- Oliver Glasner provides a positive update on Wharton’s fitness
- England International should be fit for European semi-final
- Wharton’s absence felt in 0-0 draw with West Ham
Oliver Glasner has provided a positive injury update on midfielder Adam Wharton, who was withdrawn in Florence after going down off the ball.
Wharton has struggled with numerous injuries in his short career, and when he hobbled off the pitch in Italy, whincing as he held his groin, Palace fans began to fear the worse.
Absent from the squad tonight, and those fears only compounded, however after the game, Glasner provided an update which will be music to the ears of Palace fans.
Wharton ‘expected back’’
After Palace’s 0-0 draw with West Ham, Glasner confirmed that Wharton’s omission from the squad was purely a ‘precaution’, and that the England international is expected back in training on Thursday, after the two day rest that the Austrian coach is affording his players.
The importance of the 22-year-old to Palace’s system, and chances of success, cannot be understated.
He is the engine of the side, and his ability on the ball is what keeps Palace ticking over. Creating chances from deep, making passes that split the opponents defence, Wharton’s importance is critical to Glasner’s system working.
Whenever he has missed games, Palace have been worse off, and his absence was felt again tonight, where Glasner opted for the older, and more rigid midfield partnership of Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes.
Wharton’s absence key to draw
West Ham would have been grinning ear-to-ear when they saw the lineups announced, with Wharton not only missing from the starting eleven but the squad entirely. The decision to start both Lerma and Hughes, the pair who were dominated in the first half of Palace’s last Premier League game, was frustrating once again.
Lerma’s passing ability, or lack thereof stood out hugely in this game. He gave the ball away so often that it became genuinely concerning, losing possession 14 times and maintaining a very underwhelming 78% pass accuracy. His performance in Florence was also disappointing in terms of his on the ball work, but his defensive contributions do make up for this somewhat.
Again it was another strong defensive display from the Colombian, but it does feel as when he is paired with Hughes, who is also not the most mobile or creative, that Palace struggle to move the ball between defence and attack.
Once again, just as it was against Newcastle, it felt as if Palace were just waiting until Daichi Kamada’s introduction before they were going to be competent on the ball and aggressive with their passing. Wharton would only have added to that, but it is little shock that the preferred starters are Wharton and Kamada, given Palace’s lack of control when the other two start.
Palace fans will be hoping that Wharton can return to fitness and play a key role in the end to this season.
