DOUGIE Freedman is still predicting a roller coaster season for Crystal Palace, despite the club’s best start to a campaign in six years.

Speaking after last night’s1-0 victory against Bristol City, where the Eagles extended their unbeaten run to four games, the manager was refusing to get too carried away by insisting although their start has been a surprise, his side still have a long way to go.

Freedman said: “To be honest it’s a surprise to me because I didn’t expect us to take shape as quickly as we have done.

“I felt it would be a longer process but it’s only 12 games in and we find ourselves bubbling along nicely.

“It’s a long, long way to go but the good thing is that the team’s improving. It’s hard work going into these victories, it’s not flukes so the team is improving but there’s a long way to go and we’ve got a lot of youngsters in the team and it’s going to be a roller coaster season.

“But I’m happy with the fans, who stuck with us even at 0-0 and I know we will win a few, lose a few and go up and down the league but that doesn’t bother me at all as long as we are improving.”

Palace currently sit fifth but Freedman isn’t interested in looking at tables, he prefers instead to concentrate on improving his players day by day and worrying about where that improvement takes his side at the end of the season.

He explained: “I don’t look at the table, I look at the video 48 hours after the even t and assess how we are getting better.

“How much better will be told by the table at the end of the season.

“As long as the lads are sticking at it at training every day and are on the right path to getting better as individuals and therefore as a team, who knows where it will take you?

“Some managers will sit here and say ‘we’re going to do this and that and get promotion’ I’m telling you that we’re getting better and what will be will be.”

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