[Albion] “It’s exciting to be a Brighton fan at the moment”

[jcdenton08]

You never witnessed the Albion at Withdean. This was early 2000's. Poyet literally taught T.Elphick and Adam El-Abd not to hoof, but to at least play the ball on the ground. It was pitifully painful to watch. They'd play the ball ever-so-tentatively sideways to each other, (in H block we used to openly take the piss "To YOU Tommy! To YOU Adam!"). After they'd done that half a dozen times to satisfy Poyet, clearly hating every uncomfortable minute, they'd pass it back to Ankergren, who would then of course hoof it upfield as far as he could. Total football right there!

This did happen. We are no longer at Withers, and we have some world class footballers. You need to move with the times, old bean.

 

[Swansman]

You never witnessed the Albion at Withdean. This was early 2000's. Poyet literally taught T.Elphick and Adam El-Abd not to hoof, but to at least play the ball on the ground. It was pitifully painful to watch. They'd play the ball ever-so-tentatively sideways to each other, (in H block we used to openly take the piss "To YOU Tommy! To YOU Adam!"). After they'd done that half a dozen times to satisfy Poyet, clearly hating every uncomfortable minute, they'd pass it back to Ankergren, who would then of course hoof it upfield as far as he could. Total football right there!

Things have changed. Most kids are not taught to just kick the ball away as far as possible whenever they get the ball. Your idea that modern PL players want to do this is flawed.

But, anyway. If I understand your reasoning here correctly, it would be better to revert back to how Albion defenders played in the 1990s because clearly whatever Poyet and later managers have wanted to do isn't working as well as the way your defenders played back in 1996?

 

[WATFORD zero]

You never witnessed the Albion at Withdean. This was early 2000's. Poyet literally taught T.Elphick and Adam El-Abd not to hoof, but to at least play the ball on the ground. It was pitifully painful to watch. They'd play the ball ever-so-tentatively sideways to each other, (in H block we used to openly take the piss "To YOU Tommy! To YOU Adam!"). After they'd done that half a dozen times to satisfy Poyet, clearly hating every uncomfortable minute, they'd pass it back to Ankergren, who would then of course hoof it upfield as far as he could. Total football right there!

As one of the great football philosophers said (possibly Neil Warnock or Bobby Gould) 'from little green shoots, that should be stamped all over, despite whatever you try, sometimes great Oak trees grow'

That's us, that is

 

[abc]

Things have changed. Most kids are not taught to just kick the ball away as far as possible whenever they get the ball. Your idea that modern PL players want to do this is flawed.

But, anyway. If I understand your reasoning here correctly, it would be better to revert back to how Albion defenders played in the 1990s because clearly whatever Poyet and later managers have wanted to do isn't working as well as the way your defenders played back in 1996?

When we’re in Div 1 all those years ago, our football was at times painful to watch - especially under Mike Bailey and Chris Cattlin who were also amongst our most successful league position wise. I have never,ever, seen the Albion play with the freedom and quality that they do now and the idea of ‘reverting’ back to any style of the past is just silly.
But at the same time we should forever appreciate how the likes of Mickey Adams, Gus and Chris Hughton made the best use of the resources at their disposal and helped get us to where we are now.
Let’s just enjoy the ride!

 

[Icy Gull]

First time it goes wrong and costs us point(s) there will be all these after-timer Clevor Trevers falling over themselves to tell us how they always knew it would go wrong

It will inevitably go wrong and cost us occasionally but I’ll take it because when it works and we’ve sucked the opposition in the speedy interchanging as we break at pace is the most exciting football I have ever seen from the Albion. It’s Champion’s League quality from Brighton :bowdown

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Dicking around at the back is just about the first thing you get taught not to do in junior school football. It's all risk, minimal reward. Not a lot has changed since junior school football

Quite a lot's changed in the 80years since you left junior school.
Anyway, the first thing I learnt was to nail the only decent player in the other team as quickly as possible.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

First time it goes wrong and costs us point(s) there will be all these after-timer Clevor Trevers falling over themselves to tell us how they always knew it would go wrong

Wouldn’t be the first set of manager instructions in recent years where we’ve lost points, the difference this time is we are out scoring the pissing about mistakes

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Dicking around at the back is just about the first thing you get taught not to do in junior school football. It's all risk, minimal reward. Not a lot has changed since junior school football

Clearly not

 

[Eric the meek]

You know those astronauts who used to go into deep hibernation for years in those old sci fi movies to distant planets ?

That's you, that is

You know the one astronaut whose capsule developed an air leak, and the Charlton Heston character woke up to find the occupant shrivelled up and decomposed from hundreds of years ago?

That's you, that is.

 

[Stat Brother]

The sooner those of us harking back to Withdean and, even worse, Gillingham are dead and buried the happier the club will be.

This desperate need to cling onto a small club mentality at the expense of missing all THIS is freakishly odd.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

When we’re in Div 1 all those years ago, our football was at times painful to watch - especially under Mike Bailey and Chris Cattlin who were also amongst our most successful league position wise. I have never,ever, seen the Albion play with the freedom and quality that they do now and the idea of ‘reverting’ back to any style of the past is just silly.
But at the same time we should forever appreciate how the likes of Mickey Adams, Gus and Chris Hughton made the best use of the resources at their disposal and helped get us to where we are now.
Let’s just enjoy the ride!

I agree with your post, but Chris Cattlin never managed us in the top flight. I was very disappointed when he left, I always felt he was a decent chap and that he was a very good manager.

 

[AstroSloth]

I'm pretty sure that if you sat any proven EPL defender down and asked them (under cloak of anonymity) whether their preference is to clear their lines or dick around at the back, then the vast majority would opt for the former. It's what every defender always got taught all the way through their formative years until it's instinctive. Fair play to them tho for following orders to the contrary, even tho dicking around at the back clearly goes against the grain and few look comfortable doing it

I was a decent keeper when I was younger playing for teams that were pretty good.

Guess what I got taught?

Keep it short where you can, play out from the back as it will pull opposition out of position and keeping the ball is better than hoofing it.

 

[dazzer6666]

I was a decent keeper when I was younger playing for teams that were pretty good.

Guess what I got taught?

Keep it short where you can, play out from the back as it will pull opposition out of position and keeping the ball is better than hoofing it.

Most fans get this now, but in my experience you’re never further than 6 seats in any direction from someone who keeps shouting ‘stop fannying about with it at the back’ every 3 minutes (they usually seem to be wearing shoes with Velcro fastenings)

 

[Oh_aye]

Nah. I'm more of a before-timer Clevor Trever. I can see the future. It WILL go wrong. It WILL cost us points somewhere down the line. Hopefully when it don't matter all that much

Of course it will go wrong. It does all the time. But so does everything at some point. The passage of play that led to Ward Prowse nearly scoring was from playing it around in our own box initially and Gross misplacing a pass. It was also either the same passage of play or another one where sanchez gifted them the ball by weirdly cutting off his own passing angles by approaching the ball sideways and doing a mad backwards trot, failing to see Mitoma and Perv in space and playing a kamikaze ball to the edge of his area.

It does feel stressful and needless at times but I have to remind myself of cause and effect. There are countless times when we look to have a man extra. How many times were Solly, Perv and Mitoma In acres of space or doubling up with Veltman and Solly. Not just today but in general. Their midfielders were terrified of following Gross into the edge of our area knowing lallana was going to drift into the space behind them. It doesn't happen by accident, and it's usually the result of the other team being dragged into spaces they don't want to be. It seems a bit pointless to wait for a mistake and then record it. Without also keeping tally of the positives.

And regarding the Sanchez pass, It reminded me that it's also to do with execution. As I looked up and saw De Zerbi going absolutely mental at him after it, pointing out that he should have gone long to Perv and Mitoma.

I spoke to 3 saints fans today and they all marvelled at our 'amazing' style of play'. You can't have the smooth without the rough. Otherwise you end up being Southampton.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Amusing that the man who has been consistently the most wrong on here regarding anything to do with football is refusing to let go of that honour. Pure pig-headed stubbornness

 

[Stat Brother]

Most fans get this now, but in my experience you’re never further than 6 seats in any direction from someone who keeps shouting ‘stop fannying about with it at the back’ every 3 minutes (they usually seem to be wearing shoes with Velcro fastenings)

In fairness there is a time and a place, for both.

The dicking about is great until we concede.
Then it really wasn't that good an idea for about 8 minutes.
Then it's great again.

Need to look at how we managed to make them look competent for the time around their goal as for the rest of the game they were woeful.

 

[zefarelly]

It's been exciting being a Brighton fan since about 1978. . . . Always has been and always will be.

levels/grades of excitement vary.

As does frustration, anger, rage and relief (mid 90's in particular)

 

[Stat Brother]

It's been exciting being a Brighton fan since about 1978. . . . Always has been and always will be.

Put the Port down son, you've had enough.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Our record against Arsenal going back to 2018 is pretty impressive. No Jesus too.

I dunno. I reckon Jesus is a Brighton fan.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Of course it will go wrong. It does all the time. But so does everything at some point. The passage of play that led to Ward Prowse nearly scoring was from playing it around in our own box initially and Gross misplacing a pass. It was also either the same passage of play or another one where sanchez gifted them the ball by weirdly cutting off his own passing angles by approaching the ball sideways and doing a mad backwards trot, failing to see Mitoma and Perv in space and playing a kamikaze ball to the edge of his area.

It does feel stressful and needless at times but I have to remind myself of cause and effect. There are countless times when we look to have a man extra. How many times were Solly, Perv and Mitoma In acres of space or doubling up with Veltman and Solly. Not just today but in general. Their midfielders were terrified of following Gross into the edge of our area knowing lallana was going to drift into the space behind them. It doesn't happen by accident, and it's usually the result of the other team being dragged into spaces they don't want to be. It seems a bit pointless to wait for a mistake and then record it. Without also keeping tally of the positives.

And regarding the Sanchez pass, It reminded me that it's also to do with execution. As I looked up and saw De Zerbi going absolutely mental at him after it, pointing out that he should have gone long to Perv and Mitoma.

I spoke to 3 saints fans today and they all marvelled at our 'amazing' style of play'. You can't have the smooth without the rough. Otherwise you end up being Southampton.

I think it was Hoddle in commentary who said "Brighton have overloads all over the pitch". They come from drawing the opposition out of shape.