This post has been merged from a topic called 'Safe with 25 goals in 28. But faith in post-Zaha?' by bexleydave

This is presuming that we played each game with 10 men. No one will ever know how we might have done if he didnt play.

Even if we did lose PVA and Townsend they will both be replaced so it is not like we are going to lose Zaha, PVA and Townsend and play each game with 8 men. They will all be replaced and Ayew will not be the only attacking player we have who can score.

Edited by EddieMac (04 Mar 2020 3.12pm)

This post has been merged from a topic called 'Safe with 25 goals in 28. But faith in post-Zaha?' by bexleydave

Rumours, such as they are, suggested if Zaha had gone in the summer we would have signed Sarr, who eventually ended up at Watford. After a slow start he is starting to look quite the player. Saint-Maxim is another one who we were rumoured to be after and who again we may have at least tried to sign if Wilf had left.

On the surface it seems we didn't go for another winger because Wilf didn't leave, but the ones we were linked with have looked good, or at least have shown potential. Of the players we did sign two of them are contenders for POTY (Cahill and Ayew) so I'm not so sure on your assessment mattteo. My issue was not so much who we signed, but who we didn't, that being a new right-back, a striker and a winger.

If and when Wilf goes it will be interesting to see what happens, but I'm not as downbeat on what might happen as some. The key will be if he is going we get it sorted quickly and replace him early doors, as so many players of recent times have started slowly blaming it on a lack of a pre-season (both Ayew and Meyer claimed this).

This post has been merged from a topic called 'Safe with 25 goals in 28. But faith in post-Zaha?' by bexleydave

I would want to put forth a few names who could be targetted by the club in the eventual sale of Zaha in order to replace him.

Who has had similar goals scored or created in the Premier League or one of the top leagues in Europe?

You can see the best Premier League top scorers and top providers here:
[Link]

From among the side or attacking midfielders, I think we can exclude de Bruyne, Mahrez, Son Heung Min, Sadio Mane, Salah, Sterling or Rashford coming.

Grealish costs a s*** tone. Emiliano Buendia would be an option if Norwich go down. Harvey Barnes is really solid but they won't sell him (cheap anyway).

Previous years:
[Link]
[Link]

Pretty much the same, but we find Sigurdsson among the best scorers (even though he took all penalties and set-pieces so without thise he wouldn'tvhave so many), Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth (whose contract is ending this summer and he doesn't want a gigantic salary for what he offers).

And top creators in all the big leagues:
19/20 season: [Link]

Nkunku form Leipzig would have been a great option. Now he's already too expensive to get.

Luis Alberto from Lazio wouldn't cost that much, but I'm unsure if this skinny maestro can adapt to the tough English league and without taking all set-pieces.

Some players are already over 30 or even over 32, so they wouldn't represent a great investment in an already aging squad.

Most would cost more than what Palace could afford or wouldn't want to make a step down.

Actual possibilities would be Jesus Corona (bit he can only play on the right, never as inverted midfielder),Florian Kainz, Jose Callejon (contract expires with Napoli in the summer and he has a very small salary for Premier League standards and for what he offers- he's basically a more offensive all-rounder Milner).

18/19 season: [Link]

Pizzi from Benfica is already 30 years old and needs to take set-pieces to hit such numbers.

Boetius from Mainz woul be a good and cheap option as far as I'm concerned.

Oyarzabal from Sociedad would only leave for a top clib. He has began playing as starter in the Spain national team and is waiting on Real, Barcelona or City. Most players would only accept offers from top clubs.

Sure, I think our club will be among the ones tempting Ryan Fraser and Emiliano Buendia with good salaries at yhe end of the season, but it's possible they will refuse or get better offers.

I don't think our club is aware of Boetius or Callejon being available.

Who else could we tempt? Felipe Anderson from West Ham? Hard to believe, I see him grabbed by someone like Arsenal.

Nathan Redmond from Southampton? He's nowhere near Zaha feats.

Not sure if players at RB Leipzig who are unhappy with their playing time, such as Forsberg or Yussuf Poulsen, would consider coming to a mid-table English club. Maybe for the $£?

Who would your choice to replace Zaha be? I, for one, would really take a closer look at Luis Diaz from Porto. He serms to have it all: speed, strength, fit body. But maybe a little too inexperienced. Course, by the time he becomes experienced he won't be worth 15-20 million, he'll be worth more.

This post has been merged from a topic called 'Safe with 25 goals in 28. But faith in post-Zaha?' by bexleydave

I understand this, but it's pretty hard for the club to find quality replacements to contribute with goals and assists. We may get a left back instead of PVA who does not contribute with a single assist all season. Or some big signing instead of Zaha who does not fit in and instead of contributing to 20 or at least 10 goals per season, he only controbutes to 2-3.

When has the club last transferred a great attacking player in the last 3 years? Jordan is good, but great is too big a word.

It all comes down to "do you have faith that the summer transfers will be good"? Cause if not, it will be a big probability of facing relegation with an attack of so few.

Simple math with a fallacy. Without Zaha there would have been someone else in his place who could have done worse, the same, or even better than him.
That sentence doesn't have any meaning nor prove any point.

The best footie management game: [Link]

His point was Wilfs replacement MAY have done better/same/worse than Wilf. No-one knows as it didn’t happen. Irrelevant if there is/is not a wide midfielder with better stats