Against the Saints, Yannick Bolasie looked Palace's biggest threat.

Needless to say it should have been a red when Yannick was hauled down through on goal.

But Howard Webb hates to make big game-changing decisions, so a yellow and a wasted free kick were apparently all Southampton deserved for denying a goal scoring opportunity.

Apart from that huge moment, in general Palace were poor and undeserving of anything from the game.

The Eagles evidently missed Marouane Chamakh’s subtle link up play between the midfield and attack.

Joe Ledley was employed in a similar role – but as an out and out battering ram – meaning our hopeful long ball punts to him or Glenn Murray were even more obvious, predictable and easily defendable than ever.

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Over the past few months, we've got used to the Eagles being less blunt, less uninspired and less disjointed than Saturday against Southampton.

Chamakh’s absence undoubtedly contributed.

While I've always been prepared to give KG the benefit of the doubt, what he actually does lately is beyond me. Missing tackles, misplacing passes and constantly caught in no man’s land.

Neither adequately protecting the back four nor supporting Murray or the wingers. Out of position, out of ideas and out of his depth.

Talking of missed passes, Mile, Mile, Mile. He's never been Pirlo or Xavi, but extremely little he attempted seemed to come off at the weekend. Again.

To be balanced, several times he did move the play smoothly across the pitch, aiming to be a bit more expansive than his colleagues.

Maybe the season's catching up with him or maybe it was the gruelling 4-3 defeat he captained for Australia in the week, where he was cruelly forced to visit Bermondsey.

Whatever it is, his carelessness in possession was shocking.

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The worst aspects of the defeat were both the manner of the Saints' goal, and the fact the packed house at Selhurst felt like it had just reached melting point before having the atmosphere popped like a balloon dropped on a thorn bush.

One second Bolasie was raising the Holmesdale to fever pitch, before suddenly the ball was scrambled past Speroni at the other end.

I decided not to focus too much on Jason Puncheon in this column because it was an obvious error for the goal, but it's a bit unfair to judge a winger for a split second defensive slip when he's guarding our half almost singlehanded.

Anyway, the crowd seem to be waiting with knives out whenever the ex-Southampton man touches the ball.

Even his goal scoring form this season doesn't seem to alleviate the pressure from the home crowd. If he shoots he's lambasted and if he tries to beat his man and fails he's hounded.

The rest of the time he's attacked for not trying to beat his man or for not shooting. I don't know what else he can do, besides scoring 100 per cent of the time.

That's not to say he's an unfairly persecuted genius. But he definitely doesn't get the encouragement, understanding or backing that players like Bolasie or Tom Ince receive.

Especially odd considering sometimes Bolasie is like bambi at a roller disco. Unstable, out of control and a hazard to others.

And Puncheon’s clearly a confidence player too, which is why it’s so strange the crowd don’t seem to want to help him out, preferring to scapegoat than support the winger.

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Scary: Against the Saints, Yannick Bolasie looked Palace's biggest threat