Why Alexander Sorloth is the right man to lead the line for Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace started their season on a positive note with a 2-0 win against newly-promoted Fulham. But the Eagles have since succumbed to defeats against Liverpool and Watford in the following weeks.
Truth be told, the Eagles have been playing well but their attack just doesn’t seem clinical enough in front of the goal, barring Wilfried Zaha. The former Manchester United winger has so far single-handedly been tucking away the goals for Roy Hodgson’s men.
But the sole responsibility to pop up with goals will trouble the Ivorian at some point or another. In comparison, fellow Eagles attacker Christian Benteke has been horrific in front of the goal. The former Liverpool striker, who had joined Palace for a fee of £27m, not only endured one of the worst spells of his career last season but he seems to have picked up from where he left off this term as well.
The Belgian has scuppered a number of chances in the final third and just doesn’t look like his old self. One of the most feared strikers at a time, Benteke is now a training ground dummy for central defenders. In the clash against Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk was tasked with one of the easiest jobs on the field, which was to keep Benteke at bay.
It’s high time Hodgson makes a decision about the player and the right choice would be to field Alexander Sorloth in his place. The Norwegian arrived in January for a fee of £9m but has been unable to nail down a starting role yet.
Although he has been impressive coming off the bench, he should lead the line in the next game. The Norwegian possesses a greater urgency and intensity in the final third while Benteke lacks the cutting-edge to find the net.
Hence, it is time for Sorloth to come in and take the spot for himself. Often deployed as a winger, the Norwegian still managed to turn heads with his direct running on the ball. Benteke has looked slightly off the pace and his control on the ball seems poor.
Read more: Three players Palace must loan out this summer – including this out-of-favor Dutch sensation
Sorloth’s versatility should certainly help him flourish as the striker. He is capable of playing either as a lone forward or alongside Wilfried Zaha in a two-striker formation. With Zaha by his side, Sorloth could take the Premier League by storm. The pair could strike up a formidable and cohesive partnership in the final third, thus propelling Palace to the next level.
