Our most critical season ?

[Palacesince64]

I'm not sure it does. That was a mess any way you look at it. This is clearly a team in transition.

He called out McNeil, Canvot and Guessand. The latter has clearly not responded, McNeil and Canvot have come back better than before. Feels like great management to me.

Guessand may still be hurting over being excluded from the Europa squad. If Sarr is allowed to sulk for weeks I’ll allow Guessand a little longer leeway.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Spent just north of 500 million in 2 seasons , so i know what to expect with Palace , spud fans on the other hands believe there a top 6 club oops

But... but...but they won the league only 65 years ago.

 

[Save Dwindlehurst]

It's got an air of Frank de Boer about it, hasn't it? Publicly calling out players, isolating or upsetting others, unclear tactics, unsettled squad, hovering above the relegation zone.
Maybe they are just rumours made up by the media about Parish wanting a change but then it does feel like a familiar scenario.

Absolute nonsense.

 

[park the bus]

The season will be one of consolidation I think. Clear out the deadwood and trouble makers, establish a pattern of play that everybody s happy with.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Talking about made up media hogwash, I saw a story today saying Spuds want the Brighton manager and the Brighton manager wants the Spuds. A marriage made in heaven.

Wonder if the Spuds' fans are calling for Sean Dyche to come in and save them?

 

[ASCPFC]

Wonder if the Spuds' fans are calling for Sean Dyche to come in and save them?

They're too big for him. The hilarious one I've seen Spurs fans asking for is Ange. No - not a joke. Yes, Ange is/ was a joke for them. But he won them a trophy. Which now seems impossible.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

They're too big for him. The hilarious one I've seen Spurs fans asking for is Ange. No - not a joke. Yes, Ange is/ was a joke for them. But he won them a trophy. Which now seems impossible.

At least his grumpy press conferences were good value.
"Ah, look mate..."

 

[TheBigToePunt]

It's got an air of Frank de Boer about it, hasn't it? Publicly calling out players, isolating or upsetting others, unclear tactics, unsettled squad, hovering above the relegation zone.
Maybe they are just rumours made up by the media about Parish wanting a change but then it does feel like a familiar scenario.

Unlike SD I don't think this is nonsense at all. I see exactly where you're coming from. The difference perhaps is that we've won a few games under Sage (albeit in cups mostly) which we didn't get under de Boer. Plus, Parish found speaking to de Boer only added to his concerns.
We don't know whether Parish finds Sage far more reassuring when the two speak.

Ultimately, the nature of the performance at Leeds indicates that perhaps Sage can adapt (or at least successfully implement) his approach. De Boer couldn't. If we see more of that stability in coming games then Sage should be fine. As you say, though, if not then I wouldn't be surprised to see Parish pull the plug.

 

[maddog]

All this doom-talk is ridiculous. Moan about tactics and individual performances if you want but it’s gone way beyond that. I think it damages the club when fans start exaggerating every small failing into the “end of days” scenario.

As a club we are fine. Every club our size has to sell its best players (if they are any good!) and we have done that for a few years now AND bought better players (for us) with the proceeds. Our summer signings are unproven as yet but there are a few that show real promise.

We have an excellent manager who is showing that he understands the weaknesses and unlike the last one can bring on players as part of a wider and deeper squad (Glasner chose to keep the squad small because that’s all he could manage). Sage is also much better at affecting games - his half time talks have already fired up players and turned games around.

I do think this might be a more difficult season with regards relegation but only because there don’t appear to be any clear relegation certainties. Coventry played well on Friday and are off the bottom and while Spurs and Fulham are clearly struggling they will surely turn it around at some point. No one gets relegated after spending £300m! COYP!

 

[JHB]

Yep, we could be Spurs proudly holding up the table having spent the best part of £300m.

Indeed. They really should have spent more

 

[JHB]

All this doom-talk is ridiculous. Moan about tactics and individual performances if you want but it’s gone way beyond that. I think it damages the club when fans start exaggerating every small failing into the “end of days” scenario.

As a club we are fine. Every club our size has to sell its best players (if they are any good!) and we have done that for a few years now AND bought better players (for us) with the proceeds. Our summer signings are unproven as yet but there are a few that show real promise.

We have an excellent manager who is showing that he understands the weaknesses and unlike the last one can bring on players as part of a wider and deeper squad (Glasner chose to keep the squad small because that’s all he could manage). Sage is also much better at affecting games - his half time talks have already fired up players and turned games around.

I do think this might be a more difficult season with regards relegation but only because there don’t appear to be any clear relegation certainties. Coventry played well on Friday and are off the bottom and while Spurs and Fulham are clearly struggling they will surely turn it around at some point. No one gets relegated after spending £300m! COYP!

The issue is we don’t really know what sort of manager we have. He has very limited experience and none at this level. That’s one reason there is so much speculation.

Ultimately the thing that will make all speculation disappear is results. Right now we have 4 points from 5 games and a minus 6 goal difference. By any measure that’s a bad start. However, more performances showing the solidity of yesterday and a couple more wins in the next three and the narrative will be different.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Indeed. They really should have spent more

They could have bought Eddie N for £120 m. Still might.

 

[JHB]

They could have bought Eddie N for £120 m. Still might.

He might fit the bill for them. I was surprised they didn’t buy Gabrielle Jesus for £90m. Non scoring striker who has never fully convinced but still commands a large fee. Seems perfect for them. I guess Marmoush got there first

 

[Save Dwindlehurst]

Unlike SD I don't think this is nonsense at all. I see exactly where you're coming from. The difference perhaps is that we've won a few games under Sage (albeit in cups mostly) which we didn't get under de Boer. Plus, Parish found speaking to de Boer only added to his concerns.
We don't know whether Parish finds Sage far more reassuring when the two speak.

Ultimately, the nature of the performance at Leeds indicates that perhaps Sage can adapt (or at least successfully implement) his approach. De Boer couldn't. If we see more of that stability in coming games then Sage should be fine. As you say, though, if not then I wouldn't be surprised to see Parish pull the plug.

I don’t think enough people on here realize the enormity of the job Sage has faced. No meaningful preseason, losing our best centre half, lots of new players to bed in, the Sarr and Mateta issues and the first 2 games being Everton and Man City.
I actually think he’s done really well in the circumstances, talks a lot of sense and will be a great success at Palace.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

He might fit the bill for them. I was surprised they didn’t buy Gabrielle Jesus for £90m. Non scoring striker who has never fully convinced but still commands a large fee. Seems perfect for them. I guess Marmoush got there first

And they've already got Mathys Tel cluttering the place up.

 

[TheBigToePunt]

I don’t think enough people on here realize the enormity of the job Sage has faced. No meaningful preseason, losing our best centre half, lots of new players to bed in, the Sarr and Mateta issues and the first 2 games being Everton and Man City.
I actually think he’s done really well in the circumstances, talks a lot of sense and will be a great success at Palace.

I wouldn't disagree that he has a very difficult job in his hands, far from it. That's why I'm a bit worried that his approach might not be the best fit. Hopefully all will be well. Yesterday was encouraging.

 

[MrRobbo]

The issue is we don’t really know what sort of manager we have. He has very limited experience and none at this level. That’s one reason there is so much speculation.

Ultimately the thing that will make all speculation disappear is results. Right now we have 4 points from 5 games and a minus 6 goal difference. By any measure that’s a bad start. However, more performances showing the solidity of yesterday and a couple more wins in the next three and the narrative will be different.

Huh?

We know how he set teams up at Lyon and Lens. We know exactly what type of manager we have.

And we also now know he can set up the team to be tight.

 

[JHB]

Huh?

We know how he set teams up at Lyon and Lens. We know exactly what type of manager we have.

And we also now know he can set up the team to be tight.

Ok to be precisely accurate seeing as we are in that mode then we have a manger who had limited experience before joining us (something like 70 games) and none at a level close to the Premier League. He is an unknown quantity at this level

 

[TheBigToePunt]

Ok to be precisely accurate seeing as we are in that mode then we have a manger who had limited experience before joining us (something like 70 games) and none at a level close to the Premier League. He is an unknown quantity at this level

And neither us or him have much Idea of whether the way he set his teams up in France is viable at Palace. If so, great. It would be a pleasant surprise, though. If not, then he's going to have to coach a way of playing which is new to him, in a far better league than he's used to, at a smaller club relative to the league, in his second language during his first time working abroad.

In other words, we have a very inexperienced manager.

 

[Save Dwindlehurst]

I wouldn't disagree that he has a very difficult job in his hands, far from it. That's why I'm a bit worried that his approach might not be the best fit. Hopefully all will be well. Yesterday was encouraging.

So he should be pandering to players who show a lack of effort, play poorly and can’t accept being dropped? I actually like his old school management style. It’s a breath of fresh air in an era when the players have got all the power.