Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City match thread

sprites said:
Total bollocks. He was just about POTY a couple of seasons ago until OG insisted on playing Kamada every time. I actually agree, we need an upgrade and a real engine box to box type beside Wharton, but to say Hughes is nowhere near good enough is not only disrespectful but plainly wrong.
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He certainly should have been one of the substitutes coming on last night. Team was weakened with last two substitutions. Shows Our new manager not knowing the players yet?
 
VinceHilaire said:
Morning Holmesdale’s Crew

Like many of you, I went to the game yesterday, wasn’t quite sure if we would win, but expecting a good battle. Excited to see Sage football.

Selhurst - we definitely noticed the change in atmosphere. It was strange not to have the beating drum, megaphone Mike (as my kids call him). Love or loath them, the change was noticeable and City fans were the only ones we could hear!

We don’t sit far from Parish, and as the game unfolded, his ‘bronzed’ smiles turned to frowns. He was in deep discussions with Mr Bright! God only knows what he was thinking

As for the match, everything has been said. We are all disappointed with what happened (though reminded by my son it was Man City). After the match, the main topic was leadership on the pitch, or should I say lack of!

If we buy only one more player - we need a leader on the pitch.

Okay, got all the above off my chest - I may sleep better tonight. Apologies, this is not supposed to sound like a moan, but YOU are the only people that understand and I talk about Palace matters to 😂
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A fair measured response.
And by the way you were one of my favourite players at Palace, Vince, and we could do with your contrubution now.
 
OneStevePerrin said:
He certainly should have been one of the substitutes coming on last night. Team was weakened with last two substitutions. Shows Our new manager not knowing the players yet?
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I am reminded of a message I received a few weeks ago from an erudite supporter who opined that Sage would not be in situ by December and would be replaced by Dyche.
 
We will know a lot more about ourselves after the next two games. Poor displays against weaker opponents and we will know we are in trouble.

The guy sat next to me last night said he’d seen enough to suggest we will be ok this season. Whilst I didn’t quite share his optimism I could see there were glimpses of a team. Lots of work to do however and we desperately need a new striker.

I find it rather annoying that both Mateta and Sarr get through the entire World Cup without injury and are injured almost instantaneously on their return. JSL and Nketiah are simply not cutting it in the PL.
 
As alot of people said there's is positives in the darkness , and think most was covered , for me why oh why cant our CB jump Guehi was the same even Max , its been going on a long time we need a dan burn type player , trying to think who was our last CB who commands our back line ,

Will be glad when window is shut and we can see who we have and so can Sage , he will get it right trust me , as said our season starts now points must be won sooner rather than later ,

So out of darkness a light will shine 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅
 
Despite a heavy defeat, there were some signs of hope. We showed that we can create chances against one of the big guns, and there were a few nice passages of play that just missed an end product.

The big positive for me was Khalali. He wasn't perfect, but to make your full debut against one of the best teams in the world and defend so well was commendable. He also embarrassed the City left-back a couple of times by going past him with ease. His crossing needs to improve, but I think he's going to be a standout for us this season.

Wharton looked far more like his old self. Having a summer break was maybe good for him. A couple of his passes were proper world-class.

I know people will criticise his end product, but I thought Nketiah showed a real desire to prove himself. He worked really hard at closing players down and retained the ball well at times. His pace also seemed to unsettle City a bit more, as when McNeil came on, City seemed far more comfortable in possession.

I was always expecting it to take at least 6-7 games before we started to see what the team is really about, as there has been so much change, but what is obvious is that we can't sell Sarr.
 
Having reflected on things over night I am more concerned not less.

Tactically we are a mess. Playing three at the back but wide open. If City had been clinical they could have had 7 or 8. It doesn’t look like the players know what they are supposed to be doing. the wing backs should offer width but they don’t. the new lad at RWB offered nothing going forward.

Selection and subs. Clear Sage doesn’t understand his best eleven. The selection and subs look random. Just chucking on all your subs without a clear plan is like something from a pre season friendly.

Too many players starting who shouldn’t be. Only Wharton, Kamada, Henderson and Mitchell are proven starters at this level. Richards isn’t good enough to anchor a back three. Nketiah has had a whole career showing he is a sub at this level.

Our transfer business has been awful. We signed a bunch of squad players in positions we didn’t need them and failed to bring in adequate defensive resources or anything in midfield. We’ve wasted a loan on a player who has been underwhelming in the EPL for a position we didn’t need

There is a lack of fight, leadership or commitment. Who can remember a strong tackle from us, anyone getting stuck in or leading on the pitch.

We are bang in trouble and Sage needs to show he can get hold of the situation. I’m not convinced he can
 
Willo said:
Fed into the 'Spin dryer' of vitriolic commentary as I consider us to be on the road to perdition.
There is great more 'Buckshot' left in my barrel.
As far as I am concerned it is high time the gloves come off.
😡
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Having been there last night, my big question is, where will our goals come from?. Other then Pinot's 30 yard spectacular free kick which is a very rare thing, I am struggling to see any real penetration. Over to you Willo.
 
Willo said:
I am reminded of a message I received a few weeks ago from an erudite supporter who opined that Sage would not be in situ by December and would be replaced by Dyche.
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I think it could be sooner. If we lose the next two I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a change. It’s not just the results, it’s the complete lack of clear tactics, selection or fight among the players. Losing is one thing but it’s been an utter shambles pre season and so far. Very reminiscent of de Boer
 
Eaglecoops said:
We will know a lot more about ourselves after the next two games. Poor displays against weaker opponents and we will know we are in trouble.

The guy sat next to me last night said he’d seen enough to suggest we will be ok this season. Whilst I didn’t quite share his optimism I could see there were glimpses of a team. Lots of work to do however and we desperately need a new striker.

I find it rather annoying that both Mateta and Sarr get through the entire World Cup without injury and are injured almost instantaneously on their return. JSL and Nketiah are simply not cutting it in the PL.
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I'm sick of players giving it all for their country and being injured or tired for us. Main culprit Munoz - who is going. The other culprits you mention. Even the agent's talk is all about Senegal. Guess what Sarr, Mateta, Munoz - we pay your wages.
I'm reminded of wanker Ferguson at Utd. I'd be like that over internationals. I'd like to say international football is rubbish. However, we're so poor currently, I'd be throwing stones in glass houses.
 
Why do people keep saying it's like de Boer? It doesn't seem like that to me at all. The Dutchman played people out of position (Luka at right-back anyone!), imposed a formation and tactics that none of the players other than Jairo were familiar with and spent training showing the players what he could do with the ball. Sage might not work out, but he's basically set the team up as it was last season, he just doesn't have the fortune of a settled back three, is missing our most clinical forward and has had barely any time to work with 80% of our first team due to the World Cup.

So far, we pretty much look like we did last season for large chunks of it. In the games that Sarr was missing last season, I'm not sure we won, did we? Sage has said himself that due to the situation, he has to rely on OG's base while he works to impose his own ideas. That sounds like the complete opposite to FdB, who basically was arrogant enough to believe he could turn a squad of lower-level PL players into prime Ajax, playing total football. Sage might not work out, but it's mad to think he could do much in the time he has had. Iraola had a terrible start at Bournemouth, OG made a slow start with us. Let's at least give the guy a chance!
 
JHB said:
Having reflected on things over night I am more concerned not less.

Tactically we are a mess. Playing three at the back but wide open. If City had been clinical they could have had 7 or 8. It doesn’t look like the players know what they are supposed to be doing. the wing backs should offer width but they don’t. the new lad at RWB offered nothing going forward.

Selection and subs. Clear Sage doesn’t understand his best eleven. The selection and subs look random. Just chucking on all your subs without a clear plan is like something from a pre season friendly.

Too many players starting who shouldn’t be. Only Wharton, Kamada, Henderson and Mitchell are proven starters at this level. Richards isn’t good enough to anchor a back three. Nketiah has had a whole career showing he is a sub at this level.

Our transfer business has been awful. We signed a bunch of squad players in positions we didn’t need them and failed to bring in adequate defensive resources or anything in midfield. We’ve wasted a loan on a player who has been underwhelming in the EPL for a position we didn’t need

There is a lack of fight, leadership or commitment. Who can remember a strong tackle from us, anyone getting stuck in or leading on the pitch.

We are bang in trouble and Sage needs to show he can get hold of the situation. I’m not convinced he can
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Jesus, who pissed on your cornflakes. I know it was a relatively loss, but come on.

Perspective is required. Their team is worth about 20 times what ours is. And we more than matched them for the first 50 mins.

Sage admired the subs didn't bring what was needed, and made things worse.

1787995793588.webp
 
taylors lovechild said:
Despite a heavy defeat, there were some signs of hope. We showed that we can create chances against one of the big guns, and there were a few nice passages of play that just missed an end product.

The big positive for me was Khalali. He wasn't perfect, but to make your full debut against one of the best teams in the world and defend so well was commendable. He also embarrassed the City left-back a couple of times by going past him with ease. His crossing needs to improve, but I think he's going to be a standout for us this season.

Wharton looked far more like his old self. Having a summer break was maybe good for him. A couple of his passes were proper world-class.

I know people will criticise his end product, but I thought Nketiah showed a real desire to prove himself. He worked really hard at closing players down and retained the ball well at times. His pace also seemed to unsettle City a bit more, as when McNeil came on, City seemed far more comfortable in possession.

I was always expecting it to take at least 6-7 games before we started to see what the team is really about, as there has been so much change, but what is obvious is that we can't sell Sarr.
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This pretty much sums up my reflection regarding Khalali, Wharton and Nketiah 👍

I liked the Eddie and JPM partnership in the first half at Everton, and I would prefer to be creating chances that we miss, than not creating chances at all!!

I also agree with others that these first matches are pretty much our "pre-season", because if Franca isn't getting a look in after the good pre-season he had, what was the point!?!?!

I also feel better about Richards and Canvot going back to their proper positions, but I would prefer buy a
permanent to play in the middle, rather than Disasi on loan - but need must

I would also welcome a Gallagher type midfielder (including the man himself) to inject some energy

Keep Sarr, make a few tweaks, and the next few matches will be interesting
 
taylors lovechild said:
Why do people keep saying it's like de Boer? It doesn't seem like that to me at all. The Dutchman played people out of position (Luka at right-back anyone!), imposed a formation and tactics that none of the players other than Jairo were familiar with and spent training showing the players what he could do with the ball. Sage might not work out, but he's basically set the team up as it was last season, he just doesn't have the fortune of a settled back three, is missing our most clinical forward and has had barely any time to work with 80% of our first team due to the World Cup.

So far, we pretty much look like we did last season for large chunks of it. In the games that Sarr was missing last season, I'm not sure we won, did we? Sage has said himself that due to the situation, he has to rely on OG's base while he works to impose his own ideas. That sounds like the complete opposite to FdB, who basically was arrogant enough to believe he could turn a squad of lower-level PL players into prime Ajax, playing total football. Sage might not work out, but it's mad to think he could do much in the time he has had. Iraola had a terrible start at Bournemouth, OG made a slow start with us. Let's at least give the guy a chance!
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I think it is that it isn’t clear to anyone from pre season on what Sage is actually trying to do.

Where as de Boer tried to impose a system we couldn’t play Sage doesn’t appear to be imposing a system of any sort. In theory we are playing last season’s system but in practice we aren’t. That system relied on a very compact mid to low block and getting forward quickly on the break.

That’s not what we are playing hence we are wide open defensively. We’ve conceded 6 goals in two games and it could easily have been 10.

Also Sage has zero idea what his best eleven is and his subs seem random. The players don’t look like they have been given clear instructions or know what they are supposed to be doing.
 
JHB said:
I think it could be sooner. If we lose the next two I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a change. It’s not just the results, it’s the complete lack of clear tactics, selection or fight among the players. Losing is one thing but it’s been an utter shambles pre season and so far . Very reminiscent of de Boer
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I’m not sure you can hold him responsible for that, players wanting out, players drifting back from the World Cup and that pathetic little tournament in Como would’ve been booked up before he started
 
BromleyMonkey said:
I’m not sure you can hold him responsible for that, players wanting out, players drifting back from the World Cup and that pathetic little tournament in Como would’ve been booked up before he started
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It was really embarrassing when we played his ex team and they thrashed us. Edouard in particular. It was so embarrassing and crap that I think we all repressed all memory of it immediately. There wasn't much comment.
We're now so awful up front that I'm officially saying Edouard is miles better than what we have.
Symptomatic of our downfall really.
 
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