Wilfried Zaha’s performance against Sheffield United wasn’t good enough, but Roy Hodgson’s use of him was a key reason for that.
The Ivorian was powerless to do anything about the Eagles losing 1-0 at Bramall Lane, as Hodgson’s men remain win-less in the Premier League this season.
Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday night, Danny Murphy highlighted Zaha’s lack of impact alongside Christian Benteke:
[Christian] Benteke and [Wilfried] Zaha played down the middle as a front two, but they had no space.
The only bit of space they did get occasionally was out wide, but they got numbers back round to protect their box.
We know Wilfried Zaha is the main threat and generally if you stop him, you stop Palace. He wasn’t quite at it but that was largely down to the defending by Sheffield United.
rEAD crystal Palace
Admittedly, Murphy isn’t too scathing of how Zaha performed, but it was still clear that he was far from his best.
The truly top class players run the show against newly promoted sides, but the 26-year-old was on the periphery of things.
Hodgson playing Zaha up front didn’t work in the slightest, in fairness to him, especially with Max Meyer used in a wide role.
The Palace manager needs to rethink his side’s shape ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester United, using Zaha in his preferred wide berth.
