Michael Olise may be the Premier League’s newest talent following his heroic performance in the FA Cup third round. The young winger terrorised the Millwall defence in Crystal Palace‘s 2-1 win. His performance caught the attention of fans as the Eagles progressed to the next round.
Michael Olise: Crystal Palace Winget is the Newest Premier League Star
Who is Michael Olise?
Michael Olise joined Crystal Palace in July 2021 for a fee of £8.3 million. Having come through the Reading academy, the Royals reluctantly allowed the 20-year-old to depart after his release clause was activated by the Eagles.
His time at Reading only started in March 2019 where he played his first professional game against Leeds United. Born in 2001, the youngster was previously at some of the country’s elite clubs in Chelsea and Manchester City. Olise was in the youth setup of these teams however they both released him, to Reading’s gain. Olise managed to record nearly 70 first-team appearances in three seasons for the Royals and scored seven goals, all of them in his final season. His attacking output was also found in his passing as he notched 12 assists for the club.
Michael Olise is yet to appear at international level, despite the riches of his options. The winger is eligible to play for Algeria, France, England and Nigeria. These four nations are some of the world’s greatest when it comes to football culture and development. In his youth career, Olise has opted to represent France, however, his official national team is yet to be confirmed. According to sources, he was named in the Nigeria standby squad in March 2021, ahead of the African Cup Of Nations Qualifiers.
Should the winger continue his impressive form, he will be representing one of these countries sooner than later. Olise’s younger brother, Richard, recently signed a professional contract at Chelsea and plays as a right-back.
Crystal Palace’s Tricky Winger
Michael Olise was originally a central midfielder, but he has played most of his career as a right-sided winger. His acceleration and pace creates non-stop pressure on the opponents’ fullbacks. The young winger has managed three goals and four assists in his first 14 games for Crystal Place. The return will be appreciated by Patrick Vieira, who has a unique squad involving many young attacking talents. His former Reading teammate Micheal Morrison stated that his best attributes include “the skills, the touch, control, his passing and he’s confident. He is also physically able to do things other guys can’t do; he’s quick and he glides past people.”
Olise had already won multiple individual awards during his time at Reading; the winger was voted EFL Championship Young Player Of The Season 2020/21 as well as appearing in the EFL Championship Team of The Season 2020/21.
Michael Olise is a player that gets fouled often due to his pace and agility. His dribbling ability allows him to skip past opponents, usually prompting tactical headaches for the opposition. Olise’s wonder of a left foot allows him to express his quality from dead-ball situations.
His Man of the Match performance against Millwall in the FA Cup further highlighted his direct attack approach as he attempted multiple long shots, with one resulting in a goal. Olise originally started in a narrower role against the Lions, which was less effective for the visitors. Vieira stated that Palace “changed the shape in the second half so Olise was wider, and we created a situation where he was in a one versus one. He showed his quality.”
Olise’s sensational second half included a 13-minute spell where he scored, assisted and hit the post. The youngster single-handedly saved Crystal Palace from losing to their Championship opponents. The youngster’s set of skills can be comparable to those of Neymar as he provokes fouls, bookings, and frustration from opposing players.
Crystal Palace, who are currently 11th in the Premier League, are relying on young talents such as Eberechi Eze, Connor Gallagher, Marc Guehi, Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise. Time will tell whether this approach works for the London-based club, however thus far, it has been effective. The rapid progression of Olise can be comparable to his teammate Eze, who also joined the Eagles from the Championship.
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