Julian Speroni Sparkles Even as Crystal Palace Falter

For Crystal Palace fans, it is never wise to talk too loudly about the great performances of one of the club’s players.

If they do, they often find that no sooner do they sing the his praises, then the player moves on to bigger and better things.

The latest, and arguably most high-profile, example of this was John Bostock. Bostock was supposedly “the boy Barcelona couldn’t buy”, but after his considerable talent became too difficult a secret to keep he ended up signing for, well, Tottenham Hotspur.

As the brightest graduate of the club's exceptional academy, seeing the 16-year-old leave after only a handful of first-team appearances was a bitter pill to swallow for all Palace fans.

Which is why you won’t hear too many Selhurst Park regulars crowing about the recent performances of Julian Speroni. The Palace ‘keeper, perhaps “the man even Middlesbrough could buy”, has been simply outstanding this season—despite seeing his team slump to a disappointing start.

A £500 000 signing from Dundee in 2004, the 29-year-old Argentinean stopper hasn’t always enjoyed the greatest of times in South London.

When he joined Iain Dowie’s newly promoted side, he was earmarked for the No. 1 jersey as the club sought to maintain its Premiership status. Unfortunately, an uncertain start and one nightmare blunder against Everton later, Speroni found himself relegated to the bench—replaced by the Hungarian trouser-wearer, Gabor Kiraly.

Palace too would be relegated at the end of the season, but the fall to the Championship did not improve Speroni’s first team opportunities. Only when Kiraly left, at the end of the 2006-07 season, did the South American finally get another chance to shine.

And shine he has. The ‘keeper, resplendent with trademark ponytail, has been a vital cog in the Palace machine since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign. Demonstrating his incredible shot-stopping from the first whistle, his command of the area has only grown as fans laud his ability to deal with crosses and shots alike.

After initial errors became ever more infrequent, it soon became evident that Speroni inspired faith and confidence in his back four, a trait that spurred Palace onto a surprising Play-off berth.

All in all, Speroni's impressive and consistent performances did enough to win Crystal Palace’s Player of the Year Award—and many agreed he had reached the peak of his powers.

Apparently, however, they were wrong. This season the Argentinean has only got even better.

After six games, Speroni sits proudly atop the player ratings on one Palace fansite, with his 8.47 average rating almost a whole point clear of the next best first team regular.

After Palace’s first win of the season on Saturday, a 2-0 triumph against Swansea City, the Eagles ‘keeper was awarded a 10 for his match performance by The Sun, the newspaper recognising his outstanding contribution to the Red and Blue cause.

Palace have conceded eight goals in their opening six games, but without Speroni you feel it could well be double that.

Palace manager Neil Warnock, never one to hand out praise to his senior players unless it is truly deserved, is acutely aware of the gem he has inherited:

“I wouldn’t swap him [Speroni] for anyone in the Premiership, never mind the Championship”, the Eagle’s manager remarked.

Few fans in the Holmesdale Stand would disagree.

With his true talent finally on display, many around the club have begun to speculate whether Speroni is in contention for a call-up to Argentina’s national side.

While on the outside it may appear the irrational view of biased fans, closer inspection reveals that the former Atletico Platense player may reasonably harbour some hopes of future international recognition.

The Albicelestes do not have great depth at that position, and few in the know would argue that Speroni would look out of depth alongside Sergio Romero or Agustin Orion (the two uncapped ‘keepers, from AZ Alkmaar and San Lorenzo respectively, currently in the squad) as an understudy to Juan Pablo Carrizo—the 24-year-old Lazio No. 1, who himself only has four caps for his country.

The problem for Speroni, however, is that Palace currently are not doing well enough domestically to bring widespread attention to his ability. Presently sitting 19th in the league, you imagine that the Eagles will have to become entrenched in the play-off spots before Argentina's manager, Alfio Basile, will even consider Speroni’s credentials.

Not yet 30, Speroni doubtless won’t begin to worry about his fading international hopes for a couple of seasons yet. He still has plenty of time to achieve all his ambitions with Palace, as long as Warnock can solve the team’s defensive woes.

If he can’t, though, you don’t imagine their will be a lack of Premiership suitors waiting in the wings. Good goalkeepers are hard to come by—after all, if Paul Robinson is a Premiership and international goalkeeper, Palace’s No. 1 certainly is.

Eagles fans know this all too well. Which is exactly why they won’t shout too loudly about it.