Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada has been far from impressive at Selhurst Park, but his recent performance for his country will give him fresh confidence.
The Eagles midfielder finished from close range following good work from Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma as Japan earned a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Thursday.
With that win, Japan maintained their perfect record in the third round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but Palace fans will be delighted to find that Kamada made history by becoming the first Japanese player to score on Saudi soil.
Kamada, who previously played under Oliver Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt, has not been able to match his potential so far. It will not be an exaggeration to say that his free transfer move from Lazio has proved to be a disaster.
Expectations are high from the Crystal Palace midfielder
There was a feeling that the club had pulled off a blinder by signing a perfect replacement for Michael Olise, who joined Bayern Munich when he arrived at the London club. It was a really exciting signing for Palace.
Kamada is a versatile midfielder and Glasner should know very well how to use him. The 28-year-old has been used as a No 10 and also as a double pivot. He has played as a defensive midfielder, a role he has badly struggled to perform.
While Kamada is capable of playing in different positions, frequent changes of roles in such a short time at a new club have made life difficult for him. His performance for Japan is a clear indication of where Glasner should put him next.
Glasner must stop experimenting with Kamada
The Eagles boss will be really pleased with the effort from Kamada, and he must now stop experimenting with him once Palace get back to action after the international break.
Sitting on 18th in the Premier League and without a win so far, it is high time Kamada should be used properly.
At Frankfurt, Kamada played 57% of his matches as a central attacking midfielder and 21% as a defensive midfielder.
However, for Lazio (2023-24), he played only 10% of his matches in the attacking midfield role and 81% as a central midfielder. He barely featured (2%) as a defensive midfielder.
Glasner has been using him in the wrong position this season. The Eagles boss should use him behind the striker, but the competition is high, with Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah currently vying for that role.
Alternatively, Kamada could be used as a proper box-to-box midfielder, where he is equally comfortable and effective.
Crystal Palace need to win games in the Premier League, and Glasner will hope that Kamada can carry his impressive form for the club as well.