READY TO
Hodgson wants team-mates to ease pressure on Zaha and insists Benteke is fired up and all set to deliver for Palace
ROY HODGSON wants Wilfried Zaha’s team-mates to step up and help take the burden off the Crystal Palace talisman.
And he believes Christian Benteke is fired up to deliver the goals that were badly missing from him last season.
Winger Zaha, who signed a new five-year deal last week, was the key figure as Palace stayed up last term.
And his importance to them is underlined by the fact the Eagles have not won a single Premier League point without him since September 2016.
Boss Hodgson admitted: “He has got to get a lot of help from the others and I don’t want any more from him than he already gives us.”
But the opposite is the case with Benteke. The striker got just three league goals last term and paid the price for his poor form in front of goal when he failed to make Belgium’s final World Cup squad.
Hodgson (below) said: “There’s no doubt he is extremely determined this year, he’s extremely optimistic, he wants to do very well.
“There’s no question that his attitude and desire are right.
“Of course he has to try to translate that into performances which will get him scoring goals or at least making certain that he’s playing well enough to help Crystal Palace win matches. And therefore win the hearts and minds of the fans and the people who write about the games and analyse the games.
“But if you’re asking me is he ready for that, does he understand that, is he ready for that, is he determined really to give his absolute best and does he want it? The answer is yes. “He definitely does want it. But of course it’s not easy because, after a season that hasn’t gone so well for you, people are out there straight away with a black pen waiting to put a stripe through your name the moment you miss an easy goal chance or you miss a pass.” Understandably, Benteke’s confidence took a big hit last campaign. But he faces Liverpool tonight – his old club, but also joint favourite opponents with seven goals in 10 games – knowing this season he is starting afresh. Hodgson added: “He is strong and we’re doing our very
best to help him. The good thing is it’s a clean slate. Last season wasn’t a great personal success for him.
“Other than he was a regular member of a Palace team that finished 11th in the league and pulled themselves away from the relegation zone.
“So if I was Christian Benteke I’d be taking a bit of encouragement from that and giving myself a bit of a pat on the back.
“I’d be saying, ‘OK, perhaps I didn’t score the goals, but I was out there and part of the XI that helped us on the way.’”