There were plenty of eyebrows raised when Crystal Palace appointed Patrick Vieira as their new manager this summer.
Palace were the epitome of mediocrity under Roy Hodgson, although the club were rarely in danger of losing their top flight status.
Vieira was hugely successful during his playing career, but his stints as manager of New York City FC and Nice produced an unimpressive win rate of around 40 percent.
Despite this, the former Arsenal midfielder was the man tasked with building on the foundations laid by Hodgson over the past few years.
Addressing the team’s attacking output was one of the biggest tests Vieira faced this summer, with Palace one of the lowest scorers in the Premier League last season.
Vieira signed Odsonne Edouard from Celtic for around £14 million and he desperately needs the Frenchman to deliver the goods.
The Eagles have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just twice in four league and cup outings to date.
However, it is hugely debatable whether Edouard has the ability to address Palace’s profligacy in front of goal.
The 23-year-old had a reasonable enough scoring record for Celtic, bagging 86 goals in 179 appearances.
When you consider the level of the opposition he has faced in Scotland, his tally suddenly looks much less impressive.
Finding the back of the net against the likes Hamilton Academical is all well and good, but the Premier League offers a completely different challenge.
Vieira has shown plenty of faith by making Edouard his main attacking signing this summer. It is a gamble he desperately needs to pay off.
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