When, last summer, young Dutch prospect Jairo Riedewald joined what was thought to be the start of a new revolution at Selhurst Park under Frank De Boer, one of the many attributes the Palace faithful were excited about was the players versatility, having operated at centre half, left back and in midfield for Ajax.
However, as so with many players who share this attribute, Jairo has so far found it difficult to nail down a regular spot within Palace’s starting eleven.
Jairo featured very heavily in pre-season, leading fans to speculate his place in the squad would be expanded this season, but with the arrival of two new midfielders in Cheikhou Kouyate and the exciting Max Mayer, and late transfer speculation linking him to Swansea City and Newcastle United, questions can be started to be posed about what part he will play in the near and long-term future at Palace.
Position-wise, Riedewald has looked his most comfortable when playing a deep lying role in the midfield for Palace. After being placed at centre back on a disastrous debut, where Palace were turned over 3-0 at home to then new boys Huddersfield Town, it seemed that he lacked the commanding aerial presence or strength to continue in the position, at least under a system like the one imposed by then manager De Boer.
It is telling, though, that new manager Roy Hodgson has not utilised Riedewald in defence at all in his tenure. Instead he has seen his skillset as one more suited to midfield. With a great eye for a pass and a clear knack for reading the game well, it is hard to point out a bad game Jairo has had for Palace in the position, proving he is well up to the task of handling the rigours of Premier League football with some good performances, notably an arguably man of the match performance in the goalless draw at home to last seasons champions, Manchester City.
These good performances have led to him being a handy and trusted option from the bench regularly but a a large section of the Palace supporters have at times questioned why he has not featured more to date, especially with the injury crisis the club faced last season. Although it is often unclear from a fans perspective, the fact that a vastly experienced manager like Hodgson has continued to overlook him and has even considered letting him go suggests that something may be missing from his game or attitude.
Jairo has also been unfortunate in the fact that he has played understudy to two key players in the palace side, captain and fan favourite Luka Milivojevic and until recently, the experienced and ever industrial Yohan Cabaye. Cabaye’s departure suggested that perhaps Riedewald was to fill the position this season, but the arrival of Meyer and Kouyate, as well as the continued presence of the ever-dependable James McArthur, means that surely Jairo is looking at a bit part role again this season.
However, at only 21, it is clear that the thrice capped Dutch international certainly has room for growth, and has already proved he possesses the talent required, leaving most Palace fans blowing a sigh of relief when the transfer window closed without his permanent departure. As the loan window remains open, however, the idea of a season long loan to a top championship team or a team abroad, where first team football would be on offer, is perhaps the best option for him, as a chance to hone his skills and really find out his best position and role before coming back and challenging for a more regular spot.
In conclusion, realistically, Riedewald is looking at a limited amount of playing time this season with new arrivals, and already a strong set of midfielders at the club. In order to avoid hampering his development, a loan may be the best situation for him, despite the inevitable upset this would cause with sections of the Palace support.
He clearly has a lot of potential, and a real footballing brain, and a real chance at regular action in the future, but perhaps this season has come just a little too early for Jairo at Palace.
