Post-match thoughts v Brighton

The lack of Moore as an option is a big miss when chasing a game. Semenyo does not really offer anything different but is more of a like for like replacement.

Not a terrible performance but I too prefer Billing in a more advanced role, especially if chasing a game.
 
bigfatolly said:
I think the biggest blunder was dropping Rothwell to fit Traore in.

The common denominator from our back to back home wins was the midfield trio of Lerma ,Billing and Rothwell.

I think they compliment each other very well,it allows Billing to get forward so he can do his damage ,we also lacked the ball carrying ability of Rothwell.

I can see Traore is a good player,but for me he isn't a starter at the moment,same with Christie.

I disagree about Anthony @neildawson,he was woeful against Villa and Fulham and was rightly benched.

Agree about Moore though,he offers something different if we are chasing a game,I'm not sure what Semenyo adds at this moment in time.
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I don't disagree with the point about Lerma, Billing and Rothwell being a great combination. I think there is a case for Lerma, Billing and Traore though but it depends on what sort of game Billing has playing deeper. He's more than capable of playing well there so arguably having him deeper is a more attacking setup than with him further forward.

Whoever plays as the advanced midfielder though needs to add goals. Brooks proven goalscorer there but I don't think he's ready, Christie gives you loads there but arguably not enough goals. Traore looks good to me but he'll also need to start scoring and creating goals.

We have more than enough options but perhaps teams like Brighton are just too good for us atm.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
I don't disagree with the point about Lerma, Billing and Rothwell being a great combination. I think there is a case for Lerma, Billing and Traore though but it depends on what sort of game Billing has playing deeper. He's more than capable of playing well there so arguably having him deeper is a more attacking setup than with him further forward.

Whoever plays as the advanced midfielder though needs to add goals. Brooks proven goalscorer there but I don't think he's ready, Christie gives you loads there but arguably not enough goals. Traore looks good to me but he'll also need to start scoring and creating goals.

We have more than enough options but perhaps teams like Brighton are just too good for us atm.
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Have to credit the opppsition tonight - but we had some chances to score too
 
What was this Ramadan thingy ?...I can't see what it's got to do with Our Football...they didn't mention it in the Radio commentary....seems a bit sinister tbh.
Oh Ang on...
Maybe don't tell me is best..else I'll only go and say something to upset our resident PC and Wokists and ive already rattled their cage earlier !
 
Neil Dawson said:
Semenyos first touch will at least stop the Solanke haters for a bit. His first two touches he trapped it further than Traore kicked it all game…
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Nope. Solanke had some proper circus clown attempts at control last night. An attempt at chest control that went 10yds out for a throw in, an attempted trap that on the wind that went 5 yds out for throw in. His touch is truly awful. He offers no goal threat at all as he's never I the box when we need him to be there. I'm now of the opinion that the other players purposefully don't look for him because they know he can't score. He lacks that natural goal scoring instinct. A snap shot from a tight angle aside he offered nothing. When chances do come along he fluffs them. Two minutes into the second half a great chance at the back post that he puts 5 yds over the bar from 6 yds out. Traore had the perfect opportunity to pull the ball back when through into their box , again in the second half at 1-0, and ended up having to take a weak shot because our striker was again out of position and not in the box. So many of rate Dom's performance on his workrate and brush everything else to the side. He actually has a negative affect on the team. Always out of position, can't control the ball, runs around like a headless chicken and offers no goal threat. His lack of goals and GON's lack of bottle to drop him has, and will continue to, cost us points. With regards to semenyo, how is he meant to change the dynamic of a game when he comes on with 7 or 8 minutes to go , is played out of position and has a forward who goes walkabout?
 
NWCherries98 said:
Very impressed with Brighton. Unfortunately. When we had that 5-10 ish minute spell in the second half it looked like we might overwhelm them, but they managed the game perfectly. Teeth thoroughly gritted.

I’ve liked the look of Traore so far but he was very poor today. Christie came off too soon, I think he should’ve been moved into the middle to press them more directly, with Tavernier coming on for Traore. None of the subs improved us.

It must be quite hard to make an impact with 10 minute cameos, but Semenyo was dreadful. I’d much rather have Moore on the bench if that’s how he’s going to play. I also think it might be best to leave Brooks on the fringes and bring him back with a full preseason. He looked understandably well off the pace of the game.

Our finishing is terrible atm, our best attackers are all raw and erratic, lots of talent and hustle but no killer touch. I think we’re missing Moore as an actual option off of the bench, and are missing Tavernier from the off.

Also had the pleasant experience of hearing a fair few fans on the way out complaining about the “double standards” of the Ramadan stoppage. Lots of “thems” and “those peoples” floating around. Not nice at all, and disappointed to hear it.
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Agree with all of this.
 
They were good, there is no getting away from that. Their passing at times was up there with the best. Despite that, we did cause them problems, and on another day would have got something from the game.

However, I can’t help but feel we didn’t give ourselves the best chance of a result for the following reasons:

- dropping Rothwell, why? He’s been arguably our best central midfielder post the World Cup. We missed his drive and energy. And once he was on the bench, why wasn’t he subbed on?

- Brooks on rather than Anthony. Brooks clearly lacking match fitness, this sub made no sense.

- Semenyo on rather than Moore. Yes I know Moore wasn’t on the bench but why? Everyone knows Brightons biggest weakness is defending set pieces and headers. You only needed to watch their last game to figure that out. Moore and Anthony on, work the ball out wide and then get some crosses in would have given us the best chance of turning it round 2nd half

Last night won’t define our season but can’t help feeling it as a missed opportunity to get at least a point.
 
afcdibby said:
I doubt it. Game management will just get a whole new level.
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Indeed. It will just result in even more of players going down holding heads on corners, and similar 'cute' methods. Problem is not just the time, it just totally disrupts flow, momentum. Makes it extremely difficult for weaker teams like us in particular to cause threat, apply pressure,

As much as I hate to say it, Brighton played some excellent football at times. Kept position in tight spots very well, highlighting composure and technical ability of the players they've somehow accumulated and developed for relative peanuts. Moisés Caicedo and Mac Allister are top players at this level, Moisés Caicedo in particular, already one of the best DMC's in the PL and is likely to be right up there with Makele, Kante etc, bearing in mind he's now only 21 iirc.

Thought it was going to be a long night when they were totally dictating the run of things through the midfield for the 1st 20 mins or so.

Also maybe it was so well executed we couldn't deal with it, but that goal kick routine was getting beyond the joke as well. By half way point in 2nd half, it seemed to be leading to a weird kind of counter attack... from a short goal kick! GK (who has barely played for them since since signing 3 or 4 years back, but had decent game, looked commanding and was clearly extremely comfortable in possession.

And of course the 'Game Mgmt'. 2nd half was basically totally destroyed by it. I was astonished to check time remaining and it was 80 minutes... felt more like 10 minutes into the half, as there seemed to be no passage of play that last a minute, without an 'injury', ill gotten freekicks from going down easily, gk and others time wasting constantly. I've got to hand it to them, it was incredible, never seen it executed to such an extreme. Which is a shame as they were a decent unit for sure.

That said, if Traore took his excellent chance, plus we had a couple of other half chances in the 1st half, who knows how the ridiculous joke of a 2nd half would have transpired.


Old Cherry said:
What was this Ramadan thingy ?...I can't see what it's got to do with Our Football...they didn't mention it in the Radio commentary....seems a bit sinister tbh.
Oh Ang on...
Maybe don't tell me is best..else I'll only go and say something to upset our resident PC and Wokists and ive already rattled their cage earlier !
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:D the moment I saw you name on this thread, after reading other posts, I thought 'I bet this is some 'controversial' statement re Ramandan' Thanks for delivering :D
 
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james_AFCB said:
They were good, there is no getting away from that. Their passing at times was up there with the best. Despite that, we did cause them problems, and on another day would have got something from the game.

However, I can’t help but feel we didn’t give ourselves the best chance of a result for the following reasons:

- dropping Rothwell, why? He’s been arguably our best central midfielder post the World Cup. We missed his drive and energy. And once he was on the bench, why wasn’t he subbed on?

- Brooks on rather than Anthony. Brooks clearly lacking match fitness, this sub made no sense.

- Semenyo on rather than Moore. Yes I know Moore wasn’t on the bench but why? Everyone knows Brightons biggest weakness is defending set pieces and headers. You only needed to watch their last game to figure that out. Moore and Anthony on, work the ball out wide and then get some crosses in would have given us the best chance of turning it round 2nd half

Last night won’t define our season but can’t help feeling it as a missed opportunity to get at least a point.
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Some really good points here. Brentford were inferior to Brighton in a lot of aspects but played on their one known weakness. We didn’t put Kieffer Moore on the bench let alone the pitch. I wonder if GON being inexperienced is feeling the need to play the new players. They may be ones for the future (jury’s out) but I’m not sure they are ones for a relegation battle and we need to find that out quickly.
 
AFCBade said:
Useless ref. The break was for Ramadan / no objection to an 8pm ko but stopping the game like that is ridiculous imho
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As an atheist I don’t think religion (or politics) should mix with sport and and as you suggest it’s easy to move the kick off back fifteen until after proper sunset.

The other interesting thing for me if it’s true is a seemingly informed person near me was saying the players won’t have eaten or drank since sunrise. I’m not a sports science expert but that’s not the preparation most elite athletes would have for a night event. Like I say this might be completely wrong it’s just a question in my mind as neither had a good game, although they weren’t alone in this.
 
Just watched the extended highlights on COWS. Yet again zonal marking to the fore. With both goals 6 Bournemouth defenders plus a keeper around the player who scored all marking space but not the man.

Football is a simple game sadly these days we make it so much more difficult for ourselves.

Just an opinion from my 1960's cave.
 
hba1 said:
Just watched the extended highlights on COWS. Yet again zonal marking to the fore. With both goals 6 Bournemouth defenders plus a keeper around the player who scored all marking space but not the man.

Football is a simple game sadly these days we make it so much more difficult for ourselves.

Just an opinion from my 1960's cave.
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Hasn't defending always been zonal in non-set piece situations? You can't just mark every player on the pitch.
 
Big learning experience for the owners to see the gulf in technique between a top 6 and a bottom 6 team.
The level of ball control, passing and movement should be the level AFCB need to get to.

Big summer ahead.
 
JIMNNINA said:
Big learning experience for the owners to see the gulf in technique between a top 6 and a bottom 6 team.
The level of ball control, passing and movement should be the level AFCB need to get to.

Big summer ahead.
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I'm not a qualified coach, but can't we just wallop the balls at the players and ask them to trap it?
 
Firstly would like to apologise for the loss as second time I’ve been in the east stand and second time we’ve lost 2-0 :sorry:
Thought we were a bit off the pace and not sure that we wanted it enough
Perhaps we weren’t expecting to win but although Brighton played well it was a bit like a training match at times
Thought substituting Christie was at the wrong time as he was just beginning to find space down that side and Dango was really struggling
Hopefully we’ll do better at Leicester :utc:
 
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Here’s the moment just before. 6 v 2 in the box. He steps away from Scums fifth/sixth choice centre back who doesn’t spot it (again). Still he won a couple headers in the first half and made a block so I’m calling him prime Maldini….

The space they found all night from Stephen’s and Senessi was scary. Ferguson lost them way too easily and should have scored and there were two other incidents where people just walked away from them and were in excellent positions… rank amateur defending from our centre backs again. You don’t have the worst defensive record for no reason
 
I think this season across all clubs is the one where it is becoming evident to fans that some players just can't be @rsed to put in 100% each week.. they exert energy when it suits them to....the Money/ Wages thing has caught up with the game of Football and is manifesting itself in so many negative scenarios. Time wasting and drinks breaks..faked injuries... ref - baiting ..easy f√cking Money !
You see it at Manu...you see it at West Ham....now Liverpool and Chelsea...Leicester.... And Boscombe too ? ..Managers are copping most of outcry..but then they also are tainted with the Money thing.

Pah...it's a wall to wall, touchline to touchline, box to box , Crock of Sh*t !

I'll try to expand on this as we proceed to the conclusion of 22-23...and probably into 23-24 !
That is if I can think of anything to say further..and not dry up on it . :D......:cuppa:
 
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