Crystal Palace vs. Hoffenheim match thread

[TheBigToePunt]

My understanding is that he arrived late for the team meeting and Sage left him out as a result. Poor discipline by Disasi.

If that's true then this is exactly the correct approach from Sage, one I would support completely and which, if applied consistently, would set clear standards to the long term benefit of the team and club.

Just a shame he then proceeds to produce a team playing a chaotic and deeply unconvincing type of football that bears little obvious relationship to the ability and quality of the players or the league we play in.

There seems to be loads of things to like about Sage. Just not the most important things.

 

[Frenchaigle]

I didint even celebrate the goal. Thats how disgusted I was with the game.

It's funny , I felt the same .
I was so resigned to defeat and just resigned to feeling resigned.😀

 

[OneStevePerrin]

Game was crying out for Hughes to put some stability into the team after the dreadful mess shown in the first 45 minutes. He wasn’t even on the bench? The mess continued throughout. Can’t believe we got that equaliser. I hope it doesn’t keep Sage in the job. I don’t think since the Alan Mullery days have I seen such a disorganised Palace team. Yet, we have far better players than then. Sage needed to go a few matches back?

 

[eritheagle]

What about Chilwell and Hughes? Any suggestion why they weren’t on the bench instead of the third keeper or 16yo?

Great decision to leave Lerma out of the Europa league list in favour of Gozo too!!

 

[Palacesince64]

Am I right in thinking we went 4-4-2 briefly when McNeil replaced Ahanor just before Wharton got his red card?

 

[Paul Salvage]

Am I right in thinking we went 4-4-2 briefly when McNeil replaced Ahanor just before Wharton got his red card?

If you can call 10 players running around like headless chickens a formation, then yes perhaps we did. However I was so fed up by then I may have missed it!

 

[mtp1958]

If he does that for every Palace fan he'll soon be an ex-landlord.

Think it was the crying and curled up in a ball got to him

 

[Team of the (20)80s]

I understand what your saying but, as I'm sure you appreciate, I'd really want to play for Palace. Doesn't make me good enough!

Neither Sarr or Mateta have got going properly this season yet, but that doesn't make Kamada and Pino regular premier league match winners.

And I understand what you are saying but, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate, Olise, Eze, Guehi, LeCroix are excellent players but they didn’t want to play for Palace, as Sarr and Mateta seemingly don’t - it’s got to be both.

Kamada and Pino may not be regular premier league match winners but that doesn’t mean Sarr or Mateta will get going again. I just think the latter are the issue more than the former who have probably been our two best players this season (only Timber provides any competition what so ever). If we weren’t talking about them there would be literally nothing positive to say?

 

[Willo]

What a darned relief at the end and a goal for us was most unexpected.
Our overall display was concerning and sadly the wheels have well and truly taken leave of their bearings.
Our descent has been 'Molto rapido'.
🙁🙁

 

[Casual]

Not a great performance, but an equaliser in injury time always feels like a win.
Beat the scousers on Sunday now 🙌

 

[AndyD]

The only good things I saw last night were some good hold-up play from JP, Daichi, putting in his usual shift, and Tyrick defending well. The rest were poor and it was more Kevin Keegan football from Sage, which Hoffenheim picked off so easily for their goal and should have got a couple more.

 

[Badger11]

I was hoping that Sage would come good but after we get thumped on Sunday he will have to go.

Like a lot of managers whose team are on a losing streak Sage is proving to be stubborn. He is a Del Boy type manager, hoping that things will get better.

It doesn't matter now if he was stitched up in the transfer window, he had to play the players he has. It's clear they can't play the tactics and formation he wants but he doesn't seem prepared to adjust to the players.

Lat night I saw evidence that the players were starting to lose faith in him.

A good manager is a pragmatic manager. We are still making the same silly mistakes.

Time for a change.

 

[Dogburger]

It's funny , I felt the same .
I was so resigned to defeat and just resigned to feeling resigned.😀

Same as that , It hardly registered emotionally which kinda shocked me .

This team needs a kick up the backside and an injection of ability .There was just nothing in that performance that would indicate they are capable of winning a game , defence is still all over the place and is riddled with mistakes , the midfield has lost its connection both behind and in front of it and the attack poses no consistent threat at all .

Fair enough they kept their heads when down to ten and at least got a point out of it but that doesn't mask the really low quality of that performance and would find it hard to take away anything positive .

 

[dg1937]

It's funny , I felt the same .
I was so resigned to defeat and just resigned to feeling resigned.😀

I was waiting for VAR to find an excuse to disallow it.

 

[EagleEddie]

Thankfully, a very average Hoffenheim side hadn’t done their homework. From set pieces, they failed to exploit what is clearly one of our biggest weaknesses by overloading and attacking the far post.
Our players look beaten before they’ve even got going. Heads are down, we look disorganised, and even when restarting play through Hendo, there seems to be uncertainty and a complete lack of direction or plan. The overall standard of football being served up by this team is simply nowhere near good enough.
I just felt numb after watching yesterday’s game. Hobbs hasn’t delivered on his side of the business, and Sage looks completely out of his depth when it comes to getting anything meaningful out of the squad he has available.
Collectively, we’re struggling to get behind the team, and I don’t think even a HF 2.0 could get Selhurst rocking with the standard of performances we’re currently being served. The whole club feels flat, and something needs to change and fast.

 

[OneStevePerrin]

Thankfully, a very average Hoffenheim side hadn’t done their homework. From set pieces, they failed to exploit what is clearly one of our biggest weaknesses by overloading and attacking the far post.
Our players look beaten before they’ve even got going. Heads are down, we look disorganised, and even when restarting play through Hendo, there seems to be uncertainty and a complete lack of direction or plan. The overall standard of football being served up by this team is simply nowhere near good enough.
I just felt numb after watching yesterday’s game. Hobbs hasn’t delivered on his side of the business, and Sage looks completely out of his depth when it comes to getting anything meaningful out of the squad he has available.
Collectively, we’re struggling to get behind the team, and I don’t think even a HF 2.0 could get Selhurst rocking with the standard of performances we’re currently being served. The whole club feels flat, and something needs to change and fast.

All completely correct. Henderson even when hitting long balls didn’t have a player winning the ball to set others up. And the short ball was screwed by us every time. Terrible, terrible performance yet again :-(

 

[eritheagle]

Am I right in thinking we went 4-4-2 briefly when McNeil replaced Ahanor just before Wharton got his red card?

I was hopeful of that with the changes but no, mitchell went left cb and mcneill left wing-back for those few minutes.

 

[VinceHilaire]

I was at the game - Main Stand

Aside from what was/was not happening on the pitch - the stand was busy, but atmosphere was awful. It was like attending a funeral. People around me were screaming at players/Sage/Parish - never seen this before.

The 12th man created by the crowds energy has gone!

All those who think Sage will turn this around (in my opinion) are delusional. The players shoulders are hunched, enthusiasm has drained and now they are playing with nerves running through their blood. Every mistake they make is greeted with groans..

Steve Parish looked miserable - surely he knows something has to change.

 

[MrRobbo]

As many have said that was one of the weirdest feeling I've had at a Palace match. Equalising against a German team in the last min, when down to 10 men should be a thing to get very excited about.

I kinda didn't feel anything.

Not much good to pick out of that.

Pino whilst often wasteful, was very busy. He was really busting a gut.
Kamada is a seriously classy operator.
Osorio and McNeil added a bit of thrust when coming on.

Apart from that, it was pretty abject.

 

[doombear]

I was at the game - Main Stand

Aside from what was/was not happening on the pitch - the stand was busy, but atmosphere was awful. It was like attending a funeral. People around me were screaming at players/Sage/Parish - never seen this before.

The 12th man created by the crowds energy has gone!

All those who think Sage will turn this around (in my opinion) are delusional. The players shoulders are hunched, enthusiasm has drained and now they are playing with nerves running through their blood. Every mistake they make is greeted with groans..

Steve Parish looked miserable - surely he knows something has to change.

I was in the same stand and you're not wrong. We were all just waiting for the next stupid pass/mistake. Even when we put together a promising move, we just knew it would fall apart just when it was getting promising and, of course it did fall apart. Pino's air kick allied to (was it Canvot or Ahanor) trying flick tricks in OUR penalty area, summed it up for me - Sunday morning park football.