The new season is less than a week old and in typical Palace fashion, the scaremongering and negativity from the pessimists has already begun.

Selhurst was packed out on Saturday afternoon as Tony Pulis behaved somewhat out of character by actually attending his team’s first game of the season.

All the excitement and anticipation that had built up over the summer months quickly evaporated, as Rondon’s second half goal saw Palace fall victim to an inevitable opening day defeat.

Was it a frustrating result? Yes. Was it a terrible performance? Absolutely.

Should Alan Pardew be sacked as a result of it? Don’t be ridiculous.

It sounds like a stupid question yet it seems to be a popular opinion, as I found out when trawling through the forums on Saturday night.

MORE: Eagles boss Pardew reveals attempt to keep Bolasie from Everton

It seems to have become cliché to say, “Just be grateful we still have a club” since Parish and co. took over because obviously everybody wants to progress, but patience is a virtue and we’re in a process of transition following our slow finish to the previous campaign.

We are in our fourth consecutive year in the Premier League and are the most comfortable financially we’ve ever been in our history, yet people still aren’t happy.

That’s just the way things go, triumph makes people greedy.

We’ve come so far and some people remain ungrateful because we’re yet to win the Champions League, we’re not headlining Glastonbury and Wilfried Zaha isn’t the new presenter of Top Gear.

News Shopper:

Rome wasn’t built in a day and we’re not going to become a success overnight. Hannah Montanna once said, ‘Life’s a climb but the view is great,’ and I think if there’s anybody that can teach us about stability and dignity in success then it is definitely Miley Cyrus.

Ideally we would have sorted all of our transfers before the season started but these deals take time and commitment to complete so it’s that there’s still almost two weeks left to make signings.

Similarly, the side that played West Brom was far from full strength, with McArthur and Cabaye still to come back, as well as new signings Tomkins and Mandanda.

If the window closes and we’re still in the same position then we can start to worry, but for now we should trust those in charge and relax.

A lot of comments on the forums seemed to suggest that newly appointed captain Scott Dann wasn’t up to the job, which seems like another excuse attempting to find a scapegoat.

News Shopper:

Apart from those involved closely with the first-team, nobody really has any idea what sort of influence Dann has on the rest of the team in the dressing room, and watching from the stands it is clear that he is one of the most vocal members of the squad.

Besides, what does being captain really mean these days, apart from a coin toss and getting a photo in the centre circle with Pete the Eagle?

If you’re a natural leader then you’re a natural leader, regardless of whether or not you’re wearing an armband.

Players like Damien Delaney and Jason Puncheon don’t lose their leadership qualities because they don’t have an official title in the same way that an off duty doctor doesn’t lose their ability to help in an emergency because they left their stethoscope at home.

Supporting palace has never been about winning every game.

It’s about staying loyal through the rough patches as well and if being a solid mid-table Premier League side on the back of a cup final that is willing to spend £20 million on quality players is considered a ‘rough patch’, then I am really excited for when things start going well.

News Shopper: