Crystal Palace finally have Zaha and Schlupp back – and every reason to believe they can carry a far greater offensive threat

BY SAM SMITH

It might have ended in a 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, but Roy Hodgson will take solace from last Sunday’s game in north London because he was finally able to use Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha on the pitch at the same time.

If Crystal Palace’s form without the latter is poor, then also losing Schlupp for the same period was a disastrous scenario.

The Ghanaian had been absent since suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-0 victory against Sheffield United on January 2. At Selhurst Park that day, his driving run and powerful finish before he was forced off typified exactly what he brings to a Palace attack that has misfired while both he and Zaha have been sidelined.

Schlupp marked his return in the final six minutes of the goalless draw against Manchester United last Wednesday. Zaha played the second half of the defeat by Spurs while Schlupp was a late substitute. Keeping both fit for the remainder of the season will help Palace move to a more progressive style after having their attacking options limited for so long.

The South Londoners’ recent struggles in front of goal are well documented. Across four matches – Brighton, Fulham, Manchester United and Spurs – they have registered just four shots on target.

Three of those resulted in goals – the other was a late Patrick van Aanholt effort that VAR would have ruled out for offside had the Dutchman scored.

Three goals from four shots on target is efficient but wholly unsustainable. Before that, they had also failed to score in fixtures against Leeds United and Burnley while also conceding five goals in the process.

Such issues have been presented because Palace have lacked someone capable of moving Palace up the pitch. There has been an absence of anyone able to receive the ball and carry it forward to relieve pressure on the back four. That, above all, is exactly what Schlupp does so well and is why his return to fitness should be celebrated by those who yearn for more progressive, exciting football.

Hodgson has long seen Schlupp as key to his system, almost to the point where he will fit him into the team in any position.

The 28-year-old is more intelligent than he is often afforded credit for and that allows him to play well in several roles.

Under the 73-year-old, Schlupp has played in a midfield three, in a two-man midfield, wide on the right and on the left, as a left-back and as a striker. Go back further and there was an appearance as a central defender in a back five under Sam Allardyce.

Asked about Schlupp after the Spurs game, Hodgson said: “We do like his versatility and he is capable of playing anywhere across the midfield and even play as a second striker because that’s the type of player he is.

“We appreciate very much his pace, his strength and his desire to take the game to the opponents.

“We saw some good signs of that in the second half, the only problem was that we were already 3-1 down so the signs were never going to be as exciting as perhaps they would have been had the game been level or had we been leading.”

It is that ability to drive through midfield and put the opposition on the back foot that makes Schlupp so important in a counter-attacking system.

Take Zaha and Schlupp out of the team and there are few remaining players who are capable of carrying the ball into opposition territory. That would have made games against Brighton, Burnley and Fulham easier, when Palace struggled to move up the pitch and faced constant pressure.

Without Schlupp, Palace often fail to win. The former Leicester City man missed 21 Premier League matches last season and the Eagles lost nine. This year they won just five times, compared to the six victories in the 17 games he featured in.

For the last two seasons the club’s points-per-game ratio has been higher when Schlupp has played.

The Eagles have won 1.35 points-per-game this term with Schlupp, compared to 1.00 without – compared with 1.24 and 1.05 in the previous season.

It is only in the 2018-19 campaign that Palace won more games than they lost when he has been absent.

Just one of his 10 goals for Palace has come in a defeat – a headed consolation in a 3-2 reverse against West Ham in 2019 – and his strikes have contributed to 20 points.

That points to someone who is far more important than they are given credit for.

Now Schlupp and Zaha are back, Palace will have the option to play more expansive football.