Is it a coincidence that since Scott Dann took over the captaincy of the side, Palace and Dann's performances have been a little hit-and-miss defensively? 

 

Dann, who has been an outstanding performer for the club since he arrived from Blackburn Rovers, looks weighed down by responsibility. His focus, one of the key elements of his game, appears to have been lost somewhat -- where previously he would mark his opponent tightly, he now missteps. Where in the past an opponent would attempt to drag him out of position and fail, now Dann follows. As he did on Saturday, doing so left a huge gap for Jake Livermore to exploit. 

 

Some players excel with greater responsibility. Perhaps Dann needs a break from it to see if it helps his performances. 

When complaints are made about Palace's defending, it should be clarified that it's not just the defence responsible. Every single player has a role to play when it comes to preventing opponents advancing on goal -- while the Robert Snodgrass dive was infuriating, Adama Diomande's touch was incredible and Hull's build-up for the third was clinical, in the phases of play prior to all three, Palace players failed to do their defensive duty.

 

Prior to Snodgrass's dive, Palace lost possession in Hull's half cheaply, then failed to deal with a simple hoof up-field. Diomande's equaliser was preceded by Hull passing the ball around the edge of the box with barely a challenge and players watching on. The final goal from Livermore saw Joe Ledley stand and watch as his opponent initially passed the ball forward then ran into the box. Players around Ledley at the time also failed to react. 

 

Every player has a responsibility to defend. They all played their part in each goal conceded. 

When Andros Townsend arrived at the club during the summer, the excitement was real -- Palace were signing a genuine, international-class winger capable of taking on opponents and crucially scoring goals. 

 

The player Palace have now is bereft of ideas and his performances have progressively worsened. Townsend IS capable of putting in match-winning performances, but with Zaha making his place on the right his own, it's left a player who typically performs better in that position exposed on the left. 

 

Palace must find a way to make it work. Either by playing both and frequently switching, or by finding a way to accommodate Townsend in a more central role (a position that his qualities would suit). This is a £13m signing that, at the time the money was spent, looked to be a bargain. 

 

It's become a common theme, when Palace lose or perform questionably, one player will always find his way into the 'everything is his fault' category of the blame game. It's been Wayne Hennessey. It's been Joel Ward. Jason Puncheon. Martin Kelly. Now it's Yohan Cabaye's turn. 

 

Cabaye's problem is that, in games where Palace have won, he hasn't featured. That and the notion that he was signed to 'score goals and be an attacking mid' are essentially the crux of the scapegoating. 

 

Because Cabaye didn't feature against Southampton, Palace won. And because he came on against Hull, Palace drew. Forget that the player most suggested he be left out of the side for -- Ledley -- completely failed to track his man for Hull's third -- that doesn't suit the agenda. It was Cabaye at fault. Hull scored two goals after he came on -- that's all that matters. 

 

He is also blamed for not scoring goals or creating them -- which is not the role he was signed for and, when you actually look at his performances, is not the role he's asked to play. 

The Frenchman had, in most of the six defeats that Palace suffered prior to the Southampton win, been the only other player other than Zaha to actually have a positive impact in matches.

He's a better player than some fans give him credit for -- and plenty of the defeats Palace suffered came from a lack of team effort rather than one individual's performances. Blaming one person underlines a failure to look at the bigger picture.