Nice and Eze does it again for Hodgson
EBERECHI EZE doesn’t really do simple goals and his third special s t r i ke of t he s eason earned Crystal Palace three crucial points against Wolves.
After an inch-perfect free-kick against Leeds and a solo wonder goal against Sheffield United, Eze produced something else from his repertoire to net at Selhurst Park once again.
This time it was a clever first touch and shift of weight to send his opponent one way while he went the other, then a thumping finish to clinch a narrow but precious victory for Palace.
It was for these inspired moment that Palace splashed out £19.5million to sign Eze, one of the Championship’s standout performers last season, from QPR.
There was little between these teams in the table — only goal difference separated them at kick off — or on the pitch. But the England Under 21 attacker produced the crucial spark of quality in a game of few chances that brought a second league win in 10 for Palace.
Manager Roy Hodgson said: ‘ Eberechi is a good player and doing very well. I don’t think he will be a tap-in man.
‘ The goals he gets will be up there for goals of the month. He scores very good goals. The important thing is the goals he has got is a very good return for a midfield player. It was a big win, no doubt about at. We’ve been stuck close to 23 points for some time so it was good to move on.’
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo was downbeat after seeing his sides winless run extend to eight games. He said: ‘It was not the best performance. We lack creativity, passes that break lines. We didn’t do it today.
‘A lot of things are missing. Better decisions, what is our identity? Everything must be faster. There were a lot of sideways passes. We need to take risks. We have a big challenge. We have to improve and we have to improve fast.’
Nuno’s concern was echoed by his straight-talking captain Conor Coady, who added: ‘ We’re in a really bad place and we need to put it right as soon as possible.
‘It’s been a tough season for us but it’s only us that can put it right. It’s important we look at it and improve.
‘We’ve got fantastic players but something’s going wrong and we need to work out what that is and solve it.’
Nuno stuck with the back three he used in the midweek goalless draw at Chelsea, although he accepted this has made it tougher for Wolves to get enough bodies forward.
That scenario certainly played out in the first half when they failed to get a shot on target despite some nice touches in attack from Willian Jose, making his first start since his loan move from Real Sociedad. Palace were not much better in attack themselves. although they at least threatened on a couple of occasions through Nathaniel Clyne and Michy Batshuayi.
Better opportunities arrived after the break. Jose extended Vicente Guaita with a half-volley before Eze produced his matchwinner. Hodgson had reverted to his more familiar setup of a 4-4-2 with Eze out wide and Wilfried Zaha up front.
From that position, Eze drifted inside to fire Palace in front. They worked the ball across the pitch from the left side in their own half and Clyne then cut the ball back to Jordan Ayew.
He in turn picked out Eze with a pass across the area and the talented attacker took one touch to wrong foot Dendoncker and a second to smash the ball past Rui Patricio.
Nuno responded by introducing Adama Traore off the bench — the forward who won the FA Cup third round tie between these sides three weeks ago.
But Palace then went close to scoring a second. One minute Hodgson was cursing a needlessly conceded corner and the next he was almost celebrating a clinching goal.
Palace cleared the set- piece, which sparked a two-man counterattack featuring Batshuayi and Zaha, who saw his thumping effort bounce down and away off the bar.
Wolves still had hope while Palace’s lead remained slender — a point which was underlined when only a brilliant Guaita reaction save prevented Jose levelling for the visitors.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Guaita 7; Clyne 7.5 (Ward 85min, 6), Dann 7, Kouyate 7, Van Aanholt 6.5; Eze 7, Milivojevic 6, McCarthy 6 (Riedewald 46, 6), Zaha 6.5; Ayew 6.5, Batshuayi 6 (Townsend 79, 6). Booked: Zaha. Subs (not used): Butland, Mateta, Benteke, Cahill, Mitchell, Kelly. WOLVES (3-4-3): Patricio 6; Boly 6, Coady 7, Kilman 7; Hoever 7 (Traore 63, 6), Dendoncker 6.5, Moutinho 5.5 (Silva 78, 6), Semedo 6; Podence 6 (Vitinha 68, 6), Jose 6, Neto 7. Booked: Kilman, Coady. Subs (not used): Ruddy, Neves,Gibbs-White, Otasowie, Lonwijk, Bueno. Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire) 7.