This summer the expectation and media updates all centred around Palace’s most frequently discussed player, Wilfried Zaha, and ‘the will he stay‘ or ‘will he leave‘ saga which, the longer the summer progressed, it looked ever more likely that our long standing hero would venture elsewhere to finish his career.
Albeit possibly confusing as to why Zaha would choose to ply his trade in Turkey, there would be few who would begrudge him the last chance to experience European nights under floodlights. He will now ply his trade against different full backs and show the rest of the world what he is capable of with a team of players who, like Wilf in some cases, are being given one last stab at the big stage.
The slow departure was on the cards. Wilf’s injury towards the end of the season raised the question of whether we’d seen him pull on the red and blue for the final time. The unveiling of a mural appeared to be his SE25 testimonial and the contracts and contact between Palace officials appeared to stall. While his departure was on the cards, there didn’t appear to be the resignation that we’d lost our hero like we had in previous periods at Palace – are we better placed than ever to live life post hero?
Palace fans like many clubs in our situation where success is rare, attach ourselves to individuals who bring us hope, glory, and possibly a sense of smugness that we too can have a player than will bring parity with the big clubs or even just a player than can walk into their team.
Thinking back from the 90’s onwards, we’ve had Ian Wright, Chris Armstrong, David Hopkin, Andy Johnson, Shefqi Kuqi (joking), Yannick Bolasie, and of course Wilf. Have ave we ever been better prepared than now for the baton to be passed on?
The return of Roy last season galvanized the team, a brilliant run of results and form saw Palace hit the end of season with momentum rarely experienced at our top level and at the heart of that is Eberechi Eze.
Like Wilf, Eze has proved to be a unique talent but unlike his predecessor, Eze goes about his work in a less intense, more calm manner, with the confidence that he can destroy defenses effortlessly. With the attack on his terms, he will decide the pace at which we play, the shape their defence will take and the outcome from the attack, all qualities Wilf exudes.
Eze’s qualities are without question there to match Wilf’s, but there are other opportunities that can enable Eze to match Wilf. Under Viera we could see the importance of the guiding influence, or lack of, and how this resulted negatively in Eze’s form and ultimately maybe that of Wilf as the balance of our three pronged attack with Eze, Wilf, and Michael Olise proved a much greater threat. Eze has the ability to drift past defenders, to exploit the space, to commit multiple defenders but he also has a clinical eye for goal that at times Wilf lacked. This was exhibited last season under the comforting guidance of Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington and this is why we may be better placed now to replace or hero than ever before.
Aside from Eze we continue to provide attacking prowess through Olise who, despite ongoing transfer rumours, has developed into one of our most promising and influential attacking players in recent history. Even with him not being the finished product, his ability to dictate the play like Zaha and Eze shows he can easily rise into the role.
Finally, there is Matheus Franca, and what to expect of our new Brazilian import. Judgement will need to wait. He’s young, influential and has potential. The transfer into the world’s best league will be judged in due course but needless to say, he won’t feel the need to walk into Selhurst and fill the vacancy left by Zaha. This should be naturally and effortlessly filled by Eze and Olise all being well.
