Here's what we learned from Palace's poor showing in their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea.

Deja-vu, but worse

This was the performance that many had been dreading. It had been coming, but there was always a positive to take from previous showings.

Today’s defence v attack was hard to watch.

With just 33% possession and no shots on target, Palace never gave themselves a chance of a result.

Watching Palace is getting highly predictable. Team selection is rarely changed and ultimately what follows are similar performances whereby they rely on moments of magic (Townsend and Zaha) to earn results.

It’s hard to see what can change without any new additions in January.

They look solid enough at the back to avoid the drop, but going forward they lack any real conviction or creativity.

READ: Player ratings from Palace's 1-0 defeat by Chelsea

Wickham’s return is good news, but he’s not the Messi-ah

It’s great to see Connor Wickham playing football after a wretched spell on the side-lines, but be clear he was never a prolific goal-scorer nor an assistant merchant.

Yes he provides a different threat, a focal point and a foil for the more creative players to shine, but don’t expect miracles from the big centre-forward.

He looks rusty, understandably, as his blazed effort over the bar from five-yards out will show.

Milivojevic back to his best?

If there is a positive in this poor showing, then the captain is it.

He’s come in for some criticism for performances in the early part of the season but the captain seems to have settled back to his form of last year. It was always going to be a tough afternoon against a strong Chelsea side but the Serbian held his own.

He’s not there to create but to disrupt, and he did that well alongside Kouyate and McArthur. The only problem is that in the space of 90 minutes a quality side like Chelsea will ultimately find an opening.

READ: Report: Palace 0 Chelsea 1 - poor end to 2018 for the Eagles

Zaha frustration

The reliance on Wilfried Zaha is clear to see. But when he’s having an off-day then Palace struggle. Against Chelsea he cut a forlorn figure who is not happy playing as the line striker. Often frustrated he seems to be wearing a perplexed look all more frequently these days.

With refereeing decisions going against him and crowd jeers seemingly increasing every week, that £11 million a year in China may look far more appealing than feeding on the scraps in Palace’s final third.

Blue’s never out of second gear

Maurizio Sarri’s men cruised this game. Largely thanks to Palace parking the bus and being happy to yield possession to the boys from the Kings Road. Willian and Hazard looked like they were in a training ground game.

Going through a ‘tough’ period themselves recently Chelsea may not have learned a lot from this result other than even in a bad spell they can still beat teams before the first whistle is blown.