Alan Pardew has Crystal Palace daring to dream

Alan Pardew has never been slow to offer reminders when he has done something well, and considering Crystal Palace’s transformation from relegation-threatened to top half of the table this year, backed up by the most impressive transfer dealings of any side outside of the top six excepting Stoke, that knowing grin has widened.

It would be unjust to say things only started going right for Palace when Pardew took the reins on 2 January. Tony Pulis had done a fine job before walking out on the eve of last season, despite his replacement, Neil Warnock, veering them off track.

But it has been Pardew — the former player looking to redeem himself after an ultimately unsuccessful time at Newcastle where he was unloved and unlikely to progress the team due to a fractious relationship with the owner, Mike Ashley — who has taken them to the next level.

Yesterday, when asked about his marquee summer signing, Yohan Cabaye, Pardew took delight in saying the Frenchman would walk into Arsenal’s team. They worked together at Newcastle before Cabaye was lured to PSG. Having struggled to impress at Paris, he was more than happy to return to the Premier League — albeit with a point to prove. Sometimes the incessant need for comparison can grate but Pardew was justified to illustrate how far his team have come by attracting a player who was a key component for France in last year’s World Cup.

“I go back three years ago when Yohan wouldn’t play at Manchester City [for Newcastle] because he thought he was going to Arsenal. So it is quite ironic he’s here with us at Palace,” Pardew said.

“He is a fantastic player. We are honoured to have him and he is definitely the level of Arsenal players. I don’t think Arsène Wenger or anyone at Arsenal would disagree with that. We have a player who could definitely play in their team and that is a nice feeling for us. He can give us control in games.”

Traditionally South London has been the poorer half of town. Back in the dark days, cab drivers would often refuse to cross the Thames and it probably extends beyond coincidence the three clubs based there were also less affluent than the majority of their northern neighbours.

However, as South London regenerates, so do Palace. The club’s perception has altered greatly and long-term sufferers are suddenly hopeful. It has been some time since the atmosphere at Selhurst Park has been as positive and while battle-worn cynics are waiting for it all to fall apart, there is a sense that things remain upwardly mobile for the foreseeable future.

Crucially Pardew has been allowed to spend and along with Cabaye has brought in Connor Wickham from Sunderland, the talented winger Bakary Sako, Wolves’ top scorer from the wing last season, and Patrick Bamford on loan from Chelsea.

Most importantly, Pardew now has options. He can change the system without weakening the quality of player on the pitch, he has a bench packed with talent, and confidence is soaring. Such is the competition for places that Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak, both focal points last season, were left on the bench with Wickham and Bamford.

Cabaye was always deployed as an attacking midfielder by Pardew when they first worked together at St James’ Park but the Frenchman started in a defensive role at Norwich last weekend, allowing Jordan Mutch to roam forward. When Jedinak was sprung off the bench, Cabaye was moved forward and subsequently scored.

That newfound self-belief among the squad is partially supplemented by Pardew’s infectious self-assuredness but mostly the result of a much-strengthened squad. Last season’s wins against Manchester City and Liverpool still raised a couple of eyebrows, though notably not as much as the comeback to ruin the latter’s fading title dreams the season before. That the hero of that Monday night, Dwight Gayle, has been deemed surplus to demands and free to depart says a lot.

It is a mark of how far they have come no positive result can now be labelled a shock. “Before, what we basically told ourselves was to defend throughout,” Bolasie said earlier this week of their approach to games against the top sides. “But now we’ve actually got players that can settle it down and find the pass, so I think we’re ready for teams like that this season.”

Arsenal, then, best beware. Pardew will believe he can do a job on Wenger but expects to face a wounded animal. “I’ll be surprised if they’re not,” he added. “Their manager has enough experience to turn that result against West Ham from a negative into a positive. It was a great performance by West Ham. I was there, they deserved to win and Arsenal will be looking to rectify that.”

The only worry for Palace is how awful their record is against the Gunners. You have to go back to October 1994 for their last victory.