‘He’s chasing shadows’ – Crystal Palace fans fuming with starter who lost possession 18 times vs Strasbourg
Crystal Palace supporters were unhappy with Jefferson Lerma in their 2-1 defeat to Strasbourg in the Conference League on 27 November.
Prior to the match, fans had been intrigued by the ongoing contract talks between Jean-Philippe Mateta and Crystal Palace.
Former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that Mateta is assessing all options before deciding on a Crystal Palace contract extension with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.
Despite the Frenchman getting an assist on the night, the Eagles couldn’t secure all three points as supporters were left unimpressed by Lerma’s display under the European lights.
Jefferson Lerma disappoints as Crystal Palace unable to hold on to lead vs Strasbourg
Having taken the lead in the first half through Tyrick Mitchell, the south London side were unable to see out the game to secure a vital set of three points.
Their opponents Strasbourg are sitting fifth in Ligue 1 and their attacking prowess certainly proved far too much for the likes of Lerma.
The Colombian partnered Will Hughes, and later Adam Wharton, in the middle of the park, but was relatively invisible during his 82 minutes on the pitch.
The 31-year-old won just two of his five ground duels as well as being dribbled past on one occasion, failing to slow the Strasbourg attack.
| Selected stats vs Strasbourg (27 November) | Jefferson Lerma |
| Minutes played | 82 |
| Shots (on target) | 2 (0) |
| Possession lost | 18 |
| Ground duels (won) | 5 (2) |
| Dribbled past | 1 |
| Completed passes (%) | 36/47 (77%) |
Moreover, the former Bournemouth man was careless with the ball, losing possession on 18 occasions and only completing 77 per cent of his passes.
The moment that really annoyed Palace fans was when the South American smacked a long shot high into the stands, rather than recycling the ball and maintaining the attack.
Frustrated by his performance, Eagles supporters voiced their concerns, with one fan saying: “Lerma is chasing shadows man he’s completely floating now.” with another adding: “Please no more Lerma in midfield, Wharton deserves better.”