Ward detailed Vieira’s demands for adaptability, as Palace aim to be in control both with and without the ball.
“Obviously you balance off – having that balance within the team is important,” he explained. “Me coming across and almost making it into a back-three [when Tyrick goes forward] is important, and it is the way we are shaping up at the minute.
“I’m almost in a supportive role I guess. But we are working on different new things right now that are suiting the personnel of this team.
“I think the game is moving and adapting all the time, so you have to be able to move and adapt with that as well. Being able to go into different systems midway through the game or halfway through the game, you have to be able to adapt and move with what you’re coming up against from the opposition.”
It has taken plenty of hard work to reach this point, starting as soon as Vieira and his coaching staff arrived over summer.
“It obviously takes time, and we’re working towards something,” Ward said. “The will take time as we learn what the gaffer wants to do.
“Having pre-season as a solid pre-season – as a group together – was so important. Often you see manager come in midway through a season and it’s difficult to get their message across at times.
“The gaffer coming in when he did and working with the players from day one was vital for us. We want to move forwards and take the club to new levels and new heights, and hopefully we’re on the path to do that and achieve something we haven’t achieved yet.”