It’s been a while since I last wrote this column, and a lot has happened, but ultimately not a lot has changed.

It’s no secret that I wasn’t particularly keen on Tony Pulis, and, I don’t want to be one of those fickle fans who calls for a new boss every other week, but there are some concerns over how Palace are playing right now.

Neil Warnock is doing a steady job, it’s a difficult league and Palace didn’t invest significantly in a key area in the summer.

Without a striker who can find the net, it’s always going to be a mighty effort to maintain a Premier League place.

Watching Palace vs Stoke was never going to be high on anyone’s Christmas wish-list, but it seemed there was a distinct lack of Christmas cheer at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

James McArthur talks about his first goal for Palace

An incredibly dull 1-1 draw had my mind wandering back to Tony Pulis’ reign, and reaching the conclusion that actually some of the football we played under him was more entertaining than it has been at Selhurst this season.

It’s incredibly frustrating to watch Palace currently. Yannick Bolasie is on fire, but as soon as he is doubled up on, he becomes far less effective.

Wilfried Zaha’s lack of spark contributes to this, as there is no-one to take up the mantle on the other wing when the Bolasie route is blocked.

Your Local Guardian:

Potential to entertain: Wilfried Zaha               SP89019

Undoubtedly, Zaha has the potential to entertain and excite the supporters, and he also has the ability to terrorise Premier League defences, but a lack of game time has significantly halted his progress.

This is the man who, with his back to goal at the AMEX in the play-off semi-final waited for the ball to come to him, turned around and smashed a shot into the top of the net.

However, he seems to repeat this ad infinitum, which is fine, if the passes are to his feet and at pace to allow him to quickly turn the defender and run into space and towards goal.

But defenders have worked this out; he is often waiting too long for slow balls from the back which are intercepted, or he is well marshalled.

Bolasie, on the contrary, looks certain to make things happen regardless of the distribution to him. That has come from a season and a half of regular Premier League football, something Zaha was denied by David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The stop-start nature of Zaha’s Premier League career has significantly stunted his progress. But also, this is the same Wilfried Zaha who Palace fans are used to seeing in a much more open, attacking side under Ian Holloway.

Palace’s tactics do not seem to suit the players, but are there any other realistic changes?

Mile Jedinak is formidable in the tackle, and his leadership immense, but his passing leaves a little to be desired.

Joe Ledley, and now James McArthur are more adept with the ball but still this is a midfield designed to sit back and play off the ball rather than with it. So to start playing balls into Dwight Gayle, Zaha or Bolasie at feet is not necessarily the answer, as much as I’d love it to be that simple.

Marouane Chamakh has been an incredible signing for Palace, and he oozes class with his close control and lay-offs, but a goalscorer he is not.

Effectively playing in an attacking midfield position, he comes deep to lay the ball off to the midfield and there is no-one to get on the end of crosses from the wide men. Can Palace really afford to leave such a gifted player out of the side?

Your Local Guardian:

Class: Marouane Chamakh picks up a booking during the Stoke draw, but he has been huge for Palace this season       SP89019

Appointing Warnock was a decision which seemed to be born out of necessity to find a manager who knew the club and had experience of managing in the Premier League.

It is too soon to judge Palace’s season, but one win in 10 matches is relegation form, and Warnock needs to find a way to arrest an alarming lack of goals up front.

Who do you drop if you sign an all round striker who can create chances for himself and finish them? If you are to drop someone, then why not drop one of the midfield trio – who almost certainly will make way anyway given Chamakh’s importance – and play to Dwight Gayle’s strengths by putting Chamakh further forward?

Perhaps it is stating the obvious, but if Palace go down this season, it will be as a result of a failure to either find a striker who can score in the system we play, or to find the right system to utilise the players we have.

A trip to Dover in the FA Cup is one I am relishing, although it would not be the FA Cup without an upset, and well, this is Palace.