Having played in France prior to his arrival at Palace, no one had seen much of Pape Soure. We didn’t know what to expect. On the one hand, he’s a Senegalese international, so he must be decent. On the other, we thought we’d found the answer to our left back problem in Zeki Fryers – and we were let down. Badly. So needless to say, there was a combination of anticipation and trepidation around Soure’s arrival.
Ask any Palace fan what their first memory of Souare was and the answer will be unanimous – conceding a penalty by taking down Danny Welbeck against Arsenal.
Positionally, he looked suspect too. Things did not look good. The pace of physicality of the Premier League, it seems, took him by surprise. After all, you can be told how different it is…but it’s not until you experience it that you really adapt.
However, fast forward to his most recent outing and things appear far more promising. He showed real signs of promise. An almost telepathic understanding with Bolasie, combined with three of the best crosses I can remember from a Palace player in recent times made for pleasant viewing.
Those crosses really were quality. He seems to swing the ball in to that beautiful danger area between the keeper and the defenders….creating uncertainty at the back. You’d have to imagine a striker of Glen Murray’s pedigree would be all over that sort of service. And for all Bolasie’s and Wilf’s skill….they could do with a few lessons from Pape on delivering the ball into the box.
It does beg the question…should he be playing as a winger? It is certainly been his attacking abilities that have impressed so far, while in defence he’s looked capable at best. It’s a question we probably can’t answer right now, although my gut says in time he’ll figure out the defensive side of things and make a very decent full back.
Souare seems to possess everything you could want in a premier league player. Skill, pace, tenacity and a decent cross to boot.
With a full pre-season under his belt giving him more time to gel with the players, understand what Pardew wants from him and, of course, master our language, we can expect a very good player. Ward’s a right back. Kelly seems destined for the middle….so as far as I can see, the left back spot is Pape’s – if he wants it and works hard enough for it.
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