Think he is back tomorrow, feel happier with him in the team than Cahill

Agreed - I would feel more comfortable with the team with Kouyate in midfield and Tomkins and Dann in the middle of the defence tomorrow. Would have said Tomkins and Cahill if he had been fit. But we need to get back to a more stable defence even if it’s aging with Ward at right back as well. Not so bothered with PVA at left back provided we have 3 in midfield helping the back four rather than the 2 of recent times. If that means Zaha over Eze then so be it as I don’t believe playing them both helps the balance / defensive side of the team? Personally I would play Schlupp in place of Eze at the moment with Benteke and Zaha up front allowing MacArthur, Luka and Kouyate behind them. If we play as open as last week we are in for another big defeat in my opinion?

A couple of games ago an opposition player sped past him as if Luka's feet were stuck in the mud leading to yet another yellow card when Luka hauled him down in desperation.

Perhaps it's time to bring McCarthy back in his place

I think it’s more to do with not getting mullered today. Eze’s time will come once Zaha has gone. I just don’t believe we can play both at the same time. I want to be in the prem next season with a new manager at the helm. I’m not confident we will be playing this attacking style with this aging team for which a more defensive setup suits the team we put out. Eze and Zaha constantly give the ball away resulting in pressure on the slower/older players behind them?

Don't even think of selling James Tomkins. He's the best defender we've got by a country mile. Worth far more to us than the £10m. we'd get for him with West Brom bound to be sniffing around and West Ham said to be interested in re-signing the 'Essex Boy'.

Tomkins didn't have a great game yesterday against Leicester but I put that down to "rust" and lack of match fitness.

But as others have said, when all CBs are fully fit both him and Cahill are our best centre back pairing.

Dann is completely shot and will be exposed each and every single time by a slight breeze of pace

Sakho is simply a liability; prone to error, injury prone, high wages. He offers no value for money for Palace now.
The only redeeming attribute I can give him is that he would have some resale value if we tried to shift in Jan.

Simply put whilst some may not favour Tomkins, I think that there are other candidates in that department that should be ahead of him out the exit door first

Edited by Mojo87 (29 Dec 2020 7.23am)