Brighton vs Crystal Palace match thread

[park the bus]

Brighton sold Van Hecke for £52 million and bought Vuskovic for £46 million.
Vuskovic looks to be an outstanding talent, a more than adequate replacement, and a player already supposedly on Bayern's shopping list.

We in turn have sold Guehi and Lacroix and have replaced them with a perpetually injured free transfer in Tomiyasu, an unwanted player from Chelsea on loan in Disasi and a relatively inexperienced teenager in Ahanor.

Ah, I hear people say , but the centre back we wanted was injured and Canvot has 'potential.'

Well none of that is helping our goals against column.
You can't sell 2 of the best centre backs in the Premier League and just hope for the best.
You have to replace quality with quailty rather than mere hope.
We don't look to have remotely replaced the pace, organisational skills, strength and ability to defend 1 on 1 of Lacroix and Guehi.
Even allowing for Sage's seeming inability to organise a defence, it doesn't half help to have experienced quailty at the back.

As I say above, Parish chanced his arm again, thinking this latest motley bunch will see him through. I think his luck has run out, I don't envisage any miraculous January signings coming in to save the day, and selling clubs will know our situation is desperate with a price to match. The board doesn't do successional planning very well so it seems, rather, it lurches from one predictable disaster to the next poor incumbent in the managerial hot seat. There's one constant in all this for good and bad, Parish's stewardship of the club. It does appear that since Freedman departed recruitment has serious gone downhill, and a lack of funds can't be totally blamed, they had money for Eze, Guehi, Lacroix and Munoz but have spent unwisely. The problems don't only begin and end with Sage, it's the way Parish runs the club and the poor investment he has made in players of lesser quality.

 

[EagleEddie]

Just got home from the game - well in fairness, that wasn’t a game - it was a lesson in how to recruit players and set up a team to win.

We are all annoyed, upset etc. I’m just walking the dog - I need someone to talk to who understands 😂

Anyway, think it’s been pointed out numerous times - their team was so much taller than ours, more physical, technically gifted. At Corners, its was boys marking men! Canvot was awful - no idea what was up, but just awful.

I’m not an expert, but we need a manager than understands the challenges of the Premiership, can motivate players and has tactical awareness. Sage is NOT that man

Good post but I’m still not home! Totally agree after today that Sage is not the manager to take us forward.

 

[Willo]

Yes, this agree with this absolutely, apart from the highlighted..

It is clear, and has been for many moons, that Canvot's position is to the left of the centre back and Richards' is to the right of the centre back. Today's lunatic formation was tried early on this season and proved catastrophic. To not have learnt our lesson on that one is just gormless; negligent.

From my perspective, Lerma should have started in between those two in their rightful positions.

I'm not liking Sage at all.

It wouldn't surprise me if he's gone before long; Parish doesn't hang around.

I understand your thinking.
Lerma in the middle with Richards out on the right and Canvot on the left would have been preferable to what we witnessed today.

 

[Canterbury Palace]

Sage looks lost. But the blame isn't his alone.

If Paddy is defensive coach then he needs to be looked at as well because this is the most disorganised defensively we've been since Pardew.

Hobbs should be fired out of a cannon back towards Wolverhampton. That we can sell Guehi and Lacroix within the space of a few months and replace them with Axel Disasi is absolutely outrageous.

And lastly Parish, who I have defended endlessly, should be questioned for appointing all three of them and for the infuriating policy of leaving transfer business to the very end of every window, meaning we constantly miss targets.

Sage can go but it doesn't fix the other issues.

 

[eritheagle]

Sage looks lost. But the blame isn't his alone.

If Paddy is defensive coach then he needs to be looked at as well because this is the most disorganised defensively we've been since Pardew.

Hobbs should be fired out of a cannon back towards Wolverhampton. That we can sell Guehi and Lacroix within the space of a few months and replace them with Axel Disasi is absolutely outrageous.

And lastly Parish, who I have defended endlessly, should be questioned for appointing all three of them and for the infuriating policy of leaving transfer business to the very end of every window, meaning we constantly miss targets.

Sage can go but it doesn't fix the other issues.

The bruges defender was lacroix's replacement but foot injury was worse than first thought. I think he's due to join us in january as we beat villa in the race for him.

 

[Malcolm Al]

Am I right in thinking they also banked the proceeds of their over inflated sales to Chelsea over five years and then chucked all the money into recruitment for this season or the season before? Not casting an opinion on whether that is prudent but it appears to have worked.

I read recently that the £300 million they've had off Chelsea has been spent on that new big fanzone thing next to the ground, £40m on ground improvements, and funding for their new women's team stadium. Only the rest went on players as they tend to spend cheap 🙄

 

[Plaistow Eagle]

I’ve been trying to look at this objectively - difficult to take the emotion out of it - after that performance against our major rivals.

But if you look at it objectively - we lost Guehi in January - didn’t replace him - made the insane signings of Larsen and Johnson for a combined £80M.

Then we lose Lacroix - so our back 3 is left with Richards and Canvot - of what was a very solid and reliable back 3 and arguably the bedrock of the team.

Then Glasner leaves and we replace him with Sage - good record all the right credentials.

But then in the summer window - we dilly and dally about the replacements for Guehi and Lacroix and end up with a player Chelsea don’t want, a promising young prospect that Chelsea were happy to let us have for a season and a free transfer for an injury proned player.

All that despite being linked with numerous quality centre backs - but for one reason and another, excuse after excuse none of those got over the line.

All of that is on Parish - just rubbish transfer dealings and normal excuses.

Then Riad does his cruciate again - so now we’re struggling.

But all that does not preclude Sage - never got to a stable and settled back 3 - kept chopping and changing, even openly calling Canvot out.

Then rumours emerged of dressing room unrest in relation to Sage, tactics, training etc..

On the pitch we’ve witnessed the demise of performance of star players like Wharton, Richards, Kamada, Canvot, Mitchell - they don’t all of a sudden become bad players.

We’ve seen strange selections and no flexibility in formation irrespective of available players.

There have been some positives - Timber looks a great signing.

But on the pitch it’s become increasingly obvious - that tactics aren’t working - defence is woeful, and Sage seems clueless how to rectify it.

Then to today - where we played with no passion, no discernible structure format or fluidity.

Today it was obvious to me that the players were not playing for Sage and there’s clearly a problem.

Now Parish needs to take a lot of the responsibility here - the failure to appropriately replace Guehi and Lacroix is the root of our defensive problems.

But that aside - players are not playing for the manager is all Sage and that simply cannot continue.

So that is a huge problem and the reason I’ve come to the conclusion that Sage unfortunately is not the manager for us and Parish needs to act now - even though he must take some of the responsibility.

COYP

 

[Adrift]

Sage looks lost. But the blame isn't his alone.

If Paddy is defensive coach then he needs to be looked at as well because this is the most disorganised defensively we've been since Pardew.

Hobbs should be fired out of a cannon back towards Wolverhampton. That we can sell Guehi and Lacroix within the space of a few months and replace them with Axel Disasi is absolutely outrageous.

And lastly Parish, who I have defended endlessly, should be questioned for appointing all three of them and for the infuriating policy of leaving transfer business to the very end of every window, meaning we constantly miss targets.

Sage can go but it doesn't fix the other issues.

They don't have a dedicated defensive coach, it's treated as a collective responsibility.
McCarty is listed as an assistant coach
As far as I can see its not working

 

[mtp1958]

Last week BBC had Lerma on team of the week. Obviously he is on the bench and the manager prefers a backline filled with youngsters. Au revoir, Sage.

Can't believe it complain we dont play the younger players complain if we do . Its not just you

 

[Malcolm Al]

7 points from 7 games is relegation form... When we get to 15 games if it's 15 points then he has to go. Despite the recent departures we still have enough decent players to get a draw at Brighton surely?

 

[Part Time James]

I read recently that the £300 million they've had off Chelsea has been spent on that new big fanzone thing next to the ground, £40m on ground improvements, and funding for their new women's team stadium. Only the rest went on players as they tend to spend cheap 🙄

Oh wow! I didn't know this. I still can't believe how much money Chelsea have given them though.

 

[BigGcpfc]

I'm going to blame the rain for the first 10 minutes off odd play. Yes, I'm being delusional and lying to myself. It is my fantasy, let it be.

The bigger issue for me is that even after that, we look apathetic and scared. There is no killer instinct or nasty mindset that can power through when things go wrong. This club needs an animal.

I thought Timber was our animal. Anyone know why he went off ?

 

[Booted Eagle]

Perhaps some perspective. Some here calling for Sage's head based on that he doesn't know the PL n needs to go.If you want a really experienced manager in the PL then surely Sean Dyche ? Eddie Howe has already rejected us n ain't coming here. Glasners first 7 games produced 8 points n he didn't have any knowledge about management in the PL. Yes we have taken a thrashing here from our nearest rivals today and everybody is hurting but frankly it is not the time to panic.

 

[JHB]

Perhaps some perspective. Some here calling for Sage's head based on that he doesn't know the PL n needs to go.If you want a really experienced manager in the PL then surely Sean Dyche ? Eddie Howe has already rejected us n ain't coming here. Glasners first 7 games produced 8 points n he didn't have any knowledge about management in the PL. Yes we have taken a thrashing here from our nearest rivals today and everybody is hurting but frankly it is not the time to panic.

It’s not just the points total. It’s the shambolic defending and performances. There is no control to our play. It’s kick and giggle. We have the worst defense in the division and it’s heading in the wrong direction. It’s just such a mess.

 

[park the bus]

7 points from 7 games is relegation form... When we get to 15 games if it's 15 points then he has to go. Despite the recent departures we still have enough decent players to get a draw at Brighton surely?

No, when I saw the line up I knew what was coming - Brighton swarmed all over us and within 10 minutes is was over as a competition. The defenders are poor / haven't played together, and are not protected by a vacant midfield. There's problems all over the pitch, Sage's tactics with this squad don't work and he doesn't have much time.

 

[OneStevePerrin]

I thought Timber was our animal. Anyone know why he went off ?

I was surprised by the removal of Timber? We changed our midfield when 3:0 down bringing Kamada alongside Wharton and Timber. Not that it mattered much but we didn’t look like losing more goals but McNeil replacing Timber made it worse. We went back to a middle two of Wharton and Kamada and let in two more? I believe we have a squad of players good enough to get results. Sadly our manager doesn’t know how to make that squad into a team to get results. We are a mess and Sage has to go now in my opinion?

 

[eaglesdare]

I can see dyche in by the end of the week.

 

[Plaistow Eagle]

I can see dyche in by the end of the week.

Please no..!!

 

[park the bus]

Should Sage be relieved of his duties it will be a desperate man who would want to take on this challenge.
How many of them are there out there?

 

[whatton]

I thought Timber was our animal. Anyone know why he went off ?

According to Whoscored, he had 0.5% of total possession, less than 30 seconds.

Although he was subbed at half time, this is very low for a DM.