Roy Hodgson States Crystal Palace Need to 'Run Their B******s Off' This Season
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has stated that his side will have to “run their b******s off” if they are to have any chance in surviving in the Premier League this season.
The Eagles currently find themselves rock-bottom of England's top flight after seven successive defeats, in which they have failed to record a single point or even net a solitary goal.
The latest shambolic showing came during their 4-0 pummelling at the hands of Manchester United on Saturday, but things are not about to get easier for the South London side - who face Chelsea next time out following the international break.
Hodgson's injury woes have cost him dear so far this term, and Palace are set to be without at least three sure-starters when they entertain the Blues in two weeks time.
However, the 70-year-old has insisted that even though he will be missing several key players when they face last year's Champions, he expects nothing less than maximum effort from the XI he fields.
“[First-choice striker] Christian Benteke won’t be back for a few weeks, so we still won’t have a recognised centre forward”, the former England international manager told the Daily Mirror.
“Wilf Zaha [Palace's star winger who has not played since being injured in the season opener] probably won’t be back. Ruben Loftus-Cheek can’t play [as he is on loan from Chelsea].
“So there are three quality players I can name off the top of my head who could have helped us do a better job against Chelsea.
“But they’re not there. So it’s got to be the lads I put out there who go out and run their b******s off — if you excuse my expression — to try to do the best job they can possibly do.”
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Hodgson also admitted that in the coming weeks tensions will soar within the Palace camp as his coaching staff get tough on the players.
“Obviously, it’s going to get more fractious because we put our messages across quite strongly and there will be some players on the field who don’t pick up those messages as quickly as others”, the Croydon-born manager added.
