Sage is sage

MarkA333 said:
Anyone know if Sarr reported for training today? And what stage is Mateta at?
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Would we not presume that Sarr is reporting in every day anyway, to have treatment?

Do you mean is he training, rather than has he finally turned up having been missing?

I mean, I presume he has been coming in to work.

Hasn't he?!
 
On reflection, I think that our poor start is down to Sage’s tactics. It’s clear that he wants to play a very high, aggressive press. That’s all very well and can work with the right personnel but too often our two wing backs have been ‘sent on a safari’ upfield….no doubt following orders from Sage. This has led to multiple dangerous counter attacks against our exposed centre backs. Something needs to change, whether it’s Sage or tactics or both.
 
MarkA333 said:
On reflection, I think that our poor start is down to Sage’s tactics. It’s clear that he wants to play a very high, aggressive press. That’s all very well and can work with the right personnel but too often our two wing backs have been ‘sent on a safari’ upfield….no doubt following orders from Sage. This has led to multiple dangerous counter attacks against our exposed centre backs. Something needs to change, whether it’s Sage or tactics or both.
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Pierre Sage Tactics At RC Lens 2025/2026: Why Les Sang Et Or Are Top Of Ligue 1 – Tactical Analysis | TFA

Lens top Ligue 1 as we close in on the halfway point, ahead of PSG by one point at the top of the table. The historic French club has had a meteoric rise ov…
totalfootballanalysis.com totalfootballanalysis.com
 
MarkA333 said:
On reflection, I think that our poor start is down to Sage’s tactics. It’s clear that he wants to play a very high, aggressive press. That’s all very well and can work with the right personnel but too often our two wing backs have been ‘sent on a safari’ upfield….no doubt following orders from Sage. This has led to multiple dangerous counter attacks against our exposed centre backs. Something needs to change, whether it’s Sage or tactics or both.
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Of course. The formation and approach come down to Sage's tactical choices, and it's easy to blame him. But you know, I think the malaise set in at least as far back as when Glasner told Parish he wasn't going to renew his contract. Parish took the decision to hold Glasner to the end of the season, during which time one would have thought he had plenty of time for a plan of succession for this season. In the meantime the club spent near £90m on 2 players who were never worth anything near, one was so bad he had to be shipped out in record time! This large spend depleted the coffers and we have seen this in the plethora of cheapo, freebie and loan signings to pad out the squad for the challenging season ahead. These players were presented to Sage to sort out, evaluate and knock into team shape. All rather a lot to do in such a short space of time and it's no wonder it's such a mess - it would likely have been the same for most other managers.
Parish and those around him have to be scrutinized for their part in the collective failure, if only because he employed Sage, a manager who favours the high press which is untenable in the short term with this set of players. Also selling a key central defender on the eve of the new season with a couple of freebies / loans as replacement isn't smart from a pure footballing standpoint.
Glasner's role is also noted.
 
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That is an informative article, indicating that Sage played with an aggressive pressing style, very effective in transitions and that the team was proficient at set pieces.
Do we have the players and the attributes to play this way?
It's early days, and with the late returns from international duty and the late arrivals in the transfer window, Sage has only had a few weeks to work with the squad.
Personally, I've been very disappointed with the set pieces so far and with regard to the high pressing style, I wonder if we have the athleticism in the team to play that style.
Timber's energetic performance on Saturday may provide some pointers as to what Sage looks for in a player.
 
The fact remains that Mateta scored 16 goals for us last season, Sarr scored 21 goals, we had Lacroix and Munoz in our ranks. Whilst Munoz was not at his best, the loss of these players has had an impact.

Apropos "Pressing", I am yet to be convinced that we have the players to adopt such tactics and Sage might have to deviate away from a system he has used in France.
 
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One of the most important aspect of a manager is flexibility and adaptability, we have a squad of players good enough to not embarrass ourselves and put up a decent showing, if Sage swallows his pride and adapts the team to the players we have, he has a chance, if he doesn't he will fail badly.
 
Lanzo-Ad said:
One of the most important aspect of a manager is flexibility and adaptability, we have a squad of players good enough to not embarrass ourselves and put up a decent showing, if Sage swallows his pride and adapts the team to the players we have, he has a chance, if he doesn't he will fail badly.
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Nah. The subtle art of persuasion is more important - "It's my way or the highway, and it's going to be great, you wait and see!"
 
park the bus said:
I'm not defending Sage and I appreciate he has it rough from a series of administrative blunders, however he is his own man and I wonder if it could be any different - out of interest who would you put in his place?
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I’m going to back sage until it’s humanly possible to back him no more……..because I think we all know what the alternative will be if sage doesn’t work out 😩
 
MarkA333 said:
On reflection, I think that our poor start is down to Sage’s tactics. It’s clear that he wants to play a very high, aggressive press. That’s all very well and can work with the right personnel but too often our two wing backs have been ‘sent on a safari’ upfield….no doubt following orders from Sage. This has led to multiple dangerous counter attacks against our exposed centre backs. Something needs to change, whether it’s Sage or tactics or both.
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What else would it be?!

We are transitioning from a low block to a high press team. It feels a bit of a mess, but we need to give it time. He's show that he can make us more attacking (without out our 2 biggest goal threats).

Now he just needs to play with the balance. Since Fulham we've made steps to look less open every game. So it feels like the balance is comming.
 
BromleyMonkey said:
I’m going to back sage until it’s humanly possible to back him no more……..because I think we all know what the alternative will be if sage doesn’t work out 😩
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Agreed, sadly we have a weaker 11 than previous recent seasons even if we have a bigger squad :-( Not sure a high press which is Sage’s way works in the Prem for clubs outside of the top 6 unless you have a team of near on world class players. If it’s still not working end of October he will be out. But even if that is the case I’m not confident we have a strong enough 11 to compete without it being a relegation fight to stay up?
 
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