WILFRIED ZAHA ADMITTED that his head was “a bit all over the place” at the beginning of the season following a summer full of transfer speculation.
The forward was heavily linked to Arsenal all summer, only for Crystal Palace to reject all bids for the Ivorian star.
Everton were also said to be interested in Zaha, who has featured in all six of his side’s Premier League matches this season.
Zaha admitted that he struggled mentally at the start of the season but with the campaign now in full swing, he is determined to prove himself once again as a player for Palace.
“I had to put my head down and play my football,” Zaha told BBC Africa .
“I would have been hindering my own progress by moaning and not wanting to perform properly.
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“I have too much respect for my manager, the fans and my team-mates to treat them that way. It was a thing where ‘OK, this hasn’t happened but I’ve got to get on with it’.
“I’ve got to prove every time that I’m the top player I claim to be so I had to get over that quickly. Obviously my head was a bit all over the place at the beginning of the season but I had to nail down and just get on with it because the team deserved that.”
Zaha originally came through as a Crystal Palace player before joining Manchester United in 2013.
However, that Old Trafford stint proved a failed one, with the forward returning to Selhurst Park just two years later.
And, despite the summer of transfer rumours, Zaha insists that he’s focused on his goals with Palace, not another chance with a big club.
“I’m seeing how it goes. I’m a Crystal Palace player and I’m just trying to perform to the best of my ability for my club,” he added. “I’m not thinking about anything else and just taking each day as it comes.
“The season’s gone well so far. We’ve got a lot more in us and I’m happy with the squad and everyone’s happy with where we are right now.
“All I can do is perform on the pitch. I’m trying to be a consistent performer on the pitch week in, week out.
“Last season I set myself a target of 10 goals and managed to get 10, so I was happy. Hopefully I can reach my goals again – that’s all that’s on my mind.”
Crystal Palace are set to host Manchester City and visit Arsenal in the club’s first two matches following the conclusion of the international break.
Eoin Toolan and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to give an in-depth breakdown of where Ireland’s play stacks up against the contenders in Japan, and look into why New Zealand and England are primed for World Cup success.
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Arsenal target Zaha admits his head was 'a bit all over the place' after failed summer move
WILFRIED ZAHA ADMITTED that his head was “a bit all over the place” at the beginning of the season following a summer full of transfer speculation.
The forward was heavily linked to Arsenal all summer, only for Crystal Palace to reject all bids for the Ivorian star.
Everton were also said to be interested in Zaha, who has featured in all six of his side’s Premier League matches this season.
Zaha admitted that he struggled mentally at the start of the season but with the campaign now in full swing, he is determined to prove himself once again as a player for Palace.
“I had to put my head down and play my football,” Zaha told BBC Africa .
“I would have been hindering my own progress by moaning and not wanting to perform properly.
“I have too much respect for my manager, the fans and my team-mates to treat them that way. It was a thing where ‘OK, this hasn’t happened but I’ve got to get on with it’.
“I’ve got to prove every time that I’m the top player I claim to be so I had to get over that quickly. Obviously my head was a bit all over the place at the beginning of the season but I had to nail down and just get on with it because the team deserved that.”
Zaha originally came through as a Crystal Palace player before joining Manchester United in 2013.
However, that Old Trafford stint proved a failed one, with the forward returning to Selhurst Park just two years later.
And, despite the summer of transfer rumours, Zaha insists that he’s focused on his goals with Palace, not another chance with a big club.
“I’m seeing how it goes. I’m a Crystal Palace player and I’m just trying to perform to the best of my ability for my club,” he added. “I’m not thinking about anything else and just taking each day as it comes.
“The season’s gone well so far. We’ve got a lot more in us and I’m happy with the squad and everyone’s happy with where we are right now.
“All I can do is perform on the pitch. I’m trying to be a consistent performer on the pitch week in, week out.
“Last season I set myself a target of 10 goals and managed to get 10, so I was happy. Hopefully I can reach my goals again – that’s all that’s on my mind.”
Crystal Palace are set to host Manchester City and visit Arsenal in the club’s first two matches following the conclusion of the international break.
Eoin Toolan and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to give an in-depth breakdown of where Ireland’s play stacks up against the contenders in Japan, and look into why New Zealand and England are primed for World Cup success.
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