Exclusive: Crystal Palace are planning a move to sign highly rated goal-machine.
Crystal Palace are in 10th place in the Premier League standings after six games, with a record of two wins, two draws, and two losses. Roy Hodgson’s side can be pleased with their start to the season.
However, only six goals scored according to the official Premier League website indicates at where their problems may lie, and linkages with a Brazilian goal machine are entirely understandable.
Seven goals surrendered is the joint fourth best in the English Premier League, trailing only Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, and suggests that if Hodgson can find a striker who guarantees goals, the Eagles might soon be flying high up the league.
According to Fichajes (h/t The Hard Tackle), Flamengo ace, Gabriel Barbosa, otherwise known as ‘Gabigol,’ is of interest to Palace and also their west London rivals, Fulham.
It should not be forgotten that the 27-year-old has already had European experience with Internazionale and Benfica, though he did not exactly shine at either team.
According to Transfermarkt, he only scored one goal per season while with them, and the Portuguese giants sent him back to Santos, whom he had left to join Inter in the first place.
It’s unclear whether the player would welcome any advances at this point, but it’s ‘now or never’ for Barbosa if he wants to make it big in one of the top five leagues.
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Ambrose: Whoever I meet talks about THAT goal!
In 2009/10, he scored 20 goals, including the game-winning goal on “Survival Sunday.” Three club Goal of the Season titles in a row. A successful run to the League Cup semi-finals. Darren Ambrose had a number of notable achievements while playing for Crystal Palace.
Yet, among Palace and opposing fans alike, Ambrose’s name has become synonymous with one particular audacious feat: the goal that knocked Manchester United out of the 2010/11 League Cup quarter-finals.
You know the one.
“It’s so strange – I get asked to speak about it every time this game comes up!” Ambrose laughs, when we tentatively broach the subject.
As the Eagles faced Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the then-Carling Cup, Ambrose took to the turf as a half-time substitute looking to liven up an uneventful evening.
Twenty minutes after coming on, the midfielder displayed his most striking attribute on live TV when, collecting the ball from Wilfried Zaha not far from the centre circle, he roamed forward and drove home one of the finest efforts ever seen from a Palace player.
The ball sailed through the air for an eternity as it travelled over 30 yards to tear past Ben Amos and into the United net.
“It was an iconic goal for me in my career,” Ambrose admits. “I say this quite often: I didn’t win team accolades when I was playing. I never won a league or a trophy, only individual accolades.
“But to come away, seven years after retiring, and 12 years since that goal, and still be spoken about for it… wherever I go and with whoever, whether that’s Palace supporters or United supporters… whoever I meet always talks about that goal. I’m proud to have something like that.
“Other players who have won trophies can talk about those memories, but I have something which I’m remembered by as a player: that goal at Old Trafford. And to top it off, we won the game, which was fantastic.”
Federico Macheda equalised not long after for Sir Alex Ferguson’s United team, who were reigning Premier League champions and recent Champions League finalists. But then-second tier Palace struck again in extra-time through Glenn Murray to seal an almighty upset.
Despite Murray’s heroics, it was Ambrose’s goal – described by Gary Neville as the best strike ever scored against the home team at Old Trafford – which has proven simply too good to be left behind by time.
“It was a moment missed out on for us to lose to Cardiff [on penalties] in the semi-finals, otherwise it would have gone down even more memorably, to be honest,” Ambrose admits.
“For a club that haven’t won a trophy for a long time, a good cup run gives such a feelgood factor around the club. Not only does it build confidence when you win games, but the players who are the so-called fringe players know they’ve got a few more games to impress.
“Winning breeds confidence and if you can go on a Cup run… you look at the 2016 FA Cup Final for Crystal Palace, and in 2020/21 the semi-final against Chelsea… you take that feelgood factor into your league campaign as well.”
Memories of Manchester United at Old Trafford are evoked once again this week by a rare ‘double bill’ against the Red Devils in the North-West.
Palace first face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup third round tonight (26th September) – a repeat billing of the quarter-final Ambrose helped to settle so spectacularly 12 years ago – and again in the Premier League on Saturday (30th September).
And while Ambrose is anticipating that both teams will rotate their squads for tonight’s game, he also knows – having not started the quarter-final in which he so memorably scored – that the importance that every player takes their opportunity should it arrive.
“It’s very similar throughout the history of football, and it was the case when we played at Old Trafford that night,” Ambrose recalls. “Dougie picked a team that he wanted to go up and nullify Manchester United, and it worked – the players who came in that day were absolutely fantastic.
“It’s always disappointing for the players who don’t play. No matter what, players want to play every single match – league matches, FA Cup matches, League Cup matches and friendlies – because that’s what you grow up doing.
“People will be disappointed tonight as well, but games come thick and fast and it’s vital that the players who do come in show Roy that, when called upon, they can be trusted, whether that’s in the League Cup against maybe a second-string Manchester United, or on Saturday against a full-strength opponent. That’s what the manager will be looking for.
“It’s common knowledge that United have not been fantastic this season, but they have players who, even when they’re playing poorly, can win games. We’ve seen that.
“I just feel they’re there for the taking. I don’t know what team Roy’s going to put out – I’m sure there’ll be some players on the fringe looking to get some game time – but it’ll be the same for Erik ten Hag. It’ll be an open game. I’m hoping it’s going to be a game full of goals – and we come out on top.”
As for those supporters venturing to Old Trafford twice in the space of five days, Ambrose hopes that a positive result on Tuesday will make the journey that much shorter when it comes to Saturday’s Premier League encounter. “If Palace walk away with a victory tonight, I’m sure on Saturday there’s going to be a lot of banter in and around the crowd!
“For the players, and particularly the manager, I think tonight’s game will have little bearing on Saturday – that will be a totally different game – so they’ll take this as what it is: a Cup game and an opportunity to go even further in this tournament.
“But for the supporters, there’ll be definite bragging rights going into Saturday.”
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