Wilfried Zaha admits Frank de Boer ‘tried too much too soon’ but has no doubt rock-bottom Crystal Palace will beat the drop
Injured winger has been desperately missed since picking up a knee knock on the opening day defeat to Huddersfield
IT IS safe to say that Wilfried Zaha’s season has not exactly gone to plan so far.
The Crystal Palace winger suffered a knee injury in the opening day defeat by Huddersfield and has watched helplessly as his team have plunged to the foot of the table in his absence.
Goalless and pointless after five Premier League games, it is the worst start made by any top-flight club in 129 years.
New boss Frank de Boer has already paid the ultimate price, sacked after 77 days to be replaced by Roy Hodgson.
And Palace’s prospects are unlikely to improve any time soon, with their next four games against the Premier League’s current top four, starting with today’s trip to leaders Manchester City.
Yet Zaha, who signed a new five-year contract in May, remains adamant that the Eagles will fight through this latest Selhurst Park crisis and has given his full backing to chairman Steve Parish.
He insisted: “It hasn’t been the season anyone wanted or expected so far but, being Palace, I know we’ll get through it.
“We lost nine of our first ten games in our first season back in the Prem and no one thought we would stay up last season. But we did.
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“That’s why I was surprised and kind of disappointed when Sam Allardyce left us in the summer because I liked his style and he introduced a strategy that suited us well.
“I only played one game for Frank de Boer and for the rest of the time I was in my own little corner trying to get fit, so I wasn’t really that involved.
“I’ve never known it before where a manager has left after four games but football is a ruthless business and if you don’t get results then the club lets you go.
“He wanted to play in a different way and I don’t know if he tried to change too much too soon, but it didn’t work.
“It takes time to go through a transition like that but it wasn’t really a surprise when he left because there had been so much speculation.
“People had been going on about it for so long that something was eventually going to happen and we just have to deal with it and get on with it.
“The chairman hasn’t spoken to us about the decision but I don’t feel the chairman needs to give us an explanation because we all trust him to make the right decisions.”
Hodgson will become the eighth Palace boss Zaha has played for since making his debut as a 17-year-old and he is looking forward to working with the man who handed him his two England caps back in 2012 and 2013.
Zaha, 24, who now represents the Ivory Coast, added: “He picked me for England so we’ve got a good relationship. We’ve spoken briefly. He’s just told me to work hard and get back to fitness as soon as possible.
“The knee is getting stronger and I’m happy with my progress. I’m doing little drills and hopefully I should be back for the Chelsea game next month.
“The next few weeks are not going to be easy, away to Manchester City and United because they’re scoring a ridiculous amount of goals in every game.
“But you can’t go on to the pitch already beaten and there were a couple of games last season which we won when no one expected us to. So you never know.”
Speaking at the launch of EA Sports FIFA 18, Zaha promises to hit the ground running when he finally returns from the first serious injury of his career.
He added: “There are times when I feel as though I get roughed up by defenders, but it’s not up to me to ref games.
“It does get frustrating when I don’t get the fouls that I know have been committed, but I’m going to get that with the way I play and the tricks I try to do.
“Sometimes I might be off balance and get knocked over more easily, so I understand that people might see it a different way and I don’t get stressed about it.
“When I get back, my aim is to get more assists and more goals. It’s tunnel vision.
“I’ve set myself a target of at least ten goals and once I achieve that I’ll look to get more. It’s all about goals, goals, goals. I may do my tricks, but you’re not going to be remembered just for that.
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“Ronaldinho did tricks but he scored goals as well and I want to do the same. But there’s no chance of me changing my style or cutting out the tricks. Wilfried Zaha is Wilfried Zaha — you won’t get anything different.”
Even his ill-fated spell at Manchester United has not affected Zaha’s belief in his own ability.
He said: “I have no regrets at all about my time at United and I’m happy I went there. It was a great experience and I learned a lot from it. Going there has made me mentally stronger.
“I met amazing players I idolised like Robin van Persie, who told me things that I can keep for ever.
“Sir Alex Ferguson saw something in me and if I was his last signing for United I must have been doing something right.
“I have never thought I’m not good enough to play at the highest level. I’m here for a reason and I’ve worked hard to get here. That’s my mentality all the time.”
Wilfried Zaha was speaking at the launch of EA SPORTS FIFA 18, which is out on September 29 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and all other platforms. To pre-order your Deluxe Edition, head to https://www.easports.com/uk/fifa/buy/united-kingdom
