EAGLES columnist SAM ROSS believes last night’s 3-0 capitulation at Ipswich was the worst display of the season yet as Crystal Palace’s alarming dip in form continues at just the wrong time.

FIVE games, 456 minutes or more than seven and a half hours - either way you look at it, the length of time it has taken Palace to score a single goal is shocking.

Add to this three big defeats and Ian Holloway’s run in to the end of the season is now worse than Palace’s start under Dougie Freedman.

Fortunately for Freedman, that turned good after four games, but the Scot had a lot more games ahead of him, as well as the benefit of then being a Palace legend and thus the backing of the majority of Selhurst.

Last night’s 3-0 loss at Ipswich is for me the worst result of the season against a side who, despite their position in the league which Mick McCarthy has performed wonders to achieve, are the poorest team I have seen this season.

At Selhurst back in November, in Holloway’s first game in charge, the Tractor Boys looked a team which didn’t deserve a place in the Football League, let alone the Championship.

But yesterday appeared to be a complete role reversal after mistakes from Julian Speroni and Peter Ramage means the Eagles are now sweating over their play-off place.

Ipswich netted from all three of their shots on target on Tuesday night, while the Eagles couldn’t score one of their seven.

This current run of form is throwing up more questions than answers and suggests things behind closed doors aren’t as cosy as they once were.

Whether this is indeed the case, only those on the inside really know but if so it needs sorting.

It is clear players who were once shining for Palace clearly aren’t at the minute and whether they have lost belief in the manager, who knows?

But to me it doesn’t seem as simple as a blip.

To go from one extreme of scoring so much to not scoring at all is unbelievable.

Holloway seems to be doubting himself.

The tactics he unsuccessfully employed against Birmingham appear to have had an affect - they could have worked last night.

I believe Holloway, on the back of four decent results, would have done just as he did against Birmingham last night and gone completely full out attack at half-time, but because of the abuse he received for that decision he chose not to.

This Saturday’s home game against Leicester is now the biggest of Palace’s season.

Lose and for me they won’t be able to bounce back and respond to the pressure Bolton and Nottingham Forest are posing.

I desperately hope the poor run came to an end last night and Holloway can turn around the form and enter the play-offs with the momentum he is known for.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt