Sage: We want to continue with this mindset
Pierre Sage was pleased by Crystal Palace’s first Premier League clean sheet of the season up against an in-form Leeds United – but felt his team could have taken all three points from Elland Road.
The Eagles were the team on top in West Yorkshire and enjoyed a flurry of early second-half chances, but even though they were ultimately unable to convert them, were still good value for their point on the day.
“It's a good point to make a clean sheet,” Sage explained. “But it would be a better point if we won this game because I think we created some chances too.
“That's why we have to analyse this clean sheet, not only in the way to defend, but in the way to attack. We created some chances without scoring, and I think altogether it's a good point.
“We didn't [previously] concede too many goals in transition, we took goals when we were low and with crosses and from bad defending the penalty box – and today it was better for that. That's why it's not only about the balance, it's about how we defend when we are low, and I think we did it better today.”
I think it's a good step for us
—Pierre Sage
Sage also gave an update on centre-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, who was replaced by Jefferson Lerma at half-time.
“He was injured in his calf,” Sage noted.
“I think it's not too serious, but it's too much to play if you want. And I think it's a good sign when a player says ‘I'm not able to play more because I'm not 100 percent’ – it's a sign of honesty and I like this kind of thing.
“All the four players who played in this position and that's why I think we made this kind of performance, because when the defenders are good defensively and offensively we can play and we can cancel or prevent the chances of the opponent.
“He [Lerma] gave us what he's able to give about his aggression, about his heading, especially defensively. He played well with the ball too, and I think it's a good step for us because as I said on Thursday, if we win some players it will be better and better, because we will have more solutions.”
On the clean sheet, Sage said: “I prefer to have the ball, and I think it's the best way to defend. But in this league, with our players, we have to be maybe more patient in our way of defending.
“That's why we improved that last week. We showed that in our game on Thursday and today too. And we gave less space, less time to the opponent.
“I think it's better. And the mindset is especially different, I think, to before, because we are more aggressive and more on the players. We go on quickly when the ball is on the side and that changes things. That's why there's a situation.
“And when you have this kind of problem, we resolve it for the moment. But we have to keep it, because doing it one game is easy – we need to do it every game.”
This group is special, ready to fight, ready to change things
—Pierre Sage
Palace now go into a three-week international window off the back of a positive result at Elland Road.
“I think we spoke about that before, but it cannot cut or stop our way forward,” Sage said of the break. “We want to continue in this way with the same mindset.
“And I think this group is special, ready to fight, ready to change things, ready to understand another way of thinking football and maybe playing it.
“And the most important thing is that they enjoy the pitch during the sessions and in this way they can play together, they can play as a team. And I think you saw that for three or four games now.”