Is this the beginning of the end for Crystal Palace

We are only a quarter of the way through the season, but Crystal Palace already find themselves in the relegation zone. After a promising start to the season, which saw them win their opening two games, they have now lost their last six in a row.
So what has gone wrong for Palace? There are a number of factors that could be contributing to their poor form.
Firstly, they have been hit hard by injuries. Key players such as Wilfried Zaha, Jordan Ayew, and James Tomkins have all been out for significant periods of time. This has left them short of quality and experience.
Secondly, their new manager, Patrick Vieira, is still finding his feet. He is a young manager with limited experience at the top level. It may take him some time to adapt to the Premier League and get the best out of his players.
Thirdly, Palace have been unlucky. They have lost a number of games by the odd goal, and they have also been on the wrong end of some poor refereeing decisions.
But while there are a number of factors that could be contributing to Palace's poor form, the ultimate responsibility lies with the players. They need to start performing better and start winning games.
If they don't, they could find themselves in a real relegation battle come the end of the season.
Here are some of the specific reasons why Palace have struggled this season:

They have been poor defensively. They have conceded 18 goals in their last six games, which is an average of three goals per game.
They have not been clinical enough in front of goal. They have only scored four goals in their last six games.
They have not been able to control games. They have been outplayed by their opponents in most of their games this season.

If Palace can address these issues, they may be able to turn their season around. But if they continue to play as they have been doing, they will be in real danger of relegation.