"If the fans want Brighton to change our style of play.."

[drew]

There are some pretentious comments on this thread along the lines of 'I know best and you don't'. As far as I can tell, no one has suggested this isn't an improvement on recent years. No one hasn't suggested that possession isn't a good thing. However, Ankergren to El Abd to Elphick back to Ankergren is not what I would describe as a passing game. There needs to be far more involvement of the midfielders and the full backs and all too often the two central defenders fail to see them when they are in space. Both Elphick and El Abd start to go wide as soon as they get the ball and that squeezes the full backs out.

Our best passing game is when the ball is with the midfield and there is plenty of movement and more importantly, options. Look at Arsenal, probably currently the best exponents of the passing game. Is it Vermaelen and the other centre back that are passing the ball around or the likes of Diarby, Nasri, Rosicky or Fabregas.

We have improved drastically from recent years but there is still a lot of work to do. We are not the finished article, despite currently being top, and I suspect that most people, including Gus, see us as work in progress.

 

[e77]

I think the full backs and central midfielders could make themselves more available.

 

[Jim in the West]

TCB hits nail on head. It was my first visit to Withers under Gus yesterday and I was staggered by the negativity around me.

We do ideally need to find an alternative to the Casper, Tommy, Bomber triangle at times, but at least we are not conceding goals for fun.

If Gus succeeds and does a runner it will be for the chance to work at a higher level I suspect, not because of the moaners, but the sense of cringing embarrassment I had yesterday was not something you want to have repeated too often.

As fans we can make a very small difference, and that can be either positive or negative, away from home under Gus it seems to be positive, but at the Theatre of Cocoa.....

Likewise - I cringed. It really was embarrassing. I am resolved, however, that the next time the players receive similar levels of abuse for playing decent, patient, keep-ball, I am going to stand up and applaud them (the players, that is). Hopefully a few others might join me.

 

[drew]

I think the full backs and central midfielders could make themselves more available.

I think you will find that they do but are too frequently ignored, especially Calderon.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Interesting article.

Having not been able to see the Albion for years, I was hugely surprised and impressed by their style of play. The move which culminated in the Bournemouth Goalie saving at the near post from Glenn Murray was excellent. There was some excellent interplay in Midlfield which usually resulted in someone getting kicked up in the air because that was the only way Bournemouth could cope with it.

That there are fans at Withdean moaning at the style of play does not surprise me. The Goldstone had rather a lot of moaners as well and that was when we were playing (and beating) the likes of Liverpool. Apparently, Peter Ward was too slow and spent most of the game on his backside, Brian Horton just played square balls and Michael Robinson was a headless chicken.

Ok, so the triangle at the back is not productive enough yet, but it will take time for Poyet to teach El-Abd and Elphick the vision of a world class centerback. I would not expect them to see and pick every pass, every time. If they could, they would not be playing for Brighton. The fact that they are trying and that Gus has given them the confidence to do this is hugely encouraging.

If people are concerned about the boo boys and it is obvious from this article that Gus has noticed, write to Gus at the club, or the supporters club or whatever. Let him know that most fans are delighted with his style of play - I suspect that he knows this already but it would be good for fans to confirm it. Afterall, bums on seats are up (perhaps I should rephrase that, but I wont) which is a good indicator that most people are happy with what they are seeing.

 

[e77]

I think you will find that they do but are too frequently ignored, especially Calderon.

People forget it is still a work in progress (odd thing to say when we are top of the league, I know). Elphick and El-Abd have gone from 'get rid' centre halves to being vaguely cultured in less than a year.

The question is if the development can continue.

Certainly Elphick took the ball out nicely a couple of times on Saturday.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

To be fair to Bmth they had done their homework. They left two up all the time (thus closing down options) hence the Ankegren - El Abd passing game.

 

[Perry Milkins]

People forget it is still a work in progress (odd thing to say when we are top of the league, I know). Elphick and El-Abd have gone from 'get rid' centre halves to being vaguely cultured in less than a year.

The question is if the development can continue.

Certainly Elphick took the ball out nicely a couple of times on Saturday.

Critical to this debnate is the fact that Navarro (last season) was top notch in getting into space to pick the ball up from E or EA. Kish does a great job but doesn't drop back as much.

 

[bhaexpress]

I reckon part of the problem is that quite a few who went on Saturday had not seem us play under Gus.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I reckon part of the problem is that quite a few who went on Saturday had not seem us play under Gus.

Fair point.

I also love LAUGHING at people who say "we are not playing very well".

f*** me they have been living under a rock for the last few years if recent performances have "not been playing very well"?

Funny thing is we havent hit our stride yet, but not playing very well? Do me a favour.

 

[drew]

People forget it is still a work in progress (odd thing to say when we are top of the league, I know). Elphick and El-Abd have gone from 'get rid' centre halves to being vaguely cultured in less than a year.

The question is if the development can continue.

Certainly Elphick took the ball out nicely a couple of times on Saturday.

Couldn't agree more. There are some people on here who seem to be in a permanent state of ejaculation at the thought of Elphick to El Abd to Elphick to Ankergren etc. Two defenders passing the ball between themselves is not what most people consider to be a good passing game. When it involves the full backs and midfield then we can talk about flair.

 

[brightonian finest]

Hoofing the ball upfield, is the problem with this country reason why we dont win anything as a nation. What kind of technique is involved when you do a hopeless punt upfield?

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Perhaps it is just as simple as we English have been brought up on a game based round getting the ball forward quickly. It is in our footballing genes!
Some of our fans have quickly understood what Gus is trying to do and accept the passing game readily, some fans can't quite get out of the time warp, hence the moaning.

 

[drew]

I think some people are confusing passing game with possession.

 

[Curious Orange]

Saturday was my first game in a month. It was good to see the Albion looking comfortable with the ball at the back, and to my mind any side that retains the ball well is much less likely to concede goals. I felt that perhaps at times we were lacking an outlet ball, and you have to credit Bournemouth for that, which I think was the catalyst for the groaners - as it often ended in a hoof. On the occasions that it didn't I thought we attacked quite quickly once we found an opening. Good football really, just needs a good deal of patience from the viewing public.

 

[The Large One]

Perhaps it is just as simple as we English have been brought up on a game based round getting the ball forward quickly. It is in our footballing genes!
Some of our fans have quickly understood what Gus is trying to do and accept the passing game readily, some fans can't quite get out of the time warp, hence the moaning.

That, for me, is precisely what it is.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I llove the fact we are comfortable in possesion, but do think there is an option we don't utilise enough - the ball over the top.

If Ankergren, El Abd and Elphick do their sideways and backwards thing for thirty seconds, the rest of the players concertina up, towards them. We should play on this, with the occassional chip over the top for KLL [or Bennett] to run on to.

We tried it ONCE on Saturday [Elphick over-hit it, and it went out for a GK] and should use it far more.

 

[Return of the Rev]

If they want to watch long ball hoofball f*** off & support someone else

as brighton have played that for 30 odd years out of the last 40 i think i'll stick with brighton its bound to come back soon

 

[e77]

Critical to this debnate is the fact that Navarro (last season) was top notch in getting into space to pick the ball up from E or EA. Kish does a great job but doesn't drop back as much.

Certainly Navarro is in the 'didn't know what you had til it was gone' category of player.