Boos rang out from sections of the home support at Selhurst Park at the full time whistle of Crystal Palace‘s 0-0 draw with West Ham United in the Premier League on Monday night.
Despite having a European semi-final on the horizon, it is safe to say that the Eagles supporters are not entirely pleased with how the team is playing under Oliver Glasner.
It has been known for some time that the Austrian boss will be leaving the club at the end of the current season, which has created an interesting dynamic between the manager and the fans.
Palace have only scored one goal in their last three matches at Selhurst Park in the Premier League, with successive 0-0 draws, and the form of their attacking players has played a key role in that.
Brennan Johnson, for example, continues to struggle after his £35m move to the club from Tottenham Hotspur during the January transfer window.
Brennan Johnson proved Palace should not have signed him against West Ham
The Wales international has failed to hit the back of the net in 13 appearances in the Premier League for Palace since his big-money move across London, with zero goals and one assist in that time.
Ultimately, Johnson is an attacking player who does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch as a scorer or as a creator of goals, which has been the case throughout the season with both Spurs and Palace.
The former Nottingham Forest star has scored two goals and provided one assist in 29 Premier League appearances for both clubs combined, despite starting 15 times.
|
Vs West Ham |
Brennan Johnson |
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
78 |
|
Shots on target |
0 |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
|
Dribbles |
0 |
|
Pass accuracy |
58% |
|
Possession lost |
9x |
In the draw with the Hammers, Johnson once again proved why the Eagles made a mistake when they splashed out so much money to sign him, as he offered very little in possession.
His last shot on target for Palace in the league came in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on 7th January, failing to hit the target in 11 successive Premier League matches since then.
After his struggles with Spurs, the Eagles should have avoided such a big-money move for the struggling attacker, because he has not improved their squad since arriving at the club, as evidenced by his latest showing against the Hammers.
Crystal Palace star should be asking to play ahead of Brennan Johnson
After Johnson’s dismal performance against West Ham at Selhurst Park on Monday, there is a player in the squad who should be banging down Glasner’s door to ask for more minutes ahead of the Welshman.
Palace swooped to sign Christantus Uche from Getafe last summer on loan with an obligation to sign him permanently for £17m this summer, but he has not been given many opportunities to impress and that may not trigger the obligation.
The Nigeria international has yet to start a single game in the Premier League this season, but he has scored two goals in four Conference League outings.
Despite showing quality in his rare appearances in Europe, Uche has not been given a single start in the Premier League by Glasner, which is starting to look like a mistake.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the 22-year-old attacker caught the eye with his offensive contributions for Getafe, scoring four goals and creating seven ‘big chances’ for the Spanish outfit in LaLiga.
|
24/25 LaLiga |
Uche |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
33 |
|
xG |
3.73 |
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Big chances created |
7 |
|
xA |
3.11 |
|
Assists |
6 |
|
Successful dribbles |
33 |
Johnson, meanwhile, has only created five ‘big chances’ in 62 appearances in the Premier League for Palace and Spurs combined since the start of last season, two fewer than Uche managed in 33 matches in LaLiga for Getafe.
The Nigerian talent’s performances in Spain and his goals in Europe suggest that he has more to offer than Johnson is currently providing on the pitch for the Eagles, particularly given how little the £35m signing has contributed in a Palace shirt to date.
That is why Uche should be banging on Glasner’s door to get back into the team after he was left out of the matchday squad for the draw with the Hammers.
Given the team’s recent struggles in front of goal and Johnson’s individual form, giving the £17m-rated attacker a chance to shine could improve the side.
Crystal Palace extremely keen on rising manager Arteta said is “unbelievable”
The Eagles are preparing for the departure of Oliver Glasner.
