Woosie's Words: Could the unpredictable Zaha play a different Crystal Palace tune?

It was always going to happen, this is Palace. But the manner in which it happened is concerning. There is a distinct lack of a plan B.

Hull nullified the threat posed by Joe Ledley and James McArthur through the middle, but prior to that, they also marshalled Yannick Bolasie well, and with Jason Puncheon having a dreadful game, it forced Palace to move inside.

Palace struggled to play a narrow game - the passing ability of Mile Jedinak is not sufficient to break open defences or indeed boss midfields, but that is why Ledley and McArthur are in front of him.

Unfortunately, they were both having a bad day at the office, partly caused by Hull’s excellent midfield.

So there was little option but for Palace to continue pumping the ball up to Fraizer Campbell playing as a lone striker.

His frustration showed when he earned a cynical yellow card for swiping the legs of a Hull defender, but there was little that could be done without a physical presence alongside him.

Eventually Marouane Chamakh was brought on, but so too was Dwight Gayle, perhaps with the intention of igniting a clever partnership with a player superb technically and a player who instinctively knows how to find the back of the net. Alas, it did not work.

It was frustrating to watch, to see a distinct lack of a plan to play the ball out wide and ensure crosses into the box, or to see an aerial battle between Chamakh and the Hull defence.

Little difference: Marouane Chamakh's arrival did little to upset the Hull City defence

It was a mismatch of tactics, and with too many players having an off day, it was too easy to punish.

Stating the obvious, perhaps, but Palace are crying out for some unpredictability, they are also crying out for another outlet up front - with Chamakh’s injury a lack of a target man to hold the ball up and bring others into play was a significant part of the defeat at Hull.

Scott Dann’s injury also didn’t help matters.

Palace set up to play as the away team, to invite pressure and then hit on the break. Tactics not too dissimilar from those employed under Tony Pulis, but Warnock takes a less disciplined approach, allowing players more freedom and as such creating space for balls in behind the defence.

See countless Everton moves early in the first half, and Hull’s second goal – albeit from Joe Ledley’s mistake – for evidence.

The players seem to struggle to know what to do when they have the ball, with off the ball movement and creative ideas lacking when teams work out what they are trying to do.

The answer? Wilfried Zaha? Perhaps. Unpredictable? Yes. Is that such a good thing? Not always.

However, when Zaha is on his game, he can be unplayable, but he adds another dimension to the team.

There was no reason to change the line-up for the Hull match - although had Chamakh been fully fit a start would surely have been the best option – but no other changes were necessary.

We were out-thought and outplayed by a team who didn’t need to play well to win. That’s the disappointing thing.

It’s not all doom and gloom, but if the players don’t react and put in an improved performance against Chelsea after the international break, then a heavy defeat is on the cards.

Another John Terry own goal please.

On a more positive note, it was great to see such an accomplished performance from Jake Gray in only his second senior appearance, against Newcastle.

Sullay KaiKai’s equaliser was one to savour for the youngster, and a richly deserved one after his fine form in the development squad.

Same again please: Here's hoping John Terry serves up another goal for the Palace