Eagles’ defeat to Burnley underlines need for a striker to be on shopping list in summer transfer window

CRYSTAL PALACE 0
BURNLEY 1
Mee 62
BY SAM SMITH AT SELHURST PARK

It was not until late in the second half of this defeat against Burnley that Crystal Palace truly threatened the Clarets. For most of the game they tried to move the ball forward, they tried to find the front three in space, they tried to create chances. But on too few occasions did those attempts result in a genuine scoring chance.

By the time Luka Milivojevic had headed off target from close range and both Scott Dann and Wilfried Zaha had seen shots deflect over the bar, it was too late.

Burnley had sat deep and soaked up pressure. They surrounded Zaha each time the Ivorian received possession, therefore nullifying the Eagles’ most potent outlet. Ben Mee scored the only goal of the game with one of few chances for the visitors.

The best Palace performances under Roy Hodgson have come when they have defended solidly and scored against the run of play. In a sense, Burnley outperformed the South Londoners at their own game. A late equaliser would not have been wholly deserved.

And if there were any game to demonstrate the Eagles’ need for a new striker, this was it. Those attempts to move the ball forward, to find the forwards in space and to create chances primarily failed because they lacked a focal point.

For all Jordan Ayew’s pressing of defenders and his neat work when in possession, he cannot hold up the ball well enough to play as the lone striker. He does not bring Zaha or Andros Townsend into play as effectively as a bigger centre-forward would.

Mee and fellow Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski will not have had many easier games than this all season. The towering pair dominated against Ayew’s five-foot-nine-inch frame and the former netted the winning goal his performance deserved.

It meant the Eagles struggled to get Zaha into the game. The 27-year-old didn’t appear to be fully fit, having been substituted early on in the 4-0 defeat against Liverpool last week.

He seemed to have more spats with Burnley’s coaching staff than he had touches in their penalty area.

Palace have won just one of their three matches since Project Restart and their best performance came in that victory at AFC Bournemouth. Christian Benteke played a key role in linking together most attacks but suffered an injury late on and has not featured since.

The Belgian, 29, has many critics and does not score anywhere near enough goals, but his presence in the Eagles team often leads to better performances. Palace have won just three of the 12 games in which Benteke has not featured this season. They have lost just four of the 10 matches he has started.

The former Liverpool forward has endured a stop-start campaign but was just hitting a run of good form before lockdown. He scored his first goal of the season in the 3-1 defeat at Everton. He had set up Ayew’s goal in the victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and started the counter-attack which led to the Ghanaian’s winner against Watford the week later.

Against Bournemouth, Benteke battled well against the Cherries’ back four and his presence offered a genuine threat. That same ability to hold onto the ball and bring team-mates into play has been absent in the last two fixtures when Ayew has started in Benteke’s place.

But Benteke’s lack of goals – five in three seasons – presents Palace with a big dilemma. The Eagles need a similar striker, but one who will regularly find the net. They are the second-lowest scorers in the division – only Norwich City who are effectively playing to restore pride at the bottom of the Premier League have scored fewer.

Given they spent £27million to take Benteke from Liverpool, it is not inconceivable that the South Londoners may have to spend a similar fee on a long-term replacement. With a likely economic crash on the horizon, it is not clear how that may influence Palace’s ability to spend large amounts of money and there are other positions in need of new recruits.

Hodgson would usually be able to point to a lack of resources but this defeat was against a Burnley side who could only name seven substitutes from a possible nine, and of which only one was a senior player. But if the 72-year-old can finally sign the striker he craves, performances so lucklustre in attack such as this will be a rarity.

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Guaita 4, Ward 5, Dann 5, Cahill 5, Van Aanholt 4, McArthur 5, Milivojevic 5, Kouyate 4 (McCarthy 46, 4), Townsend 4 (Meyer 77), Ayew 4, Zaha 4. Not used: Hennessey, Woods, Tavares, Sakho, Mitchell, Riedewald, Pierrick.