Maxence Lacroix was alongside Mohamed Kuddus while chasing down Lucas Paqueta's through ball. A quick attack from West Ham crossed the Crystal Palace midfield. Their defense was exposed. But the footpath had only one winner.
After sprinting past Kudos, Lacroix timed the challenge perfectly, stopping West Ham's attack with an outstretched boot and putting the ball into the path of fellow centre-back Marc Guehi, eliminating the danger and turning the defense into attack with a single movement.
This intervention was well received by the visiting fans at the London Stadium and highlighted the qualities that the summer signing brought to Palace. In addition to being one of the fastest centre-backs in the division, Lacroix excelled one-on-one.
Sunday, January 26 at 1 p.m
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Kudos was just the latest opponent to find out. Data from GeniusIQ It shows that Lacroix has managed to generate turnovers in almost 70 per cent of the one-on-one duels he has faced this season, a success rate 12 per cent higher than that of any other player in the Premier League.
Lacroix has a turnover rate on 69.4 percent of his one-on-one duels
The 24-year-old has hit low but has proven to be one of the signings of the season, with the sale of Joachim Andersen to Fulham, a decision that raised eyebrows, playing an important role in Palace's steady rise to the Premier League. League table.
Saturday's 2-0 win over West Ham secured their third win in four Premier League matches. Going back further, they have lost just two games in 14 matches, with Lacroix playing every minute. It's a far cry from the start of the season, when they went eight games without a win.
A deal that made financial sense for Palace – Lacroix is four years younger than Andersen, priced at £21m, and costs around £9m less than his predecessor's selling price – makes sense in footballing terms too.
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Watch highlights of Crystal Palace's 2-0 win over West Ham
It has, of course, been helped by the arrival of Lacroix who is well-versed in Oliver Glasner's methods having played with him at his former club Wolfsburg, where they achieved Champions League qualification together. “We had a good connection,” LaCroix said of Glassner after their reunion.
But Glasner used four players in defense instead of three at Wolfsburg and Lacroix was also joining a team in a state of change, with Andersen's exit following Michael Olise's exit to Bayern Munich.
He had to adapt and there has been more turmoil since then. Trevuh Chalobah has been recalled from his loan by Chelsea and Guehi continues to attract interest from the same club.
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Watch Lacroix's best moments with former club Wolfsburg
In testing conditions, Lacroix provided stability, establishing himself at the heart of Glasner's back three after initially being used in wide positions.
The pace of his coverage has been invaluable.
Tracking data shows Lacroix has recorded one of the highest top speeds in the Premier League this season at 35.81km/h, which ranks him 10th among 518 players overall and behind only Micky van de Ven and Emmanuel Agbadu among centre-backs.
Lacroix's explosive power added added security to those moments like the one Kudos suffered, when Palace were threatened from behind. But he also excelled at defending their penalty area.
Lacroix has the second highest number of interceptions in the Premier League
His total of 36 interceptions puts him second only to Fulham's Anthony Robinson this season, underscoring his ability to anticipate danger. It ranks high in clearances as well.
His defensive qualities made the difference.
In fact, since Lacroix moved to centre-back in late October, with Guehi shifting to the left, Palace have enjoyed one of the best defensive records in the division, conceding just 17 goals in 14 matches and keeping five clean sheets. Arsenal and Liverpool are the only teams to have allowed fewer shots on target.
Palace's strong defensive numbers since Lacroix moved into the middle of the back three
Andersen made a huge contribution to Palace, of course, making 112 appearances over three years at the club. But Lacroix has proven that he has improved physically and athletically, with his speed and stature allowing him to dominate opponents.
He's technically sound too, helping Palace build up from the back, partnering with the midfielders and even mimicking Andersen's eye for long passes. His 50 per cent success rate is actually higher than Andersen's success rate for Fulham this season.
Lacroix is an asset in the opponent's penalty area in addition to his tally. He set up a goal for Johi from a knock-on from a corner against Everton in September and scored with a towering header in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in December.
He has taken 15 shots overall, just one fewer than Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and three fewer than Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes. He has collected an expected goals rating of 1.58 from set-pieces, which places him 11th among all Premier League players this season. His dead-ball threat was also evident at Wolfsburg, where he scored four goals last season.
Glasner will be hoping for more of the same from Lacroix when Palace host Brentford Sky Sports Sunday. But he has already shown his worth. Recent evidence suggests that Brentford's attackers, like West Ham's, may find it difficult to plot a way to beat them.
Watch Crystal Palace vs Brentford live on Sky Sports Premier League and the main event from 1pm on Sunday; Kick-off is 2 p.m
