De Marigny Calls For Swift Reset After Sabah FC's Heavy Defeat To JDT

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Sabah FC head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny has called for a swift reset, insisting his squad must learn the hard lessons from their heavy 8-0 defeat to Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).

He pinpointed the loss of midfield control as the critical breakdown, conceding that it allowed a clinical JDT side to dictate play with a solid structure from start to finish.

“It was always going to be a big challenge coming here. JDT has an incredible squad with qualities all over the field. In the first half, we were outnumbered in central midfield,” he told a post-match press conference at Sultan Ibrahim  Stadium last night.

Despite the result, de Marigny commended his players' effort, noting they "worked extremely hard" and continued to adapt.

He identified the midfield battle as the decisive factor, explaining that when an opponent overruns that area, it becomes nearly impossible to close down space or maintain defensive pressure.

"We need to reset, refocus and analyse where we can hurt opponents and how to neutralise their strengths. The process of preparing remains the same, but when you lose by a big margin, it becomes more difficult,” he explained.

“There are many lessons for us tonight. We need to make sure that we structure the team in a proper way. It’s about being clear in our playing style and principles with the ball, without the ball, and in transition. We got exposed in those areas, but we’ll regroup and aim for a better performance in the next game,” he emphasised.

-- BERNAMA