Annabel Blanchard refusing to give up on season despite difficult start for Crystal Palace

6th November 2025 Oliver Taliku

Annabel Blanchard is one of five players to leave Crystal Palace this summer

Crystal Palace midfielder Annabel Blanchard is refusing to give up on the season just yet, despite a difficult start for the Eagles. 

Things haven’t been easy for Crystal Palace at the start of this season in WSL2.

Annabel Blanchard not giving up on Crystal Palace 

The Eagles have won just one game in seven and they could be staring down the barrel of a relegation battle already.

Despite the tough start, Palace midfielder Annabel Blanchard insists the team hasn’t given up on their season just yet.

“We’ve had a tough start to the season, with some disappointing results and performances. But it’s a long season and there’s still a lot of football to be played, so we’re not going to dwell,” she said.

“We need to obviously put them behind us and focus on the next game, and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Blanchard has impressed for Palace this year even though the club has struggled. The 24-year-old is just behind Ella Toone in England’s assist charts this season with three already.

Palace face off against two of the bottom five in their next two league games, with important matches against Sheffield United and Ipswich.

There is just four points between the Eagles in 10th and Southampton in fifth so the season isn’t over yet by any means.

How is WSL2 different to the WSL?

With Palace relegated last season, many had the club as one of the favourites to bounce back with immediate promotion this year.

But the second division hasn’t been easy for Palace which is something Blanchard wasn’t too shocked by.

The Eagles star was crowned champion of WSL2 in 2024 and has played for Palace in both leagues.

“The leagues are obviously different in their own ways. They’re both very difficult, but the WSL2 is definitely getting more competitive year in, year out,” Blanchard said.

“Any team can beat any team on any given day. I think that’s why the league is so exciting.

“The quality in and around the league is definitely there now, and it’s getting better each year.”

With WSL2 so tight still as we approach the midway point in the season, it is easy to see just how competitive the division has become.

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About Oliver Taliku 338 Articles
Olly Taliku has worked with highly respected sports and gambling websites where he has produced hundreds of articles, as well as being published with Burton Albion and Chesterfield FC. At Burton Olly worked closely alongside the women's team, producing mainly matchday content including reports and interviews. He also has experience as an accredited Premier League and EFL writer for Prost International where he worked during the 2021/22 season to produce matchday content as an on location reporter. Olly specialises in women's football as well as long form SEO content plus news and tips. While he enjoys writing about all football, Olly supports Arsenal passionately as a lifelong fan of the club.

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