Edouard: We must keep working hard, day after day
Odsonne Edouard is confident that Crystal Palace’s hard work in training every day will translate to on-the-pitch results.
Odsonne Edouard is confident that Crystal Palace’s hard work in training every day will translate to on-the-pitch results.
The Eagles came within seconds of ending in-form Brentford’s 10-match unbeaten run in the Premier League at the weekend, only to be cruelly denied three points at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Prior to that, Palace had held three of the Premier League’s top-six sides to draws at Selhurst Park and, with Liverpool at home on the horizon on Saturday, another strong opponent awaits.
But nothing beats endeavour, with Edouard saying: “Every game is hard and challenging [in the Premier League]. We have to keep training to be at the level we expect.
“It’s a very different league [to any I’ve played in before]. I’d say it’s more difficult overall: physically, technically. Everything is more difficult.
“Sometimes you have a great result, sometimes you have a bad result. These first six months [of this season] we have some positivity to take, and we have to keep going in a positive way.
“A lot of players came in last year at the same time as me. It takes time to adapt to playing with each other, and to how the manager wants to play. If we keep going like this, we will get the results we want time after time.
“Everywhere in the Premier League it is tight, difficult and challenging. But we have to maintain a high level.
“We just need to try and win more points. We work hard every day to perform on the weekend, and win football matches.”
Joining the side recently were two fellow French-speakers, Belgian international Albert Sambi Lokonga and former Stuttgart man Naouirou Ahamada, but even before they were signed, Edouard was aware of their considerable talents.
“I knew the two players before they came here,” he said. “Sambi played in the Premier League, and Naouirou played in Germany – he used to play with some of my friends in Germany so I watched some of his games.
“I think they are two great players, and can be very important for the team. It is easy for Sambi because he speaks English and French. For Ahamada, he doesn’t speak great English, only French, but it is a good one because we can help him. We have a lot of French players in the team, so it is good that we can help him settle in.”
One prominent French speaker in the squad is manager Patrick Vieira, a Premier League and France legend whose guidance Edouard is relishing.
He noted: “I enjoy working with Patrick Vieira. He has a different style from every manager I’ve played under. Especially as a Frenchman, I’m very grateful to play under a manager like this.
“It’s very good, especially for a French player to be coached by a legend. I enjoy it, I like the work we do every day.”
Vieira has relied on Edouard’s positional versatility, and while he has a preferred role, he is still happy to fill in where required.
“My favourite position and my original position is as a No.9, but I have the chance and the quality to play a different position,” he explained. “I can play as an attacking midfielder, or sometimes left wing, or sometimes on the right.
“I try to do my best to help the team. If the manager says you have to play there, then I do to try to help the team and do my best.
“It’s very good [to have competition] because you have to stay at a high level. You have to be good day after day. There are some good players here and it is a good challenge to be at a high level.
“A nice goal for me, for example, is a quick combination and I am there for a finish. I like team goals, but I’m a striker, and a goal is a goal for me! The one we scored against Southampton was a nice goal; a quick counter-attack, two passes if I remember and we scored. I like this type of goal.”
