Palace have enjoyed a very positive few days, securing their first league win of the season by beating Fulham 3-2 in a thrilling London Derby, then booking their spot in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Championship side Middlesbrough.
Positive team spirit was one factor behind Crystal Palace’s most successful spell in the club’s history under previous manager Oliver Glasner, who won the FA Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Europa Conference League.
Sage reaffirmed that this was something his side needed to maintain
“We have to maintain that because, in the bad moments for the players, it will be our safety.
“That’s why we need to be together. We need to be a unit in this moment.
“We’re playing something really difficult. All the opponents are of a good level, and we have to fight every weekend.
“Without team spirit, we cannot do anything. That’s why it’s really important, and I think it’s in line with the will of the fans.
After securing their first win of the season at Craven Cottage, Sage’s next test comes against newly promoted Ipswich Town.
A common theme among both sides this season has been the lack of control, with the Eagles managing just 40.6% possession, the fourth worst in the division. Gary O’Neil’s side are the next best in the list, with an average possession of just 40.7%.
Despite the lack of control, Sage claimed the key difference between the two sides was Ipswich’s higher intensity. Despite the lack of control, Sage claimed the biggest difference between the two sides was Ipswich’s higher intensity.
“There’s not really a comparison we can make with this opponent because they’re one of the best teams in terms of intensity in the league. That’s a big difference between us.
“We run a lot, but at the moment we run without high speed. They can do that. We have to control that.
“If we have control of the play, we have to be careful with the counterattack.
“In the end, the most important thing is not possession. For sure, we want to have possession, we want to play well, and we want to win the game like this, but it depends on the context and the opponent and each game.
“We want to play and improve in our way of playing, but we have to manage when we lose the ball through counter-pressing, rest defence and this kind of thing. I think it will be a good test for us.”
Despite a good week of results, Sage reiterated his commitment to maintaining high standards daily.
“During training, when I’m looking for a drill or something like that, and we test it.
“I always have a new idea to improve it. That’s why we have to be satisfied with things, because the players give their best for the moment.
“Maybe they’re able to give only that for the moment, but we always have the idea to improve and always to keep the level of demand very high.
“But we have to be in line with the possibility of the moment too. That’s the balance between those two things”