BFTG - Brighton

[BR2]

I didn't find it quite as entertaining as some of the earlier posters-a typical Championship game, plenty of effort from both sides but IIRC no shots on target by either in the first half.
I think people may have felt more "entertained" because we finished on the up but I felt that we only got going after they scored.

In the first half I felt that their passing was crisper whereas we were so much slower in that aspect than we were a few weeks ago and in both halves our centre-backs (Hector in particular) had too much possession (which they readily gave away) even if Hector made the one good pass that set up our goal.
Unfortunately also I felt that we spent too much time trying to force our way through the middle (an area that was overcrowded) when we could have used McCleary so much more against the very right-footed left-back Rosenior.
Blackman did well again but it looked too much a case of "give it to Blackman and see what he can do" rather than varying the approach.

I agree with the poster 3points who said earlier about Gunter continuously playing the ball back to the centre-back which slowed our game down and I agree with Snowball about Williams who has a great attitude in trying to get the impetus going but tends to run up too many blind alleys and thereby losing the ball.

Time will tell if that was a good point gained but a win against HUddersfield would show that we are still on track for a possible top 6 finish-these past few results may have shown that a top 2 spot might not be achievable but the best of it all is that we fans are now enjoying going to games again.

[Sanguine]

Norwood's free-kick was in the first half IIRC.

[marlowuk]

Norwood's free-kick was in the first half IIRC.

And Blackman had a shot saved and Murphy for Brighton was on target in the first half.

[Snowball136]

Not reading all of this, but it seems nobody is mentioning the huge element of luck their goal had. Unfortunately the highlights online don't show it, but the ball infield from Bruno was misplaced quite poorly, with Kayal I think the recipient. Bruno is clearly attempting to play the ball to feet, and Taylor (I think) reacts to this in order to get close, but because the pass is misplaced Kayal sticks his leg out and just gets a toe-end knick on the ball which takes the ball away from Taylor and straight to another Brighton player. Taylor is then out of position, the ball is one-two'd into the path of Kayal who, let's be fair, takes full advantage of the good fortune offered him and puts a quite superb ball across for the otherwise totally ineffective (in an attacking sense) Jamie Murphy

I think it was Tomer Hemed who crossed for the goal, although I've not seen a replay yet.

It was. I'd backed him to score first and RFC to win 2-1

[Ian Royal]

In slight defence of Vydra, I think he may have thought that the keeper was coming out too fast for him get enough contact to accurately lift it over him after his first touch, so tried to tip it round the side to Blackman. And had it not gone slightly behind Blackman as he ran past it would have been a certain goal.

And I also think it's a real shame Blackman couldn't see Vydra and McCleary coming up on his right, as there was definitely acres of space to tuck the ball through ahead of one of them round the defender and they'd have been pretty much guaranteed a comfortable one on one. A slightly better option than waiting and playing it just behind Sa where the defence was in better shape.

Very close margins from coming off.

On Gunter's passing backwards and sideways... I think that's often his best option as it's otherwise a hopeful punt or a ball in to someone tightly marked or with a player ready to intercept.

[Victor Meldrew]

The trouble is Ian that the centre-back then hoofs it forward to that same area.

[Pepe the Horseman]

On Gunter's passing backwards and sideways... I think that's often his best option as it's otherwise a hopeful punt or a ball in to someone tightly marked or with a player ready to intercept.

Yeh, this. Last couple of seasons he's had stick for just pumping it down the line. At least this way we keep possession, unless he passes it straight to one of their players.

[Pepe the Horseman]

The trouble is Ian that the centre-back then hoofs it forward to that same area.

No they don't.

[Victor Meldrew]

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).
A shame really because our quick-fire passing wasn't there on Saturday, a feature of our better performances in other games.
Hopefully it will return tomorrow night and our midfielders will be the play makers and not our centre-backs-that's why they are centre-backs.

[Ian Royal]

The trouble is Ian that the centre-back then hoofs it forward to that same area.

I think you're stuck in the last three seasons prior to this one.

[Victor Meldrew]

Ian, nothing personal mate but if you had been there to see it you would be in agreement.
The thing is that we generally don't now do that so much but against a packed defence we unfortunately did resort to that far too often -see an earlier comment by a poster suggesting that Hector thinks he is Beckenbauer.
Hopefully tomorrow night we will see less of it.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).
A shame really because our quick-fire passing wasn't there on Saturday, a feature of our better performances in other games.
Hopefully it will return tomorrow night and our midfielders will be the play makers and not our centre-backs-that's why they are centre-backs.

Think you're seeing things. Might have happened two or three times, but "at least 10" is utter bollocks.

[Ian Royal]

Ian, nothing personal mate but if you had been there to see it you would be in agreement.
The thing is that we generally don't now do that so much but against a packed defence we unfortunately did resort to that far too often -see an earlier comment by a poster suggesting that Hector thinks he is Beckenbauer.
Hopefully tomorrow night we will see less of it.

I was there. I've been to several other games, this season and saw about 20 ish each the previous 2. Your description is at least six months out of date.

Hector was a little more wayward than normal with his long passes, he normally makes about 3.5 accurate a game and 6.3 inaccurate, 36% accuracy for that sort of pass isn't terrible. But McShane certainly doesn't go in for the long route. Ferdinand's worse than Hector in accuracy, but plays fewer.

We played 54 long passes out of over 600 against Brighton. 47 chipped and 554 on the ground. 37 to head, 564 to feet. Hardly going too long.

[Lower West]

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).

If you were watching closely enough you would have seen the BHA players nos 7 and 10 picking up Williams and Norwood. Rotherham played a similar tactic by picking up Norwood. As a result the back four resort to hopefully pumping the ball forward.

[CountryRoyal]

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).

If you were watching closely enough you would have seen the BHA players nos 7 and 10 picking up Williams and Norwood. Rotherham played a similar tactic by picking up Norwood. As a result the back four resort to hopefully pumping the ball forward.

That's when we need the wingers to drop back and give a different outball, as opposed to just aimlessly putting it down the channels or lumping it up to Sa. My annoyance is with this team is that we are too predictable and don't seem to have much of a plan B, the same can be said for attacking in the final third. We almost entirely try to go centrally with one touch passes and flicks and shit, it's great when they come off, but vary the play and mix it up ffs, it makes us far more dangerous.

I don't mind if teams want to double up on one of our players, it means somebody else is unmarked so it just requires us to be a little bit cleverer.

[bcubed]

Victor Meldrew wrote:

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).

agree with Victor

Not about people being idiots, but on Hector's tendency to look for and try the long ball, killer pass (Gerrard style) too much.
I don’t know if he played ten poor passes but certainly a lot and too many

[Maguire]

The trouble is Ian that the centre-back then hoofs it forward to that same area.

No they don't.

I agree with you. It's nonsense to suggest our centre-halves just send it every time, both of them clearly try and play football.

Okay sometimes they won't have the obvious ball on to either the FB or to Norwood but they are trying to keep possession this season, no doubt about it.

[Sanguine]

I wonder whether some of you idiots actually watch a game-Hector must have played at least 10 long-balls to nobody on Saturday (see also other posters' earlier comments).
A shame really because our quick-fire passing wasn't there on Saturday, a feature of our better performances in other games.
Hopefully it will return tomorrow night and our midfielders will be the play makers and not our centre-backs-that's why they are centre-backs.

Think you're seeing things. Might have happened two or three times, but "at least 10" is utter bollocks.

Was going to post exactly the same. I've been on hoof-watch from first half against Fulham after an aimless Hector one. And McShane just doesn't do it. I counted 2 from Hector against Brighton.

[tidus_mi2]

Not only are Massive Brighton down to 3rd after yet another draw, this image is doing the round in regards to half and half scarfs and apparently shirts according to that picture.

[genome]

He needs to hold that scarf the other way round.