How much change can Crystal Palace take? | OneFootball

Pierre Sage’s Crystal Palace tenure began amid upheaval on and off the pitch, and a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City underlined both promise and fragility. According to NY Times, the new head coach has asked for patience as he implements a more front-foot style.

Before kick-off, Sage stood alone on the Selhurst turf, focused on final details rather than occasion, and from the first whistle the mood was altered with the Holmesdale Fanatics silent and Main Stand extras stripped back.

Absent were Jean-Philippe Mateta, out for at least four weeks and disputing his contract, and Ismaila Sarr, officially a groin problem amid interest. Marc Guehi left for City in January, Maxence Lacroix has gone to Chelsea, and Daniel Munoz was omitted after a £22million offer from Oliver Glasner’s Nottingham Forest.

City were 2-0 up when Yeremy Pino’s free kick soon after the restart cut it to 2-1, then the visitors pulled clear for 4-1 as seats emptied.

Six goals have been conceded in the first two games, and leadership looks thin after Lacroix’s exit. Only five of the FA Cup final XI began here, with Guehi in City colours.

Sage has moved from Lens to London and is communicating in a second language. His front-foot ideas differ from Glasner’s transitions and have left Palace open, while the buy-develop-sell plan is never simple.

A three-week international break late next month should help. Early, proactive changes have spread minutes, yet unease has grown over Munoz possibly leaving, Mateta’s lay-off, Chadi Riad’s ACL, doubts about Joel Ordonez’s move and the HF stand-down.

Sage said his side played to plan for about an hour, longer than in the opener, and that a late pre-season means they must persist. There were attractive passages, but missed chances were a constant. Progress might follow, though work remains.

Source: NY Times

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