Max Meyer endured a disappointing game as Crystal Palace and Southampton played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
On the chalkboard
The young German was picked to start by manager Roy Hodgson, playing on the right side of midfield.
And it appeared that he had enjoyed a dream start when he slammed home Wilfried Zaha’s cross to give his side a 1-0 lead.
VAR intervened, though, adjudging Zaha to be offside in the build-up and chalking the goal off. Replays showed that the decision was incredibly tight.
However, throughout his time on the pitch – he was substituted on 84 minutes for Cheikhou Kouyate – Meyer flattered to deceive.
He touched the ball just 19 times, fewer than any other starting Eagles player, per WhoScored, and did not manage to have a shot on goal.
He also had just nine accurate passes – again the lowest of any starting player on his side – and completed just one dribble, while he was also dispossessed once.
He rarely threatened Palace in the final third.
Out of position
Meyer was set up to fail here.
Throughout his career, he has primarily played as an attacking midfielder, appearing in the position 139 times. He has played in central midfield 31 times, but he is not a right midfielder.
Transfermarkt stats show that he has played either on the right wing or on the right of midfield a total of 13 times. That he did not play well should not surprise anyone, and it begs the question as to why exactly Hodgson refuses to play him in his proper position.
Did he really play for us?! No Palace fan has managed to name all of these obscure Eagles signings….
Perhaps he simply doesn’t think he can operate with a No.10 but, even if that’s true, Meyer can sit deep and pick passes. Shunting him out wide limits his effectiveness.
This season, he has yet to score a goal or provide an assist and has primarily played on the flank when he has started.
He won’t begin to change those numbers until Hodgson starts playing him in the centre of the field.
Meanwhile, Palace fans were left gobsmacked by one thing over Christmas.
