Crystal Palace have to get their season again on monitor. Oliver Glasner’s aspect have struggled in type in current months and are susceptible to being dragged right into a relegation battle after profitable simply one in every of their 11 Premier League video games.
The South Londoners, who’ve 32 factors, appear unlikely to be overtaken by 18th-placed West Ham United, who’re eight factors behind.
Nonetheless, the sale of Marc Guehi to Manchester Metropolis in January and the lack of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in a £67m deal final summer time have weakened the Eagles’ protection.
Palace want a brand new talisman to regain their dominance. Will it’s Jean-Philippe Mateta in these essential coming months?
Newest data on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future
The information that Mateta was eager to depart for pastures new irritated the Crystal Palace fan base, however this flip of destiny meant that Glasner had entry to a proficient Premier League striker for a number of months of the season.
In spite of everything, as analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson identified, Mateta has developed into “among the finest strikers” in England over the previous 5 years. He has scored 38 objectives within the Premier League for the reason that begin of the 2023/24 season (Mateta, not Mattinson).
Nonetheless, Mateta has been unsure over current months and was eager to make a transfer. You possibly can see that in his ending, which has resulted in him scoring simply eight objectives within the league up to now whereas conceding 16 large probabilities.
Premier League’s Jean-Philippe Mateta | ||
|---|---|---|
season | app | Objective + Help |
25/26 | twenty three | 8+0 |
24/25 | 37 | 14+2 |
23/24 | 35 | 16+6 |
22/23 | 29 | 2+0 |
21/22 | twenty two | 5+1 |
20/21 | 7 | 1 + 0 |
Dates through Transfermarkt | ||
Nonetheless, whereas the France worldwide is without doubt one of the strongest gamers in Glasner’s aspect and will play a giant position within the coming months, there may be one other ahead able to tackle a talismanic position and show to be the brand new model of Eze at Selhurst Park.
Glasner’s new model of Eze
Eze immortalized his title in Crystal Palace lore by scoring the profitable purpose in final yr’s FA Cup remaining. Thus ended a storied profession in south London and moved to N5 to pursue greater cabinets of silverware alongside Mikel Arteta.
After all Mateta will not be a participant much like Eze, however whereas he may have stepped up this season and performed a number one position within the striker place, that position may very well go to new signing Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Palace paid a club-record £48m for the Norwegian centre-forward in direction of the top of the winter switch window, so that they’ll be trying ahead to seeing him in motion.
However 25-year-old Strand Larsen, to his credit score, fudged Wolves within the first half, scoring only one purpose within the Premier League because the Previous Gold languished within the second tier.
However that class is everlasting, and after scoring 15 objectives within the Premier League final season, he returned to type at Selhurst Park, scoring twice towards Burnley earlier than the Clarets staged a bitter comeback in midweek.
At 6-foot-4, Strand-Larsen is a towering presence whose physicality and deft hold-up play make him a “thorn within the aspect” for defenders, in line with league legend Alan Shearer.
Whereas he’s definitely totally different from Eze on this respect, the England worldwide’s sharpness and distinctive attacking strategy have benefited Glasner’s aspect. He bounced again after the sale of Michael Olisse to Bayern Munich and gained a membership silver medal.
The scenario is definitely not the identical, however with Mateta drifting in direction of departure, Strand Larsen may very well be the main target.
Strand Larsen remains to be nearing the top of his profession at Crystal Palace, however his medical incisiveness within the remaining third and fast begin on the tip of an inconsistent entrance line counsel he may emerge as the brand new chief of Glasner’s aspect.
As unhealthy as Lerma: Crystal Palace’s ‘nightmare’ already seems to be like wasted cash
Oliver Glasner’s Palace venture is below menace after Burnley left Selhurst Park with all of the spoils.
