Media hail Zheng after Charlton win
Charlton Athletic's Zheng Zhi (second right) celebrates his goal with Jerome Thomas (left) and Darren Bent during their English Premier League match against Newcastle at the Valley stadium, London on Sunday. AP |
Zheng, who signed on loan from Shandong Luneng on Dec. 29 until the end of the season, headed Charlton in front against Newcastle United in his first full start on Sunday.
He followed up by winning a late penalty converted by Jerome Thomas to give the southeast London club a precious 2-0 victory in their struggle to beat the drop.
The win moved the 18th-placed club on to 24 points, seven behind Sheffield United, but with a game in hand.
Charlton manager Alan Pardew gave Zheng, 26, his chance after watching him in training and substitute performances, telling reporters: "He has suggested in his little cameos for us that there was something in there.
"We've taken a long time to integrate him and we're feeling the benefits of that. He's a good player who's finding his feet very quickly in the Premiership.
"He's not the type to pull out of a tackle, but his technical ability is his biggest asset."
Pardew said he considered playing the all-action midfielder at left back on Sunday, "which suggests he can operate just about anywhere. But I think his best position is in and around the striker where he played in the second half."
Speaking through an interpreter, Zheng was quoted as telling the British media: "I'm having English lessons but it is going very slowly.
"The Premier League is very popular in China and I watched a lot of games before I came."
Zheng had a two-day trial at The Valley in late November after leading Shandong to the Chinese Super League (CSL) and Chinese FA Cup double last season and winning his second CSL player of the year title.
Headline-writers greeted the man dubbed "ZiZi" in London with "Zheng's medicine gives Charlton pep-up", "Zheng gives Charlton a belief in their destiny" and "Zheng repays Pardew's faith."
He also made headlines last year after breaking French striker Djibril Cisse's leg with a tackle in a friendly before the World Cup and was banned after a spat with an official during an AFC Champions League match in November 2005.
Former West Ham boss Pardew has inspired an impressive revival from the London club, who looked dead and buried when he took over at Christmas but are now unbeaten in their last three matches.
Fourth-bottom Sheffield United are firmly in their sights and this victory means Wigan and Manchester City will also be feeling under pressure as the battle for Premiership survival hots up.
Pardew told Sky Sports News: "We were disciplined and in the second half we got more pace and energy about us.
"I didn't feel nerves in the team. We know we have to win games so there's no tension in us. I think it's going to start to mount on others though.
"We're dragging people in and we've got another home game to come against Wigan and if we can maybe get three points it's going to make four or five teams very nervous."
AFP
(China Daily 03/20/2007 page23)
