October 9 2004

Aki Riihilahti

Having been rated the Premiership's cheapest midfielder in most fantasy football games, AKI RIIHILAHTI's response was typically phlegmatic, by Joseph O'Shea.

He said: "I may be the cheapest, but I can still get the most expensive players with my hardest tackles."

In seven Premiership games so far, the Finnish midfielder has consistently delivered performances to make a mockery of his "athletic spoiler" tag.

Having set up Andy Johnson’s opener with a great pass at Aston Villa last week, he repeated the trick on Monday, before marking his 100th league appearance for Palace with his first club goal since November 2002.

He said: "I scored one three weeks ago for Finland, but obviously my game is very defensive minded. If someone said that I would have scored I would have laughed at them.

"My game is defensive and I am most happy that we got the clean sheet.

"The gaffer allowed me to go up for the first time this season, and said if I didn’t score I would be back on the halfway line, so he was laughing after I scored.

The 28-year-old been a huge favourite with Eagles fans signing from Valerenga in 2001, but was dropped to the bench for the opening day. But he is now benefiting from his manager’s switch to a five man midfield and freedom to roam forward.

He said: "We changed to 4-5-1 and that gets us passing more; our movement and angles are better. Earlier in the season we probably lumped it a bit too long but now we have to pass it because we have a lot of small players. The new tactic suit us better.

"This club is about constant improvement. We have been improving this season and we knew the results would come with that. Every individual has stepped up a level and we have set the standard in the last two games so we have to keep it up."

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