7th Jul 2024 • Written by Henry Swain

Cheick Doucouré: The forgotten key to Palace’s midfield

On a chilly November evening at Kenilworth Road, Crystal Palace’s season took a turn for the worst. 

In the 54th minute, Mali international and midfield mainstay Cheick Doucouré fell to the floor unchallenged. He had snapped his achilles - one of the worst injuries any professional footballer can suffer. 

His season was over in the blink of an eye, and Palace were left without a crucial cog in their system. 

Despite a magical goal from Michael Olise, Palace went on to lose the game 2-1. Another injury, this time to Eberechi Eze, rubbed salt in supporters’ wounds. 

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The loss tipped the snowball over the hill, which further gathered momentum as the Eagles failed to register a win until late December, tempting the eventual sacking of Roy Hodgson. 

The Doucouré shaped hole was unfillable, and Jefferson Lerma was left without a regular midfield partner. Neither Will Hughes nor Jeffrey Schlupp were capable of successfully stepping into his boots. An out-of-position Chris Richards tried his best, but as Palace stumbled through the final two months of the year, the agonising wait for the January transfer window grew longer by the game. 

Approaching deadline day, there was seemingly no plan in place to plaster over the cracks which were becoming damning for Hodgson. Then came the announcement of Adam Wharton’s arrival in South London, signing from Blackburn Rovers for the best part of £20m. 

Palace attempted to bolster their midfield ranks even further, making a late move for Birmingham City teenager Jordan James, but were unsuccessful.

Fortunately for Palace, Wharton took to Premier League football like a duck to water. Despite a wobble on debut against bitter rivals Brighton and Hove Albion, The 20-year-old’s performances salivated not only the mouths of Palace fans, but also England boss Gareth Southgate, who eventually selected Wharton for his UEFA Euro 2024 squad. 

The hype and hysteria surrounding Palace’s latest Championship catch has seen Doucouré fade from memory at times. With a full pre-season to get up to speed again, Palace fans will be reminded of his quality in due course. 

Why is Doucouré so crucial for Palace?

It would be blasé to simply talk of Doucouré’s quality and importance - what is more of interest to us at The Palace Way is how Doucouré can adapt to Oliver Glasner’s system after nearly 9 months out injured, and what he’ll bring that Palace have missed. 

Under a new manager in Oliver Glasner, Palace exchanged the mediocrity of Hodgson’s football for an exciting, meaningful style, recapturing the imagination and admiration of the Palace faithful. 

For all of Hodgson’s criticisms, there’s no denying his role in improving Doucoure’s impact and decision-making.

Starting the first eleven games of the 23/24 campaign, Doucouré made the middle of the park his own, hounding opponents like a terrier let loose at a Sunday league game. With 3.1 tackles and 6.7 ball recoveries per game, along with 1.8 interceptions, he was demonstrating the talent which has had the likes of Liverpool chasing his signature. 

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Over the last year, Doucouré ranks in the 98th percentile for interceptions and the 96th for tackling actions. His role in front of the backline offers Palace insurance in possession, Doucouré maintaining possession with fast, accurate passing play, always one step ahead of his opponents. At just 24 years of age, the former Lens man has a long and bright future in football. 

How will Doucouré fit Glasner’s system?

Since his arrival in SE25, Oliver Glasner has stamped his imprint on the squad, turning once negative, demotivated and frankly passive players into perfectly tuned tools designed to fit an expansive system. 

Glasner deploys two deeper lying midfielders behind a pair of attacking midfielders, supporting a central number nine.   

Whilst Wharton has firmly secured his starting position, the space alongside him, if taken by the correct player, could see Palace step further in their quest for a taste of European football. The transfer window won’t be necessary, Doucouré is the perfect fit. 

Playing alongside Wharton, Doucouré will have the freedom to venture further forward, as he did so well for Lens when partnering Seko Fofana. This additional attacking outlet will offer Glasner yet another mechanism to carve defences open - Doucouré’s passing ability is far superior to that of Will Hughes who played a key role in the final games of last season.

Since his move to Palace in the summer of 2022, Doucouré has become a combative midfielder. If Glasner is able to licence and nurture his attacking talents further, he may well become one of the better-rounded midfielders in the league. 

Many neutrals see Doucouré as a deep-lying disruptor, but he offers so much more than that. 

On the ball, not only is his passing elite, but his dribbling ability is truly excellent. He is an incredibly intelligent footballer, often beating his opponent with a simple drop of the shoulder, in a similar, but admittedly less flamboyant fashion to Eberechi Eze. 

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This intelligence is perhaps represented most noticeably in the way he positions himself. Whilst he harasses opponents to pinch possession, Palace fans became accustomed to Doucouré’s knack for simply being well-placed to intercept passes which would otherwise threaten the backline. 

Wharton possesses the same ability; another reason for Palace fans to be so excited about seeing this duo’s linkup. 

The calmness and poise that both have on the ball will see Palace’s midfield become one of the most press-resistant in the league, further allowing Glasner to experiment in the forward areas of the pitch. 

Doucouré’s European ambitions

The key for Doucouré, and possibly a deciding factor in Palace’s ability to hold on to a player with such talent, will be the nature of his recovery from his injury. Last summer, Doucouré was attracting increasing interest from top Premier League teams, most notably Liverpool, who were reportedly willing to pay upwards of £60m for the 24 -year-old's services.

This should jog the memories of his performances in his first two seasons at the club. His return to the Palace first team, after a full pre-season under the intense, fitness-oriented coaching of Glasner and his backroom staff, will undoubtedly result in further interest next Summer, should he regain the form he showed prior to his injury. 

Doucouré has voiced his desire to play at the top level in the past, citing dreams of Champions League football. As Palace find themselves knocking on the door of a potential push for the Europa Conference League, as sides around them in the table have achieved before, Doucouré may feel Palace is the right club to continue his journey further. 

Palace signed Doucouré to a new contract in February, the player committing his future at the club until 2029. Whilst it is unlikely that he remains a Palace player for the duration of the extension, if Palace can be fortunate enough to keep hold of him for even half of that time, his resale value will be a guaranteed profit on the initial £18.2 million paid to Lens. 

By the end of next season, Doucouré will only be 25 years old, entering the peak of his powers. For the sake of all associated with Crystal Palace football club, the hope is that Selhurst Park can host Doucouré in his prime.

Thumbnail Credit: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

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