Exciting Eze opens up new possibilities for Crystal Palace attack

When Crystal Palace finally confirmed the signing of Eberechi Eze from London side Queens Park Rangers on Friday, Eagles fans could be forgiven for probably getting overly excited after the arrival of the playmaker for an initial £16 million.

Eze, formerly on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, will add the needed glint to a Palace team heavily reliant on Wilfried Zaha to provide an injection of pace and creativity to the side. Even though Jordan Ayew proved in 2019/20 that he can take up the mantle, especially if the Ivory Coast winger is either off form or departs, there was still a feeling that Roy Hodgson needed more.

This was particularly evident after football returned in June, where the Eagles collapsed and ultimately ended 14th after threatening to play in Europe with eight games to play. That wretched run of results saw the London outfit lose seven of eight games, scoring just three and letting in a staggering 18 goals.

While the goals conceded were worrisome, Palace’s average concession of goals before the lockdown was quite impressive and the soft underbelly in the final stretch didn’t give a realistic presentation of their defensive solidity in the first 30 Premier League games.

Despite averaging 2.25 goals conceded following the league’s resumption, the South London team were breached fewer times (50) than any other team in the bottom half of the league.

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Having let in a mean of 1.06 goals after their 2-0 success over Bournemouth, keeping the same tightness at the back will have resulted in probably conceding just over 40 times. For context, this could have been somewhere in and around the top five rearguards in the division.

Indeed, the issue for Hodgson’s men last term wasn’t in defence but the attacking third. They scored a paltry 31 times throughout the season, a statistic that highlighted their extreme reliance on Ayew to come up trumps in an attacking unit that couldn’t produce consistently enough. Relegated Norwich City were the only side to find the back of the net on fewer occasions than the Eagles, a telling fact.

With Zaha not as productive as he had been for Palace in previous campaigns, the onus shifted to the Ghana star to deliver the goods, which he did until the drop off in the final run of fixtures. For years now, before the former Swansea City forward’s unexpected prolific season, their Ivory Coast wideman tended to be the Glaziers’ go-to star on the pitch to provide the X factor in tight situations.

Eze’s arrival on the scene means Hodgson’s troops won’t be as predictable as recent years have demonstrated.

Not only is the clever playmaker capable of pulling a rabbit out of his hat but last year suggested the 22-year-old Anglo-Nigerian has the end product to match his undoubted skill.

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14 goals and eight assists was a solid return, which accounted for 33 percent of QPR’s goals in the Championship. When he tailed off when the sport returned in June, it told in the Hoops’ results as they picked up just two wins in their last nine.

The fact that the electric youngster completed the highest volume of dribbles in the entire league last season will excite Palace supporters, while his tendency to draw fouls (only West Bromwich Albion’s Matheus Pereira was fouled more often), something Zaha has become accustomed to over the years means the Eagles would have more than one player now attracting opponents’ attention.

What’s even more mouth-watering is in their distinct dribbling styles. While the Ivorian tends to power past markers explosively, Eze’s dribbles look rather easier on the eye.

The latter’s goal in a 2-1 success over Stoke City perfectly sums up the youngster’s style. After a commendable nine-pass move eventually found the 22-year-old tucked inside on the halfway line, the virtuoso playmaker ran past his marker, dragged the ball past Nathan Collins before finishing coolly to send his side 2-0 up after 53 minutes.

What made that strike even more remarkable was how Eze had been casually strolling into Stoke’s half as the move developed, looking seemingly disinterested. Despite playing as the left winger on the day, the attacking midfielder then recognised the space in the middle of the park and drifted infield to act as the number 10, his favoured role.

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While the home side were drawn out of position looking to win the ball and QPR seemed unable to progress beyond the halfway line, Eze had the presence of mind to be aware of the opening and devastatingly took advantage.

Besides the Anglo-Nigerian’s immense dribbling ability and admirable ball-carrying, his adeptness in several positions would be beneficial to Palace. Even though he favours a free role behind the striker, the Greenwich-born player is equally capable on the left flank, where he’s usually deployed, and also on the opposite flank.

Interestingly, he’s competent in central midfield as well, although advisably in a midfield three than a two-man pairing.

Without question, the London born and bred playmaker will add several positives to an Eagles side many observers often tag as boring or lacking depth. There will be a period of adjusting having moved from a lower division to the top flight, but the excitement he brings means Palace supporters will give him time to get to grips with Premier League football.

Having seen Ayew thrive last term and with Zaha’s already-known qualities, the introduction of Eze into the mix gives another dimension to the Crystal Palace attack, and Hodgson’s team could suddenly become one of the more watchable sides in the upcoming season.