I’ve always wondered what it was about Adlene Guedioura that stopped him ever getting a real chance at Palace. With now the Algerian midfielder re-joining Championship promotion chasers Watford on a three month loan I think it might be time to start reading between the lines. No manager has ever continuously picked the player, it can’t be because of what he produces on the pitch so that would signal as to what he is like off the pitch..
I’m so surprised that things haven’t worked out for Adlene, from a playing perspective I’m mystified as to why he has never had a run in the side – the quality is clearly there but maybe its something more than that. I am certainly no football manager but when Guedioura has ever been asked to do a job he has done it and to a high standard might I add, that what surprises me so much as to why he hasn’t ever really got going at Palace. I can’t claim to even seen him in training so I’m not in a position to make a claim there but clearly there is something we don’t know that all the previous managers do.
I thought Pardew coming in would be an excellent scenario for Guedioura considering his style of play but for whatever reason he hasn’t really had a fair chance. Even when Pards has introduced him this season he has been good, notably Spurs at home where he completely changed the dynamics of the game.
I have always been a big admirer of Guedioura but you have to feel his time at Selhurst Park is up – it is a massive shame as his technical ability is up as one of the best in the squad. I loved the variation that he brings, he is equally as comfortable and at home when playing a deep role in front of the back 4 but I think he really stands out when he is played just behind the striker. To me Guedioura is a natural number 10 – when we don’t posses the ball he is back defending with the midfield but when we do have the ball he is close to the centre forward.
I still remain very slim hope that Adlene gets his chance in that role because he brings a real calmness to the setup and seems to do things that most of our midfielders don’t do which is either complete the pass or pick up the ball from deep and drive forward.
In reality it unfortunately seems that Guedioura might have played his last game in the red and blue. For whatever reason Holloway, Pulis, Warnock and Pardew have never picked him and we will probably never know why. I hope I am proved wrong and Adlene has a long and successful future at Palace but if not I wish him all the best and am sad things never worked out for him.
