Crystal Palace were left frustrated once again under head coach Pierre Sage as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Turkish giants Besiktas on Thursday night in the Europa League.
The draw with the Super Lig side came off the back of a devastating 5-0 defeat to fierce rivals Brighton & Hove Albion away from home in the Premier League last weekend.
Since replacing Oliver Glasner in the summer, the 47-year-old boss has failed to coach consistent performances out of his side in all competitions.
The Eagles manager has only won two of his seven matches in the Premier League and has recorded one win out of three in the Europa League.
Why Pierre Sage’s job is under pressure at Crystal Palace
Saga’s job is already under pressure at Selhurst Park, despite only joining in the summer, as Football Insider recently claimed that he has been given until the November international break to turn things around.
Palace have not won a match since they beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 four matches ago, and they have conceded ten goals in three games since that win.
The Eagles have been far too easy to score against under Sage. In the Premier League, Palace have conceded a whopping 17 goals in seven matches, which is the worst defensive record in the division.
|
26/27 Premier League |
Crystal Palace |
League rank |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals conceded |
17 |
20th |
|
Goals conceded per game |
2.4 |
20th |
|
Average possession |
43.3% |
17th |
|
xG difference |
-5.4 |
20th |
|
xG conceded |
14.8 |
20th |
Their defensive rankings in the league are woeful and that is why the board may have a big decision to make on the Frenchman’s future in the coming weeks.
Crystal Palace considering move for former Premier League manager
The bad news for Sage is that the club are already looking at potential replacements for him, which is never a good sign for a manager who is still in a job.
Speaking to Football Insider, Mick Brown has revealed that Crystal Palace are considering a swoop to appoint out-of-work manager Sean Dyche as a potential replacement for Sage.
Brown said: “Sean Dyche would be a good appointment for Palace, and from what I’m told, he does have admirers there. The biggest problem they’re having under Pierre Sage is that they look so weak and disorganised defensively, and ultimately that’s going to land them in a lot of trouble.
“So bringing in somebody who has proven in the Premier League that he can organise defenses and get the best out of his players is the logical next step for them to take.”
However, no move for the experienced Englishman will take place until the board decide that they want to go through with relieving Sage of his duties.
How Dyche would improve Crystal Palace
Palace have been far too easy to play against with Sage’s iteration of the 3-4-2-1 formation that brought Glasner success, as evidenced by their dreadful defensive statistics.
Described as “the best English manager out there” by Danny Cowley, Dyche would arrive at Selhurst Park as an experienced manager who knows the league, thanks to his time with Burnley, Everton, and Forest, and knows how to organise a defence, as Brown explained.
The Englishman has managed 350 Premier League games in his career to date, racking up 392 points, and his teams have conceded 1.4 goals per game on average.
|
Premier League |
Sean Dyche |
|---|---|
|
Games |
350 |
|
Wins |
99 |
|
Points |
392 |
|
Points per game |
1.12 |
|
Goals scored |
343 |
|
Goals conceded |
490 |
|
Goals conceded per game |
1.4 |
Meanwhile, Sage’s Palace side has conceded 2.43 goals per game in the Premier League in the 2026/27 campaign so far, which is why they have the worst defensive record in the division.
Instead of playing an open 3-4-2-1 that exposes the two central midfielders when the attacking midfielders drop wide, Dyche would play a 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, or 4-2-3-1 structure with better support for the midfielders in front of them and out wide. a
The ex-Burnley manager’s system, when he plays a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1, allows his side to press with two players pushing forward, blocking passing lanes into central areas, which forces teams to play around them instead of through them.
This means that Dyche’s tactics could improve Palace’s defensive record by making it more difficult for opposition teams to get through to the heart of their defence, by pressing in a way that forces them into denser areas of the pitch.
Therefore, the Palace target could join the club as an upgrade on Saga by offering a tactical set-up with more defensive solidity and Premier League proven practice, which is why the Eagles should be looking to bring him in as a replacement for their current boss.
