In the past few weeks we’ve spoken a lot about the World Cup which is to be held in Russia. We’ve also mentioned England’s dire performance at the 2016 Euros when they flew out of the competition by losing to Iceland. I know what you’re thinking: the less said about it the better, but Roy Hodgson, manager at the time has kept Crystal Palace up in the highest tier of English football and only a few points from the top half of the table. Relegating Stoke City last weekend might have felt cruel but it certainly ensured the survival of the fittest.
Off the back of their premier league survival Crystal Palace have released their 2018/19 kit from Puma and while you wouldn’t expect the style to be completely different, the pattern is certainly subtly designed to give a dynamic, complete look.
The body itself is the classic large blue and red stripes which continue onto the sleeves, however this design differs from last season’s lit in very small but significant ways.
The collar of last season’s top had yellow running around the edge of the neckline, there was very little shape or trills. For the 2018/19 season the collar is yellow at the front as well as the nape, and the sides are tucked down from the back to give more shape to the kit top.
On the sleeves the second difference can be found. On the previous season’s kit yellow tapered the bottom but only on the outside on half of the sleeve (the back half). On Puma’s newest kit the yellow tapering goes all the way around, completing the look and finishing a more rounded jersey.
Whether Crystal Palace can survive and indeed flourish next season will be seen when the next season rolls around in August. At that time England fans will know if they were truly better off without Hodgson and whether Russia truly was as hostile as expected. We look forward to seeing how this London team perform, until then, we’ll just gaze in admiration at this lovely new kit.
