ZAHA HAS COME OF AGE AND DON’T PALACE KNOW IT
WILFRIED Zaha is just one name on a list of players Arsene Wenger ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhhed’ about signing, only to think better of it.
And like Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic before him, he took revenge by putting Wenger’s Arsenal to the sword and, surely, saving Crystal Palace from relegation.
Zaha was a supreme talent when the Gunners were eyeing his signature as a teenager, even visiting Arsenal’s London Colney Training Ground as Manchester United dawdled over a transfer.
He would end up moving to Old Trafford, a parting gift from Alex Ferguson to David Moyes that the latter, horribly out of his depth, would treat with little more than contempt.
There is no doubt that the experience at United set Zaha’s career back a little. A kid whose world was the familiar south London bubble that he lived in, was extricated to Cheshire and expected to behave way beyond his years in the way those schooled at The Cliff or Carrington would but without ever receiving that education.
Loan spells and an eventual return to Selhurst Park helped pick up a wilted Wilfried.
And yet the dead leaves of that experience are now fertilising the soil in which he grows, having furnished him with a series of valuable lessons on what is necessary to turn potential into performances at the highest level – and his displays this season mark him out as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards.
All feeble grasps at Zaha being unproductive have been dismissed. This is a player with more goals and assists than £50m man Raheem Sterling.
Mesut Oezil, invisible at Selhurst Park, likewise has inferior numbers despite playing in a far superior attacking team.
His pitiful performance merits many hundred words of its own as the dust settles on a harrowing defeat.
But back to Zaha, who Tottenham – in offering £25m for his services last summer – recognised the potential but would now need to nearly double that figure to even get the Eagles to sit at the negotiating table.
On the remote chance they should lose him, Palace will, at least, be reimbursed in a way that will allow them to re-stock their attacking ranks appropriately.
Manchester City have asked to be kept in the loop with regard to Zaha.
Pep Guardiola wants to strengthen a number of positions over the summer and is aware of Tottenham’s strong interest in Zaha, who is now playing the best football of his life after a disappointing time at Old Trafford.
Palace face a problem with £3m-rated Zaha earning only half of Christian Benteke’s £120 000 a week.
City feel that Zaha, 24, would now be able to handle life at a big club. But for now the thought is not of them losing him but winning with him.
Outshining Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge just 10 days or so ago, the Ivorian international scored one and set up the other to dispose of Chelsea.
In south London, he added two assists to his season tally, setting up Andros Townsend for the opener when the move had looked dead before cueing up Yohan Cabaye to hit a delicious pitching wedge over Emiliano Martinez in the Arsenal goal.
Even with the game done at 3-0, he was harrying and pressing defenders back to their own corner flag. Arsenal were run ragged by another talent that could have been theirs, with a little more conviction.
Meanwhile, Andros Townsend believes the “Sam Allardyce factor” has been driving Crystal Palace’s resurgence.
Specialist
Allardyce, who has developed a reputation over the years as a survival specialist and last season led Sunderland to an unlikely escape from the drop, has been the driving force behind the stunning upturn in fortunes experienced by Crystal Palace.
He initially struggled to turn things around after joining the south-London side in December, but since late February Palace have collected 15 points from a possible 18, to climb three places to 16th.
“Sam Allardyce has been incredible,” Townsend, who scored Palace’s first goal on Monday, told Sky Sports.
“I was on the wrong end of the (then Sunderland manager) Sam Allardyce factor when I was at Newcastle last season but he looks to have worked his magic again and hopefully we can keep these performances up and get enough points to survive.”
Allardyce’s tactics have not always been the most subtle but under his stewardship Palace have become formidable opponents – particular at their raucous Selhurst Park ground.
Their form is built on a strong, well-organised defence, a physical target man in Benteke and the skill and counter-attacking ability of French playmaker Cabaye – Zaha and Townsend.
Combative Serbia international Luka Milivojevic, has looked like an astute acquisition since he arrived from Olympiakos Piraeous in January.
Palace have moved six points above the drop zone and have a game in hand on most of the teams