Patrick Vieira backing Eberechi Eze to be key player for Crystal Palace
“We still have to give [Eze] time to get to his best,” said Vieira. “We don’t have any doubt about how good he can be for us.
“His strength is when he has got the ball at his feet and he can create something, he can score goals. It is not just about him but it is about the players around him as well.”
Those team-mates will likely welcome more new faces to training before the September 1 transfer deadline, with Vieira admitting he still sees gaps “all over the field”.
The former Arsenal captain is especially keen to bolster Palace’s youthful talent with more maturity. Doucoure is 22 and Michael Olise 20, while south London native Ebiowei turns 19 next month.
“Yeah we need a little bit more experience,” Vieira said. “We have a couple of players who need a bit of support and have pressure on their shoulders to allow them to express themselves.
“We’re looking forward to improving that side of the game.”
That pressure, he agreed, also applies to the entire first team, who are pushing for a top-10 finish this season after finishing 12th in the table last campaign.
“People will expect more from Palace,” added Vieira, ahead of his second season in the manager’s chair.
“We will have to manage that. At the same time we have to live with this expectation and pressure because we had a good season last year.
“It will be important to maintain those performances and the quality we show but on a more consistent basis to allow ourselves to be more competitive.”
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