Jordan Ayew: The resurgence

The Crystal Palace man has been among the many objectives beneath Roy Hodgson, however how sustainable is the Ghana worldwide’s streak?

Crystal Palace’s 4-3 success over West Ham United set the tone for a goal-laden weekend within the Premier League, with 36 objectives scored on Saturday and Sunday earlier than Leicester Metropolis and Everton added an additional 4 objectives of their 2-2 draw.

The success continued the Eagles’ resurgence since Patrick Vieira was changed by Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park, claiming 4 wins of their final six video games. 

The Eagles have received three on the trot because the skilled boss’ return to Selhurst Park, and that fast impression exacerbates the erstwhile head coach’s struggles.

The Eagles have been near hazard when Hodgson returned to South London on the finish of March however now sit in eleventh place, 10 factors above the drop with 12 factors to play for.

Unsurprisingly, the revival of Palace’s proficient pair Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise has dominated headlines because the 76-year-old got here again to the membership, however Jordan Ayew’s mini rebirth has considerably flown beneath the radar.

The Ghana worldwide is usually an object of ridicule, praised for his tenacity with out possession however with out the goalscoring to point out for the work price.

A glance again on the Black Star’s earlier returns in South London underscores the absence of objectives: one in 2018-19 and 2020-21 and three final season, whereas he had netted only one Premier League aim earlier than Hodgson returned.

In a way, it isn’t stunning he has discovered some type with the interim boss in situ, scoring thrice beneath the Englishman. It was in 2019-20 that Ayew hit a wealthy vein of type earlier than the lockdown and soccer’s suspension as a result of pandemic, ending that marketing campaign with 9 Premier League objectives.

Whereas the previous Swansea Metropolis man is unlikely to match or higher that season’s return, we have a look at the numbers delineating the continued resurgence.

Ayew Revived?

• 3 – The variety of objectives scored by the Ghanaian since Hodgson took cost of his first Palace recreation within the present spell in April.

• 1.4 – Ayew has gathered Anticipated Targets (xG) of 1.4 within the six video games following Vieira’s departure.

• 1.4 – Apparently, the Ghana worldwide’s xG in his previous 28 appearances was 1.4.

• 13 – The variety of pictures Ayew has taken in six video games beneath Hodgson. Earlier than the Englishman’s return, the erstwhile Swansea ahead shot at aim 14 occasions.

• 4 – 4 of these 13 pictures have been heading in the right direction, accounting for half of the striker’s 10 efforts which have discovered the again of the online or made the opposition goalkeeper work.

• 18 – The variety of video games Ayew went with out making an attempt an effort at aim earlier than Hodgson’s return to Selhurst Park.

Burnley coach Vincent Kompany has frowned at Crystal Palace’s choice to sack Patrick Vieira.

• 4 – The variety of video games through which the Palace ahead has had seven touches or extra within the opponent’s field beneath the Englishman. Ayew hit the seven-touch mark solely as soon as beneath Vieira this time period, manner again in gameweek three within the Eagles’ 3-1 success over Aston Villa.

• 2 – Ayew was concerned in two goal-creating actions in final Saturday’s 4-3 victory over West Ham, the one time he has achieved a couple of offensive motion resulting in a aim this season.

• 3- The overall variety of goal-creating actions because the managerial change in South London, matching his whole earlier than Vieira was given the heave-ho at Palace.

• 10 – When Vieira was in cost, the Palace man didn’t register one shot-creating motion in 10 matches. Underneath Hodgson, the Ghanaian has had a shot-creating motion in each recreation up to now.

• 4 – Ayew has been concerned in 4 direct aim contributions since Hodgson took the helm, outdoing the 2 involvements beneath Vieira.

• 6 – Whereas not linked to his considerably extra constant attacking numbers beneath Hodgson, it’s attention-grabbing that the ahead has not surpassed two tackles plus interceptions within the Englishman’s six video games. For context, Ayew had greater than two tackles plus interceptions in 13 Premier League video games earlier than the Frenchman’s departure.

EuroEagles Evaluation is a weekly sequence evaluating the performances of Nigerian footballers in Europe.