Player Focus: McArthur's Form in Jedinak's Absence Improving Palace's Survival Chances

Losing key players to international duty can be a huge hindrance to any team. For Crystal Palace, though, that was simply not the case. When Alan Pardew took charge of the Eagles, he was unable to utilise pairing Mile Jedinak and Yannick Bolasie due to their respective participation in the Asia Cup and Africa Cup of Nations. Fortunately for Pardew, he was able to call on Wilfried Zaha, Jason Puncheon and Dwight Gayle in wide positions without Bolasie. The winger may be one of Palace’s most exciting players, but they had the personnel to cover his absence.

Jedinak, though, was a much bigger blow for Palace. The Australian is Palace’s highest rated player (7.64) and was last season, too (7.55). Some tipped the Eagles to struggle without him, but they soldiered on and a run of 1 defeat from 5 league games under Pardew has put 5 points between themselves and the bottom 3. The upturn in fortune following Pardew's return has coincided with the form of James McArthur.

In Jedinak’s absence, the Scot has excelled. Since Pardew’s first league game at the Selhurst Park helm - a 2-1 home win over Spurs - McArthur has been Palace’s highest rated player (7.79), a significant increase on his rating prior to that victory (7.12). When the Eagles required a player to step up and cover the loss of their skipper, McArthur came to the fore. It’s no coincidence that Palace, with the 27-year-old ruled out through injury, lacked a tenacity in middle of the park in Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Liverpool.  

Under Pardew, McArthur’s role has become much more important in the midfield. The Scotland international has been tasked with not only winning the ball back for his side, but retaining possession, which he has done efficiently. His passes per game under Pardew has risen to 54 from 29.9 prior to the new manager's appointment, without compromising his pass accuracy (75.7% increasing slightly to 76.7%). 

"With the ball, that was one of our worst performances under me," Pardew said following the 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool. A total of 263 passes compared to Liverpool's 555 further highlights how big a loss McArthur was at the weekend. Had the former Wigan Athletic star been available, eventual man of the match Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen may not have had such a big influence on the game. Furthermore, McArthur's availability on Saturday would have seen Joel Ward, who partnered Joe Ledley in midfield, play in a more familiar full-back position, thus improving the balance of the Palace starting XI.

Fortunately for Palace, McArthur is expected to be available for the welcome of Arsenal at the weekend and his presence in the middle of the park will be a welcome boost to Pardew. Against a team that prefers to keep the ball on the floor, McArthur’s reading of the game could be crucial, having gained a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘ball interception’. This weapon in his arsenal has been prominent under Pardew. Since the manager’s first league game in charge, only Francis Coquelin (4.8), Nacho Monreal (4.4) and Matthew James (4.3) are averaging more interceptions per Premier League game than McArthur (4.2). 

What is telling is that this return has shot up from 1.7 interceptions per game before Pardew came in. Neil Warnock clearly never managed to bring out the best in McArthur, but Pardew identified a player who has the ability to play a key role in their Premier League survival. Without Jedinak, McArthur has become much more important to Palace and he has clearly not shirked from the challenge of establishing himself as a vital member of the Eagles' starting XI. 

Once Jedinak returns to fitness, Pardew has the luxury of being able to call on both the Australia international and his Scottish teammate in the middle of the park. Granted, this may see Ledley drop out of the side, but the Palace captain and McArthur can form a solid midfield base that will aid their quest to secure Premier League safety. Between them, they are averaging an impressive 6.6 tackles per league game and with McArthur in the middle of the park, he can act as both a ball winner and the man tasked with retaining possession. 

Jedinak’s return to the side may see McArthur's defensive contribution lessen somewhat, what with the Australian currently Palace’s primary holding midfielder. However, McArthur’s ability on the ball means the duo have what it takes to compliment one another in front of the defence. Should Jedinak remain disciplined, McArthur can then push forward, support the attack and cut out danger further up the pitch before it manifests into a more pressing threat on the Palace goal. 

Perhaps McArthur’s most memorable moment during Pardew’s short reign so far has been his altercation with Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson during Palace’s 1-0 win at the King Power stadium. On the pitch, however, it’s clear to see McArthur’s game has evolved under Pardew as he continues to impress. Should Palace secure their top-flight status for another season, the Scot will have been central to their efforts in what appeared to be an unlikely Premier League survival bid before Pardew took over the reins at Selhurst Park.

How big a role do you think James McArthur will play in Crystal Palace's quest to stave off relegation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below