with the ageing Nathaniel Clyne as their right wingback option… Not to discredit Clyne, but he doesn't quite have the same presence and impact as Munoz.

It has had a drastic impact on the attacking prowess of the Eagles and has offset their structure with a big hole left by the missing energy and grit of their usual flying fullback.

But could the answer be a more obvious one than it first appears? Well, Daniel Imray would agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly.

Imray Overlooked?

Imray has never made a first-team appearance for his parent club, Crystal Palace.

In fact, he has spent the last few years bouncing between loan deals and developing in the youth ranks of the London club, now finding himself on his most prestigious loan to date at Blackpool in League One.

And it's safe to say he has taken the current opportunity with both hands, putting in some excellent performances for the Tangerines and making those across English football take notice.

With the previously mentioned absence of Munoz, there is a lot of substance behind the sentiment that Imray could be playing a crucial part in Crystal Palace's season right now.

In fact, Blackpool fans have been vocal across social media about their feelings toward the Englishman, with many struggling to comprehend that they still have him at the club and sharing the viewpoint that his services could be utilised in the Premier League.

So, with those who get the privilege of watching him week in week out raving about him, just what could Daniel Imray offer the Eagles?

Imray the Perfect Munoz Deputy?

"He's a younger version of Daniel Munoz." - That was the title of Episode 5 of CPFC Loan Life, a series which Crystal Palace runs on their YouTube channel.

The episode delved into Daniel Imray's spell at Blackpool and couldn't be a better representation of his profile.

Imray has the tenacious all-action nature we have become accustomed to watching Munoz bomb up and down the right-hand side at Selhurst Park.

Imray's chance creation statistics hold up very well against a variety of fullbacks across Europe, despite the relative quality of the side he plays in, with the fullback's ability to swing a ball in the box and create a chance for himself an important part of his game.

That attacking prowess doesn't take away from his defensive solidity either, something which can be the case, especially with wingbacks.

Imray doesn't shy away from his duties when on the back foot and is just as comfortable playing as part of a back five in a low block as he is when pushing on to join attacks.

With all of those attributes already on the table, it begs the question why Imray isn't still at Palace and learning from his more established counterpart in Munoz, with a view to involving him more in the future.

When you consider the reputation of Palace as a club that brings through those young promising players and establishes them at the pinnacle of football, the seeming ignorance to Imray's performances does seem puzzling.

If there is a recall option in January, Glasner should be all over it because Crystal Palace are definitely missing a trick with this one.