How to counter Zaha?

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Neutralise him and it goes a long way to us getting a result against Palace. But how do we do this - I think he's on the left wing usually but correct me if I am wrong. So that means Aina will be defending against him - I think we need to double up - who do we play on the right wing who can track back?

[bobby01]

He is such a mr angry, but only Stefan would have the ability to wind him up.

[WestSussexWhite]

He's played as a striker in a 2 up top mainly this season. I think we need to play deep this game and give them no room to run in behind

[H4usuallysitting]

Sniper

[Pieter A’dam]

Call Pickford and ask for advice .....

[Tempest]

Get physical.  Not near the 18 yard box but hit him hard. He vanishes

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[Finnans Right Peg]

We need to stop the supply to him and if he does get it they should take turns in stopping him with some strong tackles

[BestOfBrede]

Neutralise him and it goes a long way to us getting a result against Palace. But how do we do this - I think he's on the left wing usually but correct me if I am wrong. So that means Aina will be defending against him - I think we need to double up - who do we play on the right wing who can track back?

A good start would be to not pick Cav in the 11

[Luka]

If Zaha plays on the left then he will pull Aina apart.
Our right back leaves a lot to be desired in both tracking opponents runs and ball retention.
We will need to very quickly double up on him.

[Wingnut]

Looked at the stats from their games so far this season and they seem to be happy to let the opposition have the ball and play on the break. They had one shot on goal against Brighton. We need to manage the ball better than we did yesterday and we need to make sure that we leave no room in behind for them.

[FFC1987]

Use the extra man in the middle to provide extra cover to the fullback who gets close to him. His main move is pushing the ball away from the close man up the line and cutting in so the cover should negate the cut in and likely, provide a tackle for the push.

To be fair, he's a superb player so its not really binary as he and Roy will constantly change it up.

[LittleErn]

Neutralise him and it goes a long way to us getting a result against Palace. But how do we do this - I think he's on the left wing usually but correct me if I am wrong. So that means Aina will be defending against him - I think we need to double up - who do we play on the right wing who can track back?

A good start would be to not pick Cav in the 11

+1

[LittleErn]

WE should know that Roy's teams play to a pattern. They defend for long periods and look for a goal on the break, but as well as that they have short periods in both halves where they attack as team and try to score by putting their opponents under overload. If that doesn't bring a goal in a ten minute spell they drop back into defensive mode. I think we are not yet disciplined enough to cope with that - we get sucked further and further forward leaving us vulnerable at the back. It will be a good test of the "new" team. Lets hope they play with more nous and less gung-ho.

[Sgt Fulham]

Foul him, foul him, and foul him again.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Neutralise him and it goes a long way to us getting a result against Palace. But how do we do this - I think he's on the left wing usually but correct me if I am wrong. So that means Aina will be defending against him - I think we need to double up - who do we play on the right wing who can track back?

I agree that we need to double up on him, as I do not think Aina currently can handle him on his own.
Or get somebody to shadow him wherever he goes, man for man and mark him, but we need to nullify him, do that and we can win the game.

[hongkongfulham]

Funnily enough I think it would have suited Knocky with his work rate. Oh well, we have options!

[AnOldBrownie]

He's played as a striker in a 2 up top mainly this season. I think we need to play deep this game and give them no room to run in behind

:plus one:

Exactly.

[clarkey]

Pick Cav again and we lose as Zaha will have a field day. He is everything that Cav isn't.

Every oppo knows that Cav and the right is the FFC weakness. Against Sheff Utd the only real threat Second Half came from their left because they could just walk past Cav (or he would rugby tackle them) and he offered zero in attack. We played yet again with ten men. He simply has to be dropped and the suggestion of StefJo is a very good one.

[AnOldBrownie]

Stefjo is not a good suggestion for an EPL game.   The game moves much faster than in the Championship.

We have too many midfielders with EPL experience to simply stick Stefjo in because he can foul someone.  imo.

[Sting of the North]

Pick Cav again and we lose as Zaha will have a field day. He is everything that Cav isn't.

Every oppo knows that Cav and the right is the FFC weakness. Against Sheff Utd the only real threat Second Half came from their left because they could just walk past Cav (or he would rugby tackle them) and he offered zero in attack. We played yet again with ten men. He simply has to be dropped and the suggestion of StefJo is a very good one.

I strongly disagree. Our right with Aina and Cav looked better defensively than our left with Robinson and Lookman. Mainly, in my opinion, because Cav works really hard in tracking back. I get that you don't see that, because your whole world seem to revolve around how horrible of a player Cav is, but I suggest that you try to rewatch the game. Matt10 described this much better on another thread, but I fully agree with him that Cav is likely selected by Scott because he is (relatively) dependable defensively. Now if he could only manage to score or assist once in a blue moon...