Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell admits that going head-to-head with Wolverhampton Wanderers flyer Adama Traore was a ‘learning curve’ during Monday’s 2-0 defeat at Molineux, while speaking to the Eagles’ official website.
The 20-year-old academy graduate was not just thrown in at the deep end against Wolves, he was also learning how to swim while being hunted by a bloodthirsty tiger shark.
Or at least, that is how it must have felt for Mitchell as Traore squared him up again and again during the most testing of full Premier League debuts.
The Palace youngster escape with his reputation enhanced, even if the former Barcelona wonder-kid managed to execute a brilliant nutmeg before setting up the hosts’ second goal for Jonny Castro Otto.
But Mitchell would be forgiven for hoping that his next league start comes against rather easier opposition.
“(Traore) is quick,” the Brent-born defender said. “He’s strong and he’s relentless: down the line, down the line, down the line. It’s a big learning curve for me, because normally I’m as strong as the other players.
“But him, he’s stronger than me, he’s faster than me, so I have to be smarter when defending and it’s a big learning curve.
“[I learnt that] when people are faster, you sometimes show them where you want them to go. You know he’s going to go down the line, so step in front, stand in front of the ball.”
Palace boss Roy Hodgson was full of praise for Mitchell after his side suffered their seventh successive defeat in the Black Country, describing his performance as ‘excellent’.
Clearly, Mitchell has a lot to learn but better and more experienced full-backs than him have been made to look like Sunday league veterans with a belly full of beer when coming up against the most fearsome winger in English football.
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