Adam Sells’ Crystal Palace column: Roy Hodgson finally has options – and a really surprising stat on one of the star performers this season

BY ADAM SELLS

Crystal Palace negotiated a tricky FA Cup fifth round tie at the Keepmoat Stadium, without Doncaster Rovers really ever looking like they were going to inflict the giant-killing the BBC might have been hoping for when selecting the tie for their prime-time Sunday afternoon slot.

The fact that Roy Hodgson was able to do so by rotating his squad, rather like in the previous two rounds, is testament to the level of depth now at his disposal.

Don’t get me wrong, with the strength of the Premier League in 2019 then every player at Hodgson’s disposal should be able to demonstrate they are two levels above League One opposition. But this also happened in round four when Champions League Tottenham Hotspur visited Selhurst Park at the end of January.

The return to fitness of long-term absentees Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke – together with the re-appearance of Bakary Sako plus the last-minute loan signing of Michy Batshuyai – has given the squad an altogether different look and feel.

The Eagles boss has been unfairly criticised this season for a perceived lack of substitutions and “poor in game management”. That’s harsh when trailing 1-0 and he has been able to look round at his bench and decide which defensive midfielder to bring on, while Dave from Croydon sings: “Hodgson, Hodgson make a sub!” ” Half a dozen changes on Sunday was an indication of the confidence Roy has in his squad now and the lack of genuine ‘game-changers’ seems much less of a concern, with Palace now winning the last three matches that they have been unableWilfried Zaha.

I have written before about the mix of ‘Steady Eddies’ and ‘Flash Stan’s’ required within a team to provide the perfect attackingdefensive balance, and Roy was certainly hamstrung in this respect in the first half of the season.

For me, the strength of a team is often defined by how many players it has that can go past people in one v one situations. More individuals able to do special things most certainly increase the chances of winning. Palace have gone from an over-reliance on Zaha, Andros Townsend and Jordan Ayew, by adding Batshuyai and Sako into the mix.

With the physical prowess of Benteke and Wickham and Roy, most recently favouring a front three, must now make his selection from seven or eight players. When he glances at the dugout on 70 minutes, he will have a plethora of options at his disposal – barring an injury crisis.

One criticism that is often levelled at managers is that they don’t know their best team, which is not something that I subscribe to. In fact, I would almost suggest that if your team picks itself to easily, then it tends to indicate that there is a lack of competition within the group.

Messageboards and social media are full of fans arguing over their own strongest team. But it really is not that simple. It’s horses for courses. The strengths and weaknesses of the opponent will be analysed in great detail, along with the form of every fit and available member of the squad.

If you dare to look after a defeat, these teams for the next game are often packed with whoever has not been playing. It’s often players that have never been seen, which is always a source of great amusement.

It’s quite incredible how much better these players get while out injured, or when not selected by the manager.

The raging debate among the Palace faithful appears to be in the make-up of the midfield trio, with much talk around James McArthur, Max Meyer and the in-form Jeffery Schlupp.

All three have qualities that they bring to the team with the many calling for German international Meyer to be given an opportunity to strut his stuff regularly. His adroit style is very easy on the eye. Clever, skilful, the diminutive passing midfielder provides a creative edge with his ability in tight situations to produce the clever pass adding a string to the proverbial bow.

His recent cameo at home to West Ham when he linked up superbly with Zaha, added weight to the argument, as did the goals at Liverpool and Doncaster.

With the physically commanding pair of Luka Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate stiffening the midfield and providing the platform for results to be achieved, there is a case for Meyer’s ability to ‘unpick a lock’ adding balance.

Perhaps Hodgson’s set-up may not allow for Meyer and Zaha, with the latter being the first name on the teamsheet.

It remains to be seen whether the young German will become a real Palace hero in time or go the same and Jonny Williams in recent seasons, when opportunities have been scarce.

McArthur has pretty much held down the position this season and has been a go-to guy for Hodgson since he arrived at the club.

The Scot is a manager’s dream – honest, reliable, committed and consistent. ‘Jimmy Mac’ has become a firm fans’ favourite over the past five seasons and the £5million paid to Wigan Athletic for his services in August 2014 has proved to be one of the best pieces of transfer business in the club’s recent history.

Sure-footed and a decent finisher when arriving in the box, the ever-industrious McArthur has uncharacteristically missed a couple of gilt-edged chances of late in home games with West Ham and Watford. But the midfielder always responds, so I will have a few bob on him scoring the winner in the FA Cup sixth round at Vicarage Road, if selected.

Then there is Jeffery Schlupp, who has been one of the season’s real success stories.

The Ghana international has a Premier League winners’ medal, but rather like Martin Kelly has been a bit-part player pretty much since his arrival, with many, including myself having seen the 26-year-old as a cover left-back or energetic wide player at best.

The name Schlupp wouldn’t have featured in too many fans ‘Best XI’ at many points this season, but it is difficult for anybody to argue on current form that he could be left out.

been outstanding. Strong, dynamic with a good engine, Schlupp will put in the hard yards while showing a keen eye for goal.

I was recently talking to Southend United manager Chris Powell about the Eagles midfield dynamo, who recalled him during his time as a coach at Leicester. Schlupp was a prolific youth team forward for the Foxes before being converted into a left-back.

His goals have been crucial and he has averaged a goal in 2.8 Premier League games, based upon his minutes on the pitch, which is the best of the squad by a distance.

Players mature and now in his mid-twenties, we may be about to see the best of a player that Hodgson clearly rates highly.

The arguments will no doubt continue to rage as fans continue to extol the virtues of their chosen ones while we trust in Roy to make the right call week to week.

Make no mistake these are nice problems to have. He cannot fit everybody into his 11, which means that there is genuine squad depth in the attacking positions – which has been some time coming.

Two games from the FA Cup final and the need to climb away from the bottom half of a very tight Premier League table, the last third of the season promises to be exciting.

All in SE25 can go into the business end of the season knowing that Palace have the talent and quality to beat any opponent on any given day, even if there is not broad agreement on what that team should look like.

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Adam Sells is the managing director of Sells Goalkeeper Products. He has followed the fortunes of Crystal Palace since 1976, working within the club’s academy for more than 15 years until 2013. He is a licensed intermediary, representing a number of goalkeepers including Julian Speroni.