Pressure does not merely build in modern football; it accumulates like a storm over South London. For Pierre Sage, the atmospheric pressure surrounding Selhurst Park heading into Thursday’s UEFA Europa League encounter with TSG Hoffenheim is palpable.
A damaging sequence of results across October has left Crystal Palace languishing in 18th place in the Premier League table. Three straight domestic defeats without scoring culminating in a dismal 2-0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur where Jean-Philippe Mateta saw red early have forced the Frenchman to defend his position, his tactical convictions,and his long-term suitability for the role.
Yet as the Europa League returns to SE25 for matchday four, Sage is stubbornly looking forward rather than over his shoulder. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against the Bundesliga side, the 47-year-old insisted that the remedy to Palace’s malaise lies on the training pitch, where he has finally had rare, extended quality time with his squad.
Pierre Sage on Palace’s Tactical Reset
“The responsibility is on me and I have to deal with this kind of thing. And from Monday to today, the work was really at a good level.”
“[We trained] especially offensively, the way to build up in our play, in the way to play in the back of the last line of the opponent. I think in our two last games we defended a lot, more or less well, but we didn’t attack in the way that we decided before the game. And that’s why we have to come back to this, by finding the balance between the two.”
“I only know that we need to win games. In my last experience in the Europa League [with Lyon], I lost only one. For the moment, we lost one and we made the draw. If we win two or three games again, we can qualify. That’s the most important objective for the moment.”
Recent Form & Match Results (October – November)
Palace have won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions since October 11, suffering four defeats and enduring an grueling schedule of eight games in 25 days.
Date Competition Opponent Venue Result Notes Oct 18 Premier League Nottingham Forest Away W 3-1 Bright start following international break Oct 22 Europa League Beşiktaş Away D 2-2 Conceded late equalizer in Istanbul Oct 25 Premier League Newcastle United Home L 0-2 Costly 15-minute second-half lapse Oct 29 Carabao Cup Fulham Away W 1-0 Advanced to Quarter-Finals Oct 31 Premier League Tottenham Hotspur Home L 0-2 Early Mateta red card proved decisive
From Poznań Polish to October Fatigue
When Palace launched their maiden Europa League group campaign with a resounding 4-0 demolition of Lech Poznań at Selhurst Park, the blueprint appeared seamless. Explosive wide play, sharp vertical passing, and high-tempo pressing overwhelmed the Polish champions.
Since then, clean sheets and attacking fluidity have evaporated in equal measure. Despite showing defensive resilience for extended periods against Fulham and Spurs, Palace’s offensive threat completely dried up.
Having luxury of three dedicated training sessions between Saturday’s defeat to Tottenham and Thursday’s European tie was an opportunity Sage grabbed with both hands.
“We worked a lot on things which we could not work on for a long time, because of the games after games, and that was a good sign because the players played the way we decided and with a lot of efficiency,” Sage explained.
“We have to be focused on that. We know that we will play a different football [style], a different kind of team, and maybe with the games and the situation of every opponent, it could be different because some of them could maybe be qualified quickly and some could be eliminated quickly. That’s why we have to capitalise and to take the points that we need.”
Despite the domestic dark clouds hanging over South London, the European arithmetic remains firmly in Palace’s favor.Standing on four points in the Europa League table, victory over Hoffenheim would place the Eagles in a prime position to secure direct knockout qualification without the hazard of a preliminary play-off tie.
Sage’s past record in continental competition provides personal assurance. During his tenure at Lyon, he developed a knack for navigating group stage intricacies, losing just once on European duty.
“When we play, it’s always a good thing,” Sage noted, refusing to use fixture congestion as an excuse. “First of all, it’s exciting, because if we play in a European cup, it’s because the team did well last year. We have to deal with that.”
The message from the manager is clear: the tactics have been honed, the accountability has been accepted, and the time for words is over. Only victories will clear the air.
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