Stats highlight how bad Jeffrey Schlupp was in Crystal Palace defeat to Luton
Stats highlight how bad Jeffrey Schlupp was in Crystal Palace defeat to Luton
Crystal Palace were disappointing as a whole as they lost to newly-promoted Luton Town on Saturday, but Jeffrey Schlupp stood out with his particularly poor display.
The 30-year-old started on the left wing, alongside Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard in the front four, but whilst Olise on the other side scored a spectacular goal, Schlupp could not deliver a moment of similar quality.
Palace were frustrated in attack and sloppy at the back, and also lost Cheick Doucoure and Eze to injuries on what was ultimately a disastrous afternoon for Roy Hodgson.
Jeffrey Schlupp’s poor performance
Schlupp, who has been fairly underwhelming for most of the season, had a nightmare game in possession. As per SofaScore, he lost possession every 3.6 touches of the ball.
He had just 36 touches before being withdrawn in the 80th minute, and was dispossessed 10 times. In addition to this, he won just three of the 10 duels he contested, coming out second-best 70% of the time.
The Ghanian also committed two fouls, whilst failing to complete a single cross in the entire game. With Palace’s attack misfiring on the day, Schlupp was a key factor in the complete lack of fluidity going forward.
Hodgson does not have many natural options to replace Schlupp should he be dropped, but given how poor he was, the manager may need to get creative to find a solution.
One option could be to play Jordan Ayew on the left, with Ayew one of Palace’s better attackers so far this season. Although he typically plays on the right or through the middle, moving him onto the left may mean he can cut inside onto his right foot and offer more threat in central areas.
Another solution could be to give Matheus Franca a rare opportunity. Although he has hardly been seen, and it is unclear whether he can succeed on the wing, Franca arrived for a substantial fee this summer, and if he is unable to break into the team ahead of Schlupp, that raises further questions about the whole deal.
Palace will wait and see how Eze and Doucoure’s injuries are looking before making further decisions on their starting XI, but if something is to change to help the attack improve, then Schlupp should be the first player that drops to the bench.
