Crystal Palace were bound to suffer some teething problems at the end of the Oliver Glasner era, but the way in which the Pierre Sage era has started has been deeply concerning.
The general consensus is not one of mutiny at Selhurst Park. Sage is a talented and proven coach who impressed with Lens in Ligue 1 last year, driving the underdogs to a second-place finish – they kept pace with Paris Saint-Germain for most of the campaign.
But we cannot deny the Eagles are struggling. Crystal Palace are beyond porous in defence right now, and injuries to key players has made the French manager’s life rather difficult.
Why Pierre Sage is struggling to replace Glasner
Glasner is one of the greatest managers in Crystal Palace’s history. Perhaps he is the cream of the crop, having taken the reins and led the Londoners through their most successful period, winning the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League.
But with Glasner’s departure came a wave of departures which have created a very different feeling at the club. Moreover, a wave of new arrivals have yet to acclimatise to their new home.
Thank goodness chairman Steve Parish stood firm and resisted attempts from rich Premier League rivals to sign Adam Wharton. The ball-playing midfielder might have been overwhelmed against Brighton, but he remains one of the side’s most important pieces.
Brighton’s five-goal mauling was unfortunate, but indicative of wider defensive issues which Sage has not yet solved. Maxence Lacroix’s sale to Chelsea, six months after Marc Guehi left for Manchester City, has rocked the boat, to be sure,
Most Goals Conceded in the Premier League (26/27) | ||
|---|---|---|
Club | Goals Conceded | Per 90 |
Crystal Palace | 17 | 2.4 |
Ipswich Town | 15 | 2.1 |
Sunderland | 14 | 2.0 |
Coventry | 14 | 2.0 |
Newcastle | 14 | 2.0 |
Granted, five of their 17 shipped strikes came against the Seagulls, but before then, they had still shipped two goals per game.
Sage will point toward the inevitable disruption after Glasner pulled the levers of change last season, quitting and joining rivals Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr have also had injury-hit starts to the season.
All this said, Palace still haven’t been good enough, and while Sage is safe for now, further decline could see Parish cut his losses before the term deepens.
Crystal Palace consider hiring the new Glasner
Glasner is irreplaceable, but Crystal Palace must move forward all the same, and if circumstance conspires against Sage, the the decision-makers must ensure they find the right coach to lead the project forward.
Well, according to TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace are placed former Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna under consideration, with Parish understood to have a particular fondness toward the 40-year-old former midfielder.
McKenna is currently on a sabbatical of sorts, pausing his promising managerial career after taking Ipswich back into the Premier League at the first time of asking. However,
Described as “one of the best managers around” by his former Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy, McKenna would bring an aggressive, front-footed style of football which may be better suited to the English game than that of Sage, who, to his credit, also demands intensity from his players, but focuses on controlling games.
Indeed, former Ipswich skipper Mick Mills previously went as far as to describe the Northern Irishman as “like a Pep Guardiola” for the way his team plays out from the back.
Glasner’s Eagles ranked 14th in the Premier League for average possession held last season (45.9%), so it’s not like they need to have the ball.
And anyway, Wharton is one of the best in that regard, a conduit between an aggressive defensive system and Palace’s desire to attack quickly in the box.
Sage has been working with a three-man defence this season, a continuation of Glasner’s controversial formation. It’s known to blow hot and cold in the Premier League, that set-up, and McKenna would implement a more convential 4-2-3-1 approach, potentially proving a big upgrade on Sage from the get-go.
McKenna needs a project which has plenty of room for development while boasting the kind of pre-existing quality which could lead to silverware.
Well, silverware has come in droves, comparatively, at Crystal Palace over the past several years, and McKenna could be the man to lead them forward, recalling the halycon days of Glasner’s tenure.
Source: www.footballfancast.com
