12 months ago, with the previous Premier League campaign just getting underway, many fans’ predictions placed Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace in the lower half of the table.
However, fast forward 12 months and, following a saga to determine which competition they will compete in, both teams are getting their European campaigns underway. But how can they ensure that their league form is still positive amidst an increased number of fixtures?
Burnley 2018/2019
Although this Burnley side bowed out in the Europa League playoffs, thus, early in the campaign, their European adventure was somewhat disruptive to their league form. Under the guise of Sean Dyche, his side finished 15th that season, following a 7th-place finish in the previous season.
Under Sean Dyche, Burnley attacked the League in a somewhat unusual style following Manchester City’s appointment of Pep Guardiola.
Instead of opting for the passing game that had been installed in English football, Dyche’s team opted for an old-school 4-4-2 formation, with defensive solidity and a preference for long-range passing towards Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes.
However, this mean’t that the individual quality of Burnley was somewhat limited, and many believed that they were ‘punching above their weight.
This, combined with a small transfer budget, led to a small squad and one that wasn’t able to cope with the various competitions and multitude of games that they had to undertake.
This was not wholly detrimental to the Clarets, as they survived another season in the Premier League.
However, their form tailing off did lead to relegation and the departure of Dyche as their long-serving manager, paving the way for the likes of Vincent Kompany and Scott Parker to take up the reins in the dugout at Turf Moor.
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What Can Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest Do Differently?
Both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest possess players who, it could be inferred, offer more individual quality. However, they need to ensure that they have suitable squad numbers for the task ahead.
At the time of writing, Nottingham Forest have invested significantly, allowing themselves to have a range of options. James Macatee and Douglas Luiz are some of the standout additions, along with Igor Jesus, amongst others.
Crystal Palace have not invested to the same level as their counterparts. Left-back Borna Sosa, along with goalkeeper Walter Benitez, are their only arrivals. Thus, manager Oliver Glasner has referred to a dissatisfaction with the number of players through the door at Selhurst Park.
Both teams may opt to utilise their young talent in addition to this. Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have a pool of talent within their ranks, and these competitions may allow these players to flourish and play more regularly for the first team.
For Nottingham Forest, the youth talent within their defensive ranks may be deemed the standout options. Zach Abbott and Tyler Bindon have seen success elsewhere, including at Reading. Therefore, they may be pushing for a European start.
Crystal Palace, due to their lack of signings, may need to opt for youth more often in the competition, especially due to the decreased standard of opponents in the Conference League. The likes of Justin Devenny and Romain Esse have seen notable minutes so far in the first team, and a further run in the team may be beneficial to both players.
Conclusion
For both these clubs, a European adventure is welcomed by their fans, who will relish the opportunity to play on Thursday nights. Nottingham Forest will hope to repeat some of their past successes on the international stage, whilst Crystal Palace will hope to break down some new barriers for their club.
Should both managers rotate accurately to ensure suitable quality is on display in each match, both teams may look forward to good runs in the Premier League and Europe.
Managers should also rotate to focus on minimal levels of fatigue to ensure all the players are fresh for the challenge that lies in wait ahead of them.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Action Plus
Recording Date: 24.08.2025