Also, it's a damn shame he didn't choose England. He could have been a real asset at the world cup with our total lack of creativity. Possibly Southgate could have gone in with a different formation (Zaha, Kane, Sterling in a 4-2-3-1 with Alli/Lingard behind?) and it could have made a big difference against Croatia. Other than Sterling we had no players who really unsettled defences, and Zaha certainly does that.
Zaha
- Thread starter golden_blunder
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Me too, apparently he's off to Spurs though.
touché@SquishyMcSquish
I think he'd be more than just another option for you guys. He offers something no one else in your team has. I'd take him back to United for that matter.
I think he'd be more than just another option for you guys. He offers something no one else in your team has. I'd take him back to United for that matter.
Our fans are hoping Moura can offer something similar to Zaha to be fair, in terms of pace and directness. We've been lacking a player like that for the last couple of seasons so hopefully he can step up.
I can't think of one player in the Prem similar to Zaha. He's dynamic and skilful but unlike most wingers, he's strong and quite aggressive. His end product is something that's gotten better but could get better still. Palace will be fecked if they sell him with so few days to go before the window shuts and also seeing so much of that cash end up with United.
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Very true, he's absolutely crucial to Palace. Without him they always seem to go on a bad streak, he completely transforms them and if they were to lose that you could definitely see them being relegated, which is why I'd be surprised if they sold him to anybody without having a replacement lined up. To them, he's worth his weight in gold so they'd put up some serious resistance to a transfer and I don't see Levy coughing up the kind of money they'll end up wanting.
He has definitely kicked up another gear since going back to Palace, but question marks must remain over his mentality given how out of sorts he looked for most of the time he was at United - Palace are his local team and he enjoys playing there, maybe he isn't able to carry that confidence over to a bigger club (especially in a different city)? In fairness, he was still young at Utd, and Moyes would drain the confidence from lots of players.
@SqueakyWeasel Palace have probably been planning next season on the assumption that he stays. And like you say, he's crucial to them. With Benteke turning shite and no good business in the market, without Zaha they'd be one of the favourites to go down.
@Yellow Black & Red Yeah, hard to evaluate him on his time at United with an inept manager, a traumatised squad and, like you say, he was young. I don't believe his footballing ability is dependent upon wearing a Palace shirt.
@Yellow Black & Red Yeah, hard to evaluate him on his time at United with an inept manager, a traumatised squad and, like you say, he was young. I don't believe his footballing ability is dependent upon wearing a Palace shirt.
Judging Zaha on his time on United would be completely unfair. Club was in a mess when he was there and he was very young, he's since taken his chances and established himself as a very good premier league player.
@Bastian Yeah, they would be my second favourite to go down after Cardiff if they lost Zaha and didn't replace him. Already lost Loftus Cheek, and yeah Benteke was one of the league's worst players last season, truly dreadful. There's no way they could go in to the next season relying on Townsend.
@Bastian Yeah, they would be my second favourite to go down after Cardiff if they lost Zaha and didn't replace him. Already lost Loftus Cheek, and yeah Benteke was one of the league's worst players last season, truly dreadful. There's no way they could go in to the next season relying on Townsend.
Quality player and if he hadn't made the move to United and subsequently went back, people would be vouching for him even more. He probably went to United too early and at the wrong time especially. Fergie would have looked after him quite well and phased him in. Moyes just threw him in then took him straight back and didn't give him any proper chances. Waste!
You always know a story won't be even slightly humorous when they start it with 'funny story' or 'you know what's funny?'
Well, you lot are a miserable bunch. Anyway, makes sense seeing as what one spurs fan was saying about association trained players. @vadimivich was that you?
Finally, a Spurs fan that seems to get it...been looking for one of you for a while
Most I see swear blind he's not worth more than £40m which is both an underestimation of Zaha and a disregard of his importance to CPFC. It will take at least three £20-25m players for us to replace him and even then I struggle to work out who when Danny bloody Ings is being spoken about at £20m. Wilf is a once in a generation type player for us, unquestionably the best player I've ever seen at Palace and the difference between being guaranteed survival and going down. His one-on-one ability is incredible and in a better team where he can't be double or triple marked he will do incredible things. If you do sign him - quote me on it - you will be surprised by just how good he is and he will have a Mane type impact at Spurs. Hoping it doesn't come to that mind you and we can enjoy him for one more season.
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Looks like Fergie left Moyes quite talented player to develop. Part of me is happy for the lad. He had a family issues with his brother but looks like he's finally overcoming problems and even has a chance to be in England squad someday for good.
Yeah, exactly. People seem to think that players prices are based purely on ability rather than actually considering all the variables, in this case Zaha is worth an extraordinary amount to Palace because relegation is a huge threat if they lose them. Selling for 40-50m would be madness when you consider that purchases you a Richarlison, there's no way Palace could ever get a player anywhere near as important without uncovering a gem, and that's far easier said than done. Especially with so little time left, who do you sign? You'll end up with a couple of players nowhere near as good signed on deadline day as a desperate act, and probably will get relegated.Finally, a Spurs fan that seems to get it...been looking for one of you for a while
Wilf is a once in a generation type player for us, unquestionably the best player I've ever seen at Palace and the difference between being guaranteed survival and going down. His one-on-one ability is incredible and in a better team where he can't be double or triple marked he will do incredible things. If you do sign him - quote me on it - you will be surprised by just how good he is and he will have a Mane type impact at Spurs. Hoping it doesn't come to that mind you and we can enjoy him for one more season.
40-50m transfer fees aren't game changing for clubs in the Premier League anymore, they don't need to sell for that much, it doesn't help them at all. Keeping hold of their key assets is far more important.
He picked the Ivory Coast, can't play for England anymore. He got capped in a friendly but never made a competitive appearance for England, and was ignored by Hodgson. A massive shame because England are badly lacking in exciting wide players and creativity.
he's in my fantasy football. 7 million. Think it's worth it? if he does to go Spurs, he'll be a beast under Poch.
I don't think we will sign him. Palace will fight tooth & nail to keep him and Levy won't pay the fee they'll want, which would be 60m+. Would be very pleasantly surprised if we managed it but I see him having one more season at Palace before moving on. If they were going to lose him this window I feel they would have prepared already, left it too late now to find an adequate replacement.
Keep him in even if he doesn't, he plays up front for us so will probably get a similar amount of points as on the wing for Spurs, if not more.
Squishy I think you are right, he'll definitely go soon but I am looking towards next summer. As a combination you'd be looking at - for example - a Loftus-Cheek (£30m+), a Lookman (£20m) and a Welbeck (£15m) to replace what he gives us and we don't have the time to do those deals knowing how slowly we move in the market, or sufficient interest/wage budget for that level of player anyway. If he does go at this stage I'll be very, very worried.
That's truly awful. He lived in England enough time to get his potential place in the team. This reminds me bit of N'Zonzi situation but seriously Zaha could make even bigger impact.
He is by far the best player available in that position - but its not gonna happen
He's producing like a mother fecker every game.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-Crystal-Palace-Wilfried-Zaha-bags-brace.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-Crystal-Palace-Wilfried-Zaha-bags-brace.html
He waited 3 years after making his England debut as well! It isn't like N'Zonzi though. Zaha has lived in England since being a small child and played in the England youth teams. He actually once had a little fight with Ravel Morrison on the pitch in an England u21 game.
Nice. Thanks for reminding me. Can't believe I forgot him. Good player, should be great this season specially if he moves to Spurs.
If we had a buy-back clause we'd have bought him back to sell on at a profit by now surely.
As for N'Zonzi, I bet he's happy he didn't get the call now!
As for N'Zonzi, I bet he's happy he didn't get the call now!
He's really started to transform himself into a top player.
I would definitely have him back at United. However, if were to buy him, then we'll be playing him on the wing. Whilst not a bad player on the wing, he's stepped up to a different level since moving into the second striker role, ala Griezmann, Dybala, etc.
If Spurs get him, I can only imagine Poch will play him on the wing and won't see the type of performances he shows for Palace.
Whatever team he moves too, if he does move, he needs to played behind the forward, in my opinion. Such a threat there, and is a joy to watch.
I would definitely have him back at United. However, if were to buy him, then we'll be playing him on the wing. Whilst not a bad player on the wing, he's stepped up to a different level since moving into the second striker role, ala Griezmann, Dybala, etc.
If Spurs get him, I can only imagine Poch will play him on the wing and won't see the type of performances he shows for Palace.
Whatever team he moves too, if he does move, he needs to played behind the forward, in my opinion. Such a threat there, and is a joy to watch.
Really want him this season I have no problem with the fee being mentioned, exactly what we need can play in the hole, on the right and even cover for Kane when we need him too. Get it done baldy.
I think this season might be the one where it really clicks for him, he was showing signs last season, but I sense he's going to have one of those unreal seasons we see every so often from players.
You really think Levy is about to cough up 70 million pounds for Zaha?
In a world where Richarlison is going for 50m, then yes he should.
I agree but I don't see Levy doing it. Not unless we sell a couple of players first, it's just not in his nature to throw that much money at a player. Even then I feel he'd go for a cheaper option... happy to be proven wrong though, it's not my money and I love watching Zaha play, would be fantastic to see him in a Spurs shirt.
Paid £42M for Sanchez last year, Levy isn’t stupid and will realise players fees have escalated, and obviously Levy loves a structured deal. It will depend on who we can shift I’d say but I think we will spend this window, no point in moving to the new ground if we don’t make a big move to keep us competitive. Not saying it will happen but he would be ideal for us.
Sanchez is an investment for the future, he's up there with the biggest CB talents out there and was only 21 when we signed him. I feel like he's prepared to spend huge if it's an investment, but Zaha at 70m would be a completely different sort of deal to do. Far more of a financial risk, but like I said I'm very happy to be proven wrong as I agree he'd be perfect, maybe it's possible if we move along a player or two.
He's a very good player for Palace, but I'm still not convinced he'd be good enough for a big club where he's not the main man and things aren't built around him.
People say this about loads of players, I swear this was an argument used against Mane for example. Zaha would get more space and time on the ball at a bigger club, he's basically Palace's sole threat so teams try and kick/mark him out of the game, I don't see any reason to doubt he'd be a success at a bigger team other than his stint at United when he was still very young. At worst I think he'd be a very useful squad player for any side in the top six. He's definitely good enough to play for us for example, we have the likes of Lamela getting game time out wide, is Zaha really worse than him?
There's always doubts when a player steps up to a bigger team, but I don't see any reason to think he can't do well.
For the price Levy would want more than "no worse than Zaha". He might step up, I just have my doubts and I'd rather someone other than us spent £70m+ on him.
I said at minimum, IMO Zaha has the ability to easily come in and nail down a starting place for us. Our wide options aren't fantastic and we rotate plenty throughout the season, and 70m at the moment isn't what it used to be. It's ridiculous but that won't buy you a top class attacking player any longer unless it's a player whose contract is nearly run down. The truly proven players are easily worth in the hundreds of millions, and we couldn't attract them anyway, so Zaha is the kind of profile we need to aim for.
Isn't he the player most similar to Nani at United? He's a great dribbler and likes to take on his man. He is fast, but not blistering. He creates a lot of chances but is inconsistent, but at the same time he can create from nothing. So a poor man's Nani perhaps.