Crystal Palace vs. Hoffenheim match thread

[MarkA333]

At least finally, we all know how bad we are.

 

[Dogburger]

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 would concur ,the main stand was a reflection of the performance , flat , soul less and bored .

 

[mtp1958]

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.

Don't think delusion think more hopeful than anything . But if you haven't the tools using a hammer to put screws in ends in falling apart . No doubt if he had a full compliment of options he may have had a chance . But sadly he has hit a brick wall . And doubt if the new guy will do better

 

[silvertop]

A point turned out to be a decent result.

Main worry is we are too easy to play against. If you turn the ball over when we are attacking just play the ball forward and wide quickly...

... Mitchell doesn't look comfortable and Khalaili not up to it I'm afraid.

Wharton red card very soft and especially unfortunate as Sage had just subbed McNeil for Ahanor.

McNeils persistence had a hand in our goal... I do think the squad has enough quality to be higher than our current lowly position, but I don't think Sage is the manager for us...

Your comment about Mitchell and Khalaili is interesting.

You give one the benefit of the doubt but dismiss the other. The difference is you have seen one and know what he has.

A possible alternative view is this manager is not getting out of Mitchell what we know he has but, as importantly...

He is not getting the best from players we do not know.

I have resisted every "X Out!" shout there has ever been on here (save the Dutchman) but this bloke has to go.

 

[Frenchaigle]

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

Two hopes spring to mind .
One of them I might need to start smoking on Sunday

 

[Runningman]

Your comment about Mitchell and Khalaili is interesting.

You give one the benefit of the doubt but dismiss the other. The difference is you have seen one and know what he has.

A possible alternative view is this manager is not getting out of Mitchell what we know he has but, as importantly...

He is not getting the best from players we do not know.

I have resisted every "X Out!" shout there has ever been on here (save the Dutchman) but this bloke has to go.

A fair summary and reluctantly I agree with your conclusion.
Was very much in the ‘give him a chance camp’ but not after last night.
They were a poor side, but we were worse.
I cannot believe our players are as bad as they are currently playing.

 

[Palacesince64]

I’ve been eternally optimistic that Sage will come good in time, but I’m finding it increasingly difficult to see unless something changes. Before last night’s game he implied they’d made changes but looked no different on the field. Our defensive difficulties are glaringly obvious. I liked three at the back under Glasner when Munoz bombed forward and Mitchell stayed further back to provide cover. Now both full backs are too high and a young inexperienced and limited back three is easily exposed.
There’s an interesting article on Sky about Sage’s problems which essentially says he hasn’t the tools at Palace to play the way he did at Lens. It’s rightly critical of Hobbs for failing to provide Sage with what he needs but also questions Sage’s ability to change his approach when it’s clear he needs to. Even I can see that we’d be more solid picking 2 centre backs with Mitchell and Mingueza either side of them and an extra man in midfield. Lord knows we’ve enough options in there. If , as expected, Liverpool thump us on Sunday and Sage is relieved of his duties, the new manager will surely change the system to make us hard to beat.

 

[Spiderman]

Your comment about Mitchell and Khalaili is interesting.

You give one the benefit of the doubt but dismiss the other. The difference is you have seen one and know what he has.

A possible alternative view is this manager is not getting out of Mitchell what we know he has but, as importantly...

He is not getting the best from players we do not know.

I have resisted every "X Out!" shout there has ever been on here (save the Dutchman) but this bloke has to go.

For the first time, ,last night, we said he has to go. There was no shape to our play and whilst, we never gave up, did we ever look like winning?

 

[Teddy Eagle]

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.

What could the idea possibly be behind trying flash tricks in your own area? It's a daft thing to do anyway but in our position it's just criminal. For every person impressed at the audacity there will be 100 thinking you're a total dick brain even if it works.
Get Jimmy Cannon into training - he'll let them know.

 

[Spindle]

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

No. Mitchell went to LCB

 

[VinceHilaire]

Perhaps we are all in agreement last night was just a mess!

Okay, close the thread - Liverpool he we come 😂

 

[Stansferret]

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

Damage limitation at best. I’m expecting us to ship another batch of goals.

 

[JessieJ]

Well I watched in a sports bar in Düsseldorf and agree with all "we were rubbish" comments, albeit I do sympathise with the poster (sorry my friend but I don't want to scroll back to check your name) that in degrees of rubbish I have witnessed worse. It is the defensive play/tactics etc that drive me scream. genaral ball chasing with ensuing huddles, it's like under-7's in the park. Anyway, to provide some balance re Hoffenheim, I did say that they were no pushovers and the widely spread view that "it's not as if the oppo was any good" makes me wonder what a lot of posters expect. Not all teams can be PSG or Barcelona and that doesn't them rubbish. Any team that regularly sits in the mid/upper echelons of the Budesliga could quite easily hold their own in the EPL. Just saying!