Crystal Palace Looking For Spark From Midfield Playmaker

Crystal Palace Looking For Spark From Midfield Playmaker

For years, Crystal Palace has been a club that has been renowned for its more functional football. The days of being known for playing fast-paced and slick football sit in the distant past. Since Patrick Vieira arrived at Palace, though, things have become slightly more exciting from an offensive perspective. The arrival of some intriguing young attacking talent certainly played a role in making that the case. However, recent weeks has brought a side recently on a seven-game unbeaten streak back down to Earth.

And if Palace want to get back on track, it might be time for Vieira and his coaching team to take a few risks. One such positive risk that should be attempted would be to bring back Ebere Eze back into the team on a regular basis. Though the local lad has failed to really live up to his billing since returning from injury, the severity of the injury justifies the glacial pace of his return to form.

Still, without minutes in his legs – and crucially a run of games where mistakes can be made – Eze will not return to his pre-injury form. Form that, if you recall, had him on the cusp of going to the European Championships with England. Now, it looks like he could play for Nigeria internationally, but right now he needs to focus on getting back on the pitch with Palace.

The team has looked a little bit less aggressive offensively in recent weeks, and part of that has seen a big drop-off in how creative they can be in the middle of the pitch. This has naturally raised a few questions for some fans who wonder how the team is going to get back on top after what has been a puzzling few weeks in terms of performance.

Can Eze offer a bright spark for the rest of 2022?

Alongside Michael Olise, Eze is arguably the most exciting player to wear the Palace shirt. However, it might be time for fans to accept that as a young player and one coming back from injury that Eze will have tough patches of form. It cannot be right all the time, unfortunately, as he has found out to his cost by being out of the team. However, with so little left to play for this season, why not get more minutes in his legs?

Eze will be a vital component of the 2022-23 Palace FC and he needs to get the chance to earn the trust of the coaching staff again. With so little left on the current schedule – relegation is almost impossible, as is moving up the table in a meaningful manner – it might be time to accept that things have to change.

Palace are in a good place, but they need to look to add more injections of energy and attacking impetus into their game. If they wish to do that, using the talent currently riding the pine on the bench would be a great idea. Starting with this weekend, it would be good to see Eze back in the team – even if he is still developing, the minutes could prove essential ahead of next year.