There isn't any overwhelming expectation on Crystal Palace to be a big success this season. Nor is there any similar kind of pressure on Patrick Vieira to deliver a top-half finish, despite it being an ambition of the club to establish themselves there soon.
Roy Hodgson's departure after four seasons last summer and the great exodus of senior players that followed him out the door was always going to be disruptive, but Palace alleviated a lot of the potential fallout of such a sizeable change with superb transfer recruitment and the appointment of Vieira.
The Frenchman and his coaching staff have been a breath of fresh air at Palace and have themselves on the cusp of the Premier League's top ten at the halfway stage of the season.
His possession-based style in games and his desire for Palace to attack more with freedom have made them a more enjoyable watch than they were under Hodgson. They have registered impressive wins over Spurs and Man City and earned plaudits for their rejuvenated style.
Vieira's principles also marry perfectly with how the club wants to identify itself within the area; helping them to not only attract south London's best players but keep hold of them too.
“My history of this club is we play a low block," Palace's co-owner and chairman Steve Parish told Sky Sports on Friday.
"When we had Ian Wright, we stayed in the division for a period and when we lost that fantastic talent at the top of the pitch, then we'd find it difficult and fall out of the division.
"So we need to evolve. We need to find a better way of playing football and it's happened a bit quicker than we thought it would so far this year and long may it continue."
Parish was speaking ahead of Palace's 1-1 draw against Brighton, where his side were largely outplayed on the night, highlighting that although big steps have certainly been made already this season there are still plenty more to come.
Another big test is around the corner as the Eagles host Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at Selhurst Park on Sunday, the same opposition that beat them 7-0 in the corresponding fixture last season.
Although the Africa Cup of Nations means several key players from both sides will miss the game, it should still provide a clear indication of how far Palace have come in a little over six months since the start of last summer.
That defeat was one of last season's lowest moments and was followed a few months later by a banner hung up at the Eagles training ground saying Palace were suffering a "pandemic of apathy" and demanding them to restore "pride, ambition and vision" to the club.
Thankfully for all involved, the situation 12 months later couldn't be more different. The job for Parish now is to make the most of the positive mood at the club and help it to progress further.
