Crystal Palace have the chance to return to winning ways on Thursday when they travel to face Besiktas, with Pierre Sage urging his players to respond positively to their latest setbacks.
The Eagles had followed a home victory over Nottingham Forest with consecutive away defeats in Europe and the domestic competition. Sage, however, expects Palace to put the loss at Brighton behind them quickly and show their quality in one of European football’s most demanding atmospheres.
Besiktas have won both of their opening Europa League matches, scoring seven goals in the process. Their victories include a 4-1 home success against Marseille and a 3-2 win away to Hoffenheim, whom Palace will face next.
Sage recognises the threat posed by the Turkish side’s energetic attack, but believes the atmosphere can help Palace maintain concentration rather than hinder them. He also identified opportunities for the Eagles when they regain possession, with scoring first potentially capable of changing the way Besiktas approach the game.
Palace’s defensive performance will also be under scrutiny after conceding in several different ways recently, including during transitions, against a low block and from set pieces. Sage said the team must address every part of its defensive work rather than focus on one isolated weakness.
With matches arriving every three days, Palace have had limited time on the training ground, making competitive fixtures important opportunities to improve. Sage also pointed to the team’s attacking output, with more than 10 goals scored since the start of the season, and stressed the importance of keeping the ball to reduce the need to defend while becoming more consistent without possession.
