Seven goals in two games were a handy way to send Roy Hodgson’s side into the international break.
Sure, the firepower came against Championship side Plymouth and a Premier League team anticipated to struggle in Wolves but what was particularly promising was the identity of the scorers.
Both Jean-Philippe Mattea and Oddone Edouard have yet to convince up front for Crystal Palace. The simple fact Mattea was back on the bench after scoring a hat-trick in the Carabao Cup underlines this; yet it was refreshing to finally see the names of Palace strikers on the scoresheet.
This is the 11th season since Glenn Murray pounded 30 goals in the Championship and since then, only Christian Benteke (with 15) has managed to even get half of that in a Palace shirt.
Many have tried to replace the vacuum up front, but Benteke’s story (a club-record £27m purchase from Liverpool in 2016) is typical, 37 goals in 177 games not doing the business at Selhurst Park.
Since Murray, Palace fans have weathered the misfiring exploits of Dwight Gayle, Marouane Chamakh, Yaya Sanogo, Patrick Bamford, Connor Wickham, Loic Remy, Alexander Sloth, Michy Barshay and Cenk Tosun among others.
It has been hard for the current incumbents too – Maetta has only managed 13 goals in his 70 appearances for the club, and Edouard, despite a barnstorming double on his debut against Spurs two years ago, has a little better record of 17 in 73 for the club.
Palace failed to sign a striker in the summer so are stuck with these two until at least January. But the indications of life are at least promising as Maetta backed up his hat-trick with two assists from the bench on Sunday.
Roy Hodgson’s team is brimming of youthful talent, and Mattea (26) and Edouard (25) are both coming into their prime, the latter’s three goals to start the season placing him fourth in the early Premier League top scorer’s chart.
Behind them, Eberechi Eze has already produced 13 chances this season. He will offer the supply line and, if the goal tallies of these two together could even approach close to Murray’s total from 2012-13, it would surely go down as a great campaign.
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