After recent losses against Fulham, Tottenham and Southampton, Palace fans have been left rightly frustrated with not only the results, but the player performances also. Many fans accused the first team of being apathetic, with holes in the midfield particularly coming into light. The departure of 22-year-old Chelsea loanee, Connor Gallagher, has left the midfield extremely unbalanced, with Patrick Vieira now unable to effectively employ his favoured high pressing system, with two attacking midfielders as No 8’s, supported generally by Cheick Doucouré as the holding midfielder.
The long-term absence of James McArthur: who has been out since late July with a recurring groin injury, is another huge blow. The Scotsman signed for the Eagles late in the evening of Deadline Day 2014, for a fee of £5.5m. McArthur is one appearance shy of reaching 250 appearances for Palace, boasting 19 goals in that time.
McArthur has since established himself as an indispensable part of the midfield. His work and ethic and relentless energy that he brings to the side have made him a popular choice for the six managers he has played under in his tenure at the club. Vieira has seemingly favoured McArthur due to his ability to play as a box-to-box midfielder; never shying away from the defensive duties but also attributing assists and goals at the other end of the pitch.
With 30-year-old midfielder Jeffery Schlupp’s form dipping significantly this season, the
midfield is now extremely unbalanced. Young English prospect, Ebere Eze, thrived playing alongside McArthur, with the 35-year-old's wealth of experience allowing Eze to express his raw attacking abilities in his favoured central position. However, since McArthur's spell on the side-lines, Eze has struggled to consistently hit form, often being played out of position.
Vieira has given no indication that the Scotsman will be returning anytime soon, saying before the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham, "Its still going to be some time with James". This therefore provides a big conundrum for Vieira as results and performances have no doubt dipped with the absence of McArthur.
Comments