Patrick Vieira says Crystal Palace’s positive performances with a three-man defence show that they can aim to be more tactically flexible next season.
“This is something that we will take into next season,” he said of the 3-5-2 formation which was used at Villa Park on Sunday. “It’s quite interesting to have this kind of flexibility.
“Every time we play this season, I felt that the players feel comfortable to play that system as well. It’s always good to have these kinds of options.
“What is important for me is that choosing one or the other, the players feel comfortable to play.”
Unlike many sides around them, Palace have a positive goal difference this season. For Vieira, finding the right tactical approach is crucial to maximising the potential of the side – a side that he hopes will continue to work together as a cohesive unit.
“It’s always about trying to find the right balance between attacking and defending,” he explained. “We managed to score a couple of goals, but I think we should score much more.
“On the other side, defensively, we are more solid because our front players are doing their part. Collectively that makes us more strong.
“Wilfried [Zaha] is the perfect example. The way he works out of possession helps us to be more positive as a team. We need to take this into next season and try to be a little bit stronger.”
With just two games remaining in the season, Vieira reiterated his desire to avoid the level of intensity plateauing.
“It’s a challenge [to finish top-half] and there is a possibility to go over the 49 points [record], which can be a target for us,” he said. “What I was really pleased about at Villa was the performance.
“The challenge for us was to keep competing until the end of the season. I was really pleased with the attitude we showed on the pitch.
“We kept competing, we kept fighting and played some really good football at time, and that made me really happy.”
