A fundamental mismatch exists between the manager’s tactical principles and the squad he currently commands. When confronted about his side’s leakiness following a defeat to Newcastle, the Frenchman explained: “My idea is that the best way of defending is to have the ball, because then you cannot concede.” Yet, while his previous RC Lens team utilized a 3-4-2-1 setup to generate the second-highest tally of shot-ending high turnovers in France, his new team currently ranks dead last in the Premier League for that same metric. Having registered lower than 42 percent ball retention in 19 fixtures during 2025/26—a period where they secured seven of their 11 victories—the Eagles remain ill-equipped for a dominance-based approach. The London club briefly targeted Iraola before he departed for Liverpool, highlighting how Sage’s high-tempo demands mirror the current Red Bull-style managers rather than the counter-attacking outfit he inherited.
This structural incompatibility has translated into abysmal results, leaving the South London club firmly inside the bottom three with the top flight’s most porous backline. Following a third consecutive shutout loss where they yielded nine goals, culminating in a dismal evening at Tottenham, the head coach did not mince words, telling Sky Sports: “It’s a disaster.” The situation deteriorated further in North London when Jean-Philippe Mateta received his marching orders just 13 minutes into his second league start since August, incurring a three-match ban. Facing Liverpool this coming Sunday live on Sky Sports, an additional defeat could push the Eagles to the absolute bottom of the table before their manager has even overseen 10 league fixtures. Remarkably, despite conceding twice early at Spurs, the traveling supporters refocused their ire toward structural issues rather than directing it solely at the dugout.
The roots of this crisis stretch back to a chaotic recruitment window overseen by sporting director Matt Hobbs
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