It’s been a long time since the feeling of excitement and optimism has been in the air at Crystal Palace, but with new boss Oliver Glasner at the helm, the future of the club looks to be heading in the right direction.
The Austrian boss knows how to win football matches, trusting the youth and his finely crafted system to bring him success.
The Eagles will hope to be the next team that Glasner can influence and inspire, but for this season, it looks set to be one of discovery and experiment.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt boss’ first game in charge was the 3-0 home victory over Burnley, but there is one player who stood out during that match, whom Glasner could turn into a monster.
Eze and Olise's record at Palace in 23/24
Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise are two of the most entertaining forwards in the Premier League, who not only provide flair but also have the output to back it up.
When they’re in the team, Palace are a completely different side, due to the majority of their goals and creativity coming from the attackers.
This season, the French forward has scored six goals and provided three assists, while the former QPR gem has netted five and assisted once.
However, unfortunately this term, the duo have been hit by injuries, with Eze starting just 13 games in the league and Olise starting just eight – with the pair both also touted for exits in the near future.
Luckily, the Eagles have had one player step up in their absence who could become vital for the team under Glasner.
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ByJack Salveson HolmesFeb 28, 2024 How Jordan Ayew could thrive under Glasner
This season, Jordan Ayew has gone slightly under the radar for his consistency and, above all, his importance to the Palace team, but that wasn’t the case for Roy Hodgson, who said:
"We made the loan permanent for a small sum of money & he’s given us five further years of quite incredible service. He’s one of the most reliable and consistent players that we have."
On top of his four goals and six assists, making him the top goal-contributor in the Eagles squad this season, the star, who cost just £2.5m, provides intensity and work rate, which will align perfectly with Glasner’s philosophy, as highlighted by his 2.1 tackles per game.
Unlike Hodgson, who typically opted for a variation of a 4-3-3, the 49-year-old coach deploys a fluid 3-4-2-1, with overlapping wing-backs and two inside forwards who almost act as second strikers. Given that Ayew’s profile is neither that of an out-and-out number nine nor that of a winger, this more inverted, free role where he can use his excellent dribbling to impact the game could just bring the best out of the attacker.
Goals
1
Assists
1
Key passes
5
Successful dribbles
3/3
Duels won
11
Tackles
3
That was seen in action last weekend against Burnley in Glasner's first game in charge, as can be seen in the table above, where the Ghana international scored and assisted while making five key passes and completing all three of his dribbles.
The 32-year-old also showed his importance to the team regarding his off-the-ball tenacity, making three tackles and winning 11 duels, and that showing made it quite clear that Glasner could unearth a monster in Ayew.