Wharton Urged to Copy Rice's Blueprint: End That Goal Drought, Lad!

Picture this: a Crystal Palace midfielder who's bossing the Premier League, lifting silverware, and even pulling on the England shirt. Sounds mint, right? But Adam Wharton, the 22-year-old sensation, has one glaring hole in his game – he's not scored a bloomin' goal for the Eagles yet.

It's been over two years since his last strike, a Championship belter for Blackburn against Huddersfield back in January 2024. Since swapping Ewood Park for Selhurst Park in a deal that could hit £22m, he's racked up 84 games, won the FA Cup and Community Shield, and dipped his toes in the Europa Conference League. Blimey, the lad's trajectory is steeper than a South London bus route.

The Drought Explained: Morrison's No-Nonsense Take

Enter Clinton Morrison, ex-Palace goal machine, who spilled the beans to Goal (via Freebets.com). "He can't strike a ball properly," Morrison quipped. When Wharton lurks on the edge of the box, you don't fancy him curling one into the top bins. It's all promise, no pay-off.

Morrison's spot on – Wharton's an all-action type, bombing forward like he's late for last orders. But that final shot? Wonky as a dodgy kebab. At 22, though, he's got time to polish it. Palace fans are twitching, especially with eight Premier League games left and a Conference League quarter-final looming.

Declan Rice: The Perfect Template

So who to emulate? Step forward Declan Rice, Arsenal's midfield colossus and Wharton's England mate. Rice wasn't exactly Haaland in his West Ham days, but since joining the Gunners, he's added goals to his box-to-box mastery. Morrison reckons Wharton should be picking his brain on international duty.

"Rice is the right benchmark," Morrison insisted. Imagine Wharton driving forward at a bigger club, slots higher up, and starts chipping in with strikes. It's not a stretch – Rice transformed, and Wharton's cut from similar cloth, just needs that killer edge.

Rice covers the pitch like a hoover, scores when it matters, and Wharton could do with a slice of that. They're different beasts, sure, but the inspiration's there. With England friendlies against Uruguay and Japan on the horizon, Wharton's got a Wembley shop window to strut his stuff.

Wharton vs Anderson: The No.6 Battle Heats Up

Wharton's not short of rivals for that England No.6 spot. Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest is the hot topic, with fans debating who's the daddy online. Morrison's verdict? Tricky, but right now, Anderson edges it.

"Anderson's the complete package," he said. Quicker, covers more ground – Wharton's no speed demon, but what a silky operator he is. If the World Cup kicked off tomorrow under Thomas Tuchel, Morrison fancies Anderson partnering Rice.

That said, don't write Wharton off. He's younger, got that 'beautiful footballer' vibe, and in a year or two, Morrison predicts he'll eclipse Anderson. Both are class, but Wharton's missing a few gears – goals being top of the list.

Wharton might get the nod against Uruguay at Wembley, while Anderson joins late. With Palace chasing trophies and England dreaming big this summer, it's crunch time. Open that account soon, Adam, or the pub pundits won't let you forget it!

Fancy Wharton smashing it? He's got the tools – just needs to swing that boot like Rice. Keep eyes peeled; this lad's destined for stardom.