By James K. Attaglo Wilson
Only few football players would have the balls to score a match winning goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford and also score against Arsenal [home and away] in a single season, but that is how Ghanaian striker – Jordan Ayew has been significant to the course of Crystal Palace in the 2019/2020 English Premier League.
In fact, the Black Stars forward has over paid coach Roy Hodgson for believing in him despite having a bad spell in the 2018/2019 season, scoring just twice. The in-from trequartista [Ayew] has already scored eight times for the Eagles this time around even though the 2019/2020 season is yet to be completed.
Apart from his ability to scoring jaw dropping goals, Jordan’s involvement in games has become more critical for Crystal Palace, earning more points [14] for the Eagles than any other player in the team. Only Andrew Johnson [2004/2005 season] has accumulated more points [15] in Palace’s Premier League history than Jordan Ayew.
His ability to create time and space for wide players – Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend to operate from the flanks has earn him more plaudits from Roy Hodgson week in, week out.
Statistically, Jordan has hit the most shots [46] with 21 shots on target. He also has the second highest conversion rate [17.4%] and on joint-third highest shooting accuracy [58.3%].
Beyond his impressive offensive stats, the Ghanaian forward’s defensive attributes this season cannot be overlooked as well – winning the fifth most tackles. One other interesting fact worth noticing here, however, is that Jordan Ayew has rarely been seen running out of gas in the middle of the park which proves why his commitment is that critical to Crystal Palace.
Ayew [28] has won an amazing ten eToro Man of the Match gong this season which proves that he’s the main man at Selhurst Park.
Below quotes sums up Jordan Ayew’s awesome dominance;
Roy Hodgson speaking about Jordan Ayew after their match against Man United in August, 2019
“He [Ayew] was unlucky to lose his place when I wanted to play two front players and I chose Wilf to partner Christian Benteke rather than him.
“He would’ve been quite entitled to say ‘I played quite well against Everton’ but there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to bring him back for this game.
“And basically he had a very specific job to do, apart from of course being a good centre-forward, holding the ball up, beating players when he can and scoring goals; he had another very important job to do: making sure Paul Pogba couldn’t come deep and spread passes all around the play.”
Roy Hodgson on Jordan Ayew’s talent and his general contribution to the team in their 1-0 win over Aston Villa in September, 2019
“Had he not scored the goal today, I would still be heaping praise on him because of the work he does for us, his tactical understanding, the number of times he does the job we want tactically to help other players take up the positions they need to take up. I’m not just talking attacking-wise, I’m talking defending too.
“When he puts icing on that cake by scoring a goal last week and a goal this week, then it’s happy days – there’s no doubt about that. It’s in particular happy days for him and it’s happy days he deserves. Last season, he didn’t get as many opportunities as he would like to have had.
“There were many times he found himself on the bench as a substitute and wasn’t even getting onto the field of play but never once did he stop working hard in training. Never once did he stop trying to do the right things in training. Players like that, when their moment arrives, as a coach you feel really happy for them.”
Roy Hodgson on Jordan Ayew after Crystal Palace boxing day [December 26, 2019] comeback win over West Ham United
“The winning goal was just an incredible winning effort. You just have to take your hat off to Jordan Ayew.
“He worked so hard up until that point and yet still found the energy, still found the strength to produce that pirouette on the edge of the box and find his way through the two defenders coming in to block him and then to show the composure to chip the goalkeeper – I was really happy with that goal. Not as happy as Jordan is, but happy!”
“He’s got ability. I don’t think anyone’s ever doubted that and we certainly never doubted it. He spent a year with us on loan and we were really happy with him.
“We knew all along that he’s got the capability of scoring those goals. I think his game’s improved, I think his confidence has improved as it should do – he deserves to be confident. He’s played a vital part for us this year.”
Roy Hodgson speaking on Jordan Ayew’s performance after their game against Newcastle United in February 2020
“He had a wonderful game. He comes off a little bit disappointed. He wants to score goals. He knows that if he is ever going to be regarded as a top, top striker people are going to look at his goalscoring record.”
“We’ve got to make sure we don’t allow that type of thing to get him down in anyway because what he is doing for the team is immeasurable, really. But it would’ve been nice if he had capped that performance with a goal or maybe two goals, and then I think he would be bouncing around even more than I’m sure he is at the moment because he’s a team player and he knows how much this victory meant to us as a team.”
The Ghanaian attacker [Jordan] is enjoying the season of his life, breaking records upon records whiles scoring some breath-taking goals for the Eagles, but the big question here is, will Jordan Ayew be able to continue his blistering form as the English Premier League returns next week?
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