Can Crystal Palace Break the Pattern of Alan Pardew's Career so Far?

Crystal Palace's signing of Yohan Cabaye is one of the most impressive Premier League acquisitions of the summer so far. After their fantastic end to last season under Alan Pardew, the Eagles have every reason to feel confident going into the new season.

However, Palace should be more cautious than their form suggests they deserve to be. Despite Pardew's superb start to life as Palace manager, it's his past record that the Selhurst Park faithful should be mindful of.

After a bright start to his managerial career with Reading, Pardew joined West Ham United, where he first made a name for himself in the Premier League.

It was with the Hammers that the pattern that has come to undermine his undeniable attributes first emerged. In his second season, he guided them to the Premier League via the play-offs despite going through sustained patches of poor form.

His first season in the top flight was a nearly unmitigated success, taking the team to an extremely creditable ninth-place finish and reaching the FA Cup final. However, the season after their form collapsed. The Hammers were dumped out of the UEFA Cup and League Cup in the early rounds, and Pardew was sacked in December with the Hammers in 18th position.

His time at Charlton Athletic followed a similar trajectory. His arrival marked an upturn in form, although he was unable to prevent relegation. The Addicks toiled in the Championship for around a season and a half before mass protests against Pardew saw him sacked.

His sacking at Southampton was more due to interpersonal conflicts than form, but he reverted to type at Newcastle United, where polarising form once again hobbled progress.

His travails with the Magpies have been well documented, but a snapshot of any of his four years at the helm reveals the same schizophrenic form. In 2013/14, for example, he oversaw a record six-game losing streak, as well as a run where United won seven out of nine, including games against Chelsea and away at Manchester United.

This inexplicable trend is indicative of a manager who lives and dies by his ability to motivate. When it works, his teams can beat anybody; when it doesn't, things unravel rapidly.

Palace are the club with whom Pardew enjoyed the best spell of his playing career, and he must hope that his affinity with the club will finally help his banish the demons that have beleaguered his career so far.