Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha doesn’t want to play as a striker despite Vieira’s insistence

Despite enjoying the best goal-scoring season of his career, Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha doesn’t see himself as a striker.
Rahman Osman
By Rahman Osman
Published 10th May 2022, 12:18 BST
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Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha has declared that he doesn’t see himself as a striker, even though he knows manager Patrick Vieira wants to play him there.

The 29-year-old forward is enjoying his best goal-scoring season of his career, with 13 goals to his name.

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He’s scored the same amount of goals as Tottenham’s Harry Kane, and has admitted he’s just two goals shy of his personal target of scoring 15 for the season.

With all of Palace’s strikers struggling for goals and form, Patrick Vieira has hinted he might start pushing Zaha through the middle as he thinks he’s prolific enough to do a job there.

Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Watford at Selhurst Park. Credit: Warren Little/Getty ImagesWilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Watford at Selhurst Park. Credit: Warren Little/Getty Images
Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Watford at Selhurst Park. Credit: Warren Little/Getty Images

However the Ivorian told LondonWorld that it’s not something he wants to do.

When asked after the Watford game, when Zaha scored again, if he wanted to play upfront, he replied: “I don’t. He [Vieira] has got his ideas, and I have got mine, so we will see how it goes.”

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Zaha revealed he was happy to share what he has picked up down the years with the younger Palace players coming through, like Michael Olise.

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira applauds the fans at the end of the Premier League match (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira applauds the fans at the end of the Premier League match (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira applauds the fans at the end of the Premier League match (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

He added: “It just shows what the club has in store.

“Michael is 20, and that’s how good he is already, so imagine when he matures into a grown player - he will be unbelievable.

“It is nice to be a part of it. I feel as though I am the oldest among these young kids, but it is nice to be a part of it and play with these boys. The future is bright.

“That’s the aspect that I am talking about. That just comes with maturity, experience and killing games.

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“I had to learn that. With the talent that they have, you enjoy just doing tricks and running rings around people, but at the end of the day, [it comes down to] scoring goals.

“That is what I try to tell them on the pitch: ‘Play with purpose - all the rest comes after.’”

Crystal Palace are currently on 44 points, and they have three games to beat their previously best Premier League tally of 49.

Zaha will be hoping he can hit 15 goals for the season in these final three matches.

Related topics:Crystal PalaceHarry KaneTottenham

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