Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be influential in Matchweek 35.
Player analysis: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
Mateta is loving life under new Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, becoming the undisputed first-choice centre-forward at Selhurst Park.
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He struggled under Roy Hodgson and scored just five goals in 35 matches, prior to which he had only netted six times in 44 with Patrick Vieira at the helm.
But Mateta is now full of confidence leading the line in Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 system, scoring eight goals in nine appearances since the Austrian took charge.
Saturday’s opponents Fulham, who have a rejuvenated striker of their own in Rodrigo Muniz, must work hard to nullify in-form Mateta.
Importance of turnovers
Palace press far more aggressively under Glasner, and Mateta has been the beneficiary of some key turnovers.
Five of his eight goals under Glasner have come from situations where team-mates have regained possession in good areas.
The first was a sumptuous back-flick at home to Luton Town from Daniel Munoz’s cutback. The wing-back had won the ball via an aggressive piece of closing-down.
Earlier this month Mateta ran through brilliantly in a 1v1 to score from Adam Wharton’s precise through-ball at home to Manchester City, following an interception inside the middle third.
The forward also struck against Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Newcastle United from transitions that were earned by pieces of hostile pressing.
In midweek we saw a good example. Will Hughes and Jeffrey Schlupp pressurised Newcastle on halfway, and from the turnover the Magpies were unable to recover in time to prevent Mateta sweeping home from Hughes' fine cutback.
Hughes x Schlupp x Mateta 🤝 pic.twitter.com/GHxCubhloZ
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 25, 2024
This has been a typical Palace goal since Glasner replaced Hodgson, and as the stats below indicate, the Eagles have made a marked improvement when pressing.
Winning the ball back more regularly is helping Palace create better-quality opportunities.
Palace pressing stats per match 23/24
| Before Glasner | Under Glasner | |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 25 | 9 |
| Poss. won final third | 4.5 | 5.3 |
| Shots in transition | 3.6 | 4.0 |
| Pressures in final third resulting in turnover | 9.8 | 13.3 |
Staying central
The chances Mateta creates for team-mates has halved under Glasner, from 1.6 per 90 minutes to 0.71 but his penalty-box prowess has visibly grown.
Mateta has concentrated harder on staying central, and is less interested in joining in with Palace’s build-up play or running the wide channels.
This shot map for 2023/24 indicates he is at his most threatening with chances that fall to him between the width of the goalposts.
Creators around him
The return of fit-again Eberechi Eze, who has been used as one of two No 10s, has helped Mateta, along with Michael Olise’s comeback from injury too.
Eze assisted Mateta's goals against Forest and West Ham, while Olise set up his fellow Frenchman with a low cross in that 5-2 success against the Hammers.
When you compare the numbers, Mateta has recently been on the receiving end of more clear-cut chances.
With his self-belief growing, his conversion rate of 38.1 per cent under his current manager makes him one of the Premier League’s most lethal marksmen on current form.
Mateta's improving form in 2023/24
| Under Hodgson/McCarthy | Under Glasner | |
|---|---|---|
| Matches played | 22 | 9 |
| Matches started | 12 | 9 |
| Mins. played | 1,239 | 762 |
| Goals | 3 | 8 |
| Expected Goals | 2.97 | 5.23 |
| Total shots | 19 | 21 |
| Shot conversion % | 15.8% | 38.1% |
| Assists | 4 | 0 |
| Chances created (inc. assists) | 22 | 6 |
More than just a target man
Mateta adds value to the Palace side with his aerial threat in general play, but just one of his 11 Premier League goals this season has been from a header.
His sharpness on the ground is improving quickly under the new manager, as displayed when his clever one-two with Jordan Ayew opened space for him to score against Newcastle.
Football. 👇 pic.twitter.com/WQkMcvgyuw
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 24, 2024
With Mateta scoring at a rate of one goal every 95.3 minutes since the managerial change was made in February, Fulham will expect the striker to be a real handful at Craven Cottage.
