The majority of football leagues across the world have come to a temporary halt right now, as the globe tries to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak. Of course, the health of the general public is the priority and there are tough challenges ahead as the numbers contracting the virus increases.
The English Premier League has been postponed until early April is the English Premier League and that has had a different impact on individuals and clubs up and down the country. For those with poor momentum, it’s a welcome break.
However, for those in-form, it has come at just the wrong time, with Crystal Palace and Jordan Ayew falling into that category.
The Ghanaian's form for the Eagles has been superb this season and you could argue he deserves more credit for the way he has been playing. Scoring eight goals, in a generally defensive team, is a very good feat at this stage of the campaign and he has backed that up with some superb all-round performances too.
Ivory Coast international Wilfried Zaha has been Palace’s inspiration over the years and he is still a class act, but it’s the form of Ayew that has stood out this season and particularly in recent weeks.
The Black Stars attacker grabbed the decisive goal to settle the game against bitter rivals Brighton and followed that up with another match-winning effort against Watford in the final game before this enforced break.
As a result, Roy Hodgson’s men have all-but secured their safety in the Premier League this season and they may even be dreaming of European football considering they are only four points away from seventh place. The online sports betting sites and tips may say that’s highly unlikely given the caliber of teams around Palace, and that’s a fair point, but they shouldn’t be dismissed totally.
The standout aspect of Hodgson’s management is how he organizes his team and makes them hard to beat and that will always be the case as long as the experienced figure is in charge. So, if Ayew can continue his hot streak in front of goal then there’s no reasons why they can’t pull of what would be a minor miracle by finishing in the top seven.
Such form also shows that Ayew is finally maturing as a player. At 28-years-old, he appears a lot more focused and willing to help the team, which in turn has helped his own game. He is on course for double figures in the league for the first time since 2015 and for what would be just the second time in his career.
Another great team performance from the front to the back! 3 games. 3 wins. 3 clean sheets ???????? ? ? ? ?? #CPFC #Ghana pic.twitter.com/XAJ0n91SZC
— Jordan Ayew (@jordan_ayew9) March 7, 2020
The challenge for the player will be to rediscover that level when the season eventually does return, whether that’s in three weeks or three months, and that will be tough for Ayew.
If he can get back to that level though, Palace could have a memorable final nine games ahead and the underappreciated Ayew, who has had to play second fiddle to Zaha domestically and even his brother Andre at times for the national team, may finally start getting the recognition he deserves.