April 15 2005

Sandor Torghelle

Sandor Torghelle believes he can score the goals to keep the Eagles in the Premiership this season and finally show Palace fans why Iain Dowie was so desperate to bring him to the club, by Stuart Pink.

The 22-year-old Hungarian hitman has struggled to force his way into the Palace side in his first season in England, but after his hat-trick in the reserves last week and his recall to the Palace bench last Saturday, it seems Torghelle is coming into form at just the right time.

Torghelle said: "I want to play more and I want to show everybody I am here.

"I want to show everybody how I can play and help Crystal Palace.

"The hat-trick was good for me because I need this hat-trick, every game I play I think I can score."

Apart from the prolific Andrew Johnson, the rest of the Palace players have struggled to hit the target this season as the England striker has scored 18 of the 32 Premiership goals Palace have netted this campaign.

This is a factor well known to Dowie, who has indicated the need for players from all positions to weigh in with their share of goals and in recent weeks has deployed Dougie Freedman alongside Johnson in a 4-4-2 formation.

But Freedman has failed to notch a goal in the Premiership during that time and with Saturday’s game against Norwich a must-win game, Dowie is likely to start with the in-form Torghelle alongside Johnson.

Dowie said: "He played well in the reserve game scoring three goals and getting three assists, so he deserves his opportunity as no one else has been stepping up to the plate.

"If I was leaving people out who were scoring goals then it could be questioned, but I make decisions as I see right and its disappointing no one had jumped up and shown they can partner Andrew Johnson at this level."

Coincidentally, Torghelle made his Premiership debut against Norwich in the first game of the Premiership season, but after an impressive start, the Hungarian has rarely featured since he scored his only goal for Palace against Charlton in the Carling Cup, a game where he was later sent off.

His loss of form could be put down to his struggle to adapt to life in England, but Torghelle says now he is the happiest he has ever been since his summer move from MTK Hungaria.

Torghelle added: “It was very, very difficult because this is a team coming up from the second division and this is the first year at the top, so it is very difficult.

“But yes I am happy now because a player who doesn’t play and can not help the team is not too happy, but somebody who can play and help the team is happy, that is what I want.”

The Hungarian is confident his renewed strike partnership with Johnson will benefit Palace and also feels he can weigh in with a few goals to take the pressure off the Eagles’ leading marksman.

Torghelle added: “I want to help him and I hope I can help him but everybody wants to help because he’s the top scorer. But we must all be together for our game against Norwich because we need the three points.”

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