EAGLES columnist WILL TAYLOR still retains every faith Crystal Palace’s owners will make the right choice on who to appoint next despite the long wait to announce Ian Holloway’s successor.

ANOTHER weekend, another soul-sapping defeat.

It’s difficult to talk about football at the moment without being drowned out by your own relentless sighing or a barrage of unexpected tears.

As I write this, Crystal Palace currently resemble a learner driver who has accidentally turned into a cul-de-sac.

It wasn’t long ago the future looked impossibly bright, we were on an open road with endless possibilities.

And even though we would be repeatedly overtaken, insulted and cut-up by those around us, we were all in agreement it was still going to be an enjoyable journey.

But now it seems as though there is nowhere left to go, apart from down of course, with the club now implementing the world’s most prolonged three-point turn to try and get us back on track.

This analogy might also explain why we never look very good on the road.

The last time I visited the Hawthorns in 2009 Alassane N'Diaye - a man I once inexplicably referred to as a ‘young Patrick Vieira’ – scored to give Palace a vital 1-0 victory.

Sadly, though, there was something achingly inevitable about last weekend's 2-0 defeat.

Despite the Eagles’ superior statistics and flickers of smart build-up play, West Brom were dominant without being particular decisive, diligent, or indeed dangerous.

Keith Millen kept faith with the same team which eventually succumbed to Arsenal last time out but they struggled to repeat such a spirited performance in amongst a harsh Midlands wind.

Adlene Guedioura stung the hands of Boaz Myhill early on before Mile Jedinak stunned the stadium when he thumped his close-range header past the post in the second half.

But when Gareth McAuley sealed victory with his own six-yard header, the sight of Jedinak lying despondent on the floor made it abundantly clear it is going to take a brave man to pick this side back up.

However, while a number of uninspiring names continue to be linked with the vacancy, both co-chairman Steve Parish and Steve Browett have been making all the right noises in the media.

Prior to Saturday's game, Parish spoke of his desire to “get it right for the long term” rather than simply throwing money at the swirly relegation vortex growing beneath us.

He also alluded to the possibility of multiple appointments, hinting at the coupling of a young manager alongside an experienced assistant with a little known entity working as the head of recruitment to help “carry the club forward”.

Meanwhile, Browett took to fans’ forum BBS to allay fears and provide a welcome insight into the recruitment process.

He made a valid point about appointing an overseas manager, something I have championed in recent weeks, by commenting that ‘for every Pochettino type success there has been a Sollbakken type failure’.

He went on to stress: ‘What we need most of all is a manager who is up for the fight and really believes that he can keep us in this division (and has a plan for doing so)’ before adding ‘nobody is being ruled out at this stage’.

And so while many fans continue to fret, fantasise and frustrate themselves over a lack of activity, I now find myself strangely satisfied the right decision will be made by the right people at the helm of the club.

Parish said an announcement this week was “unlikely” and the upcoming international break would provide more time to implement changes, especially with a must-win match against Hull looming on the horizon.

I can only hope when I come to write my next blog I can utter the car-friendly phrase ‘are we there yet?’ in the vain belief we're somewhat closer to our desired appointment.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt for updates from Crystal Palace v Everton on Saturday.