[Albion] Sheffield United vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[One Teddy Maybank]

When he came on first time we had width for weeks. My granny could have scored the one he laid on for Maupay

Slightly behind Maupay, but very presentable....

Excellent though? Not for me,......

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Everyone who is saying that we were OK in the second half...

We Lost!

We lost the first half 1-0
We drew the second half 0-0
That is an improvement.
I will be taking positives from that and moving on, I will keep fighting and work very hard.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Hmm, If we are going to single out players who underperformed tonight it would be Maupay and Gross for me, two players who were appalling tonight

I’d rather see AJ play RWB if we are forced to field a non defender at least he offers something going forward


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[BNthree]

Yeah, and perhaps they can explain why we beat Liverpool, Spurs and Leeds and drew with Chelsea and Everton.

If he can take the credit for those victories he can also take the blame for our loses.

 

[Seagull58]

I thought Lallana was poor tonight and his shooting is sub standard. He’s been great for us over the last few games but tonight he wasn’t.

He cant hit a cow's arse wiih a banjo. Been saying it for months. 2 goals in 80+ games tells the story. He has missed a few sitters and numerous other decent chances. He has no idea how to score.

 

[Icy Gull]

"We're disappointed."

I'm ****ing gutted.

Yep, me too. I fully expected to win that game easily but I am not even a little bit surprised we fecked it up, it’s the Brighton way

 

[amexer]

The pass from AJ to Maupay was hit as hard as possible and behind him.
A better pass was required, not drilled at 100 mph and behind

If i was unmarked a yard from goal dont think I would mind what speed ball arrived

 

[Starry]

Look, you’re coming onto another clubs message board right at final whistle for a hugely stressful and disappointing result.

What the bloody hell reaction do you expect? We all know we need more firepower. Hardly genius insight is it. Now sod off back to your Bielsa love in.

but i'm not even a bielsa fan i was here all along watching the game, and have not once come on here to gloat or poke fun at a final whistle, instead for nearly 20 years have enjoyed the companionship, friendship and debate that i have found here. i apologise for upsetting you.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Danny Gabbidon sounds just like Tom Kerridge.

 

[FamilyGuy]

Well, I have to say, there was a certain predictable quality to that second half. We couldn't have been much worse than the first half, against what was a spirited but technically team of grafters.

Tactically, I was astonished that the tweaks made were so minor, until the first substitutions. It was painfully obvious that the Blades had our number. It was eerily reminiscent of us under Hughton playing against the big sides; we'd occasionally snatch a win under almost identical circumstances.

The tactical changes were the ones mentioned above (I don't have psychic powers, Stevie Wonder could've seen what needed changing) - so why did it take 16 minutes of the second half to change things? That struck me as the epitome of passive management - "let's wait and see, we might get a flukey one".

I feel sometimes with our boys, which I suspect comes from the culture Potter has created, that there is something somehow undignified about adapting to match situations. As if the footballing gods will judge us for heathen long balls forward, when we are chasing a goal with seconds remaining.

The introduction of true width completely changed the flow of our attacks for the better. Jahanbaksh and Izquierdo looked bright, but I can't begin to follow Potter's logic sometimes.

He starts with a left wing back who is primarily a centre midfielder in Moder, fine. It isn't working tactically as he is offering little width, so who does he bring on? Dan Burn, a natural left sided player, who has played the position numerous times this season? Zequiri, who has played there several times this season - despite being a recognised left sided forward? Izquierdo, a left sided traditional winger, who hugs the touchline and provides exactly the width and pace we needed? No. He goes for Connolly, a player recovering from injury, whose form wasn't exactly A+ before he was dropped and subsequently injured. A player who has played exclusively as a striker for us, is right footed and to my knowledge never played left wingback once in his career, even at youth level. I really do not understand why this decision was made.

Bissouma was superb and, aside from perhaps John Egan the best player in the pitch. His shooting is still woeful, but the frustration is that he had to try and brute force a goal himself.

The strikers, as a pair, were dreadful. Maupay looks absolutely bereft of confidence. He is always on his heels lately, and often his first touch kills momentum dead. His miss from 2 yards demonstrates this fundamental lack of anticipation as the Ur-example. Welbeck, when playing poorly like tonight, doesn't offer anything. Without any space in behind, he rather lummoxes around looking a little lost. He offers zero aerial threat, leaving him looking all fizz and no gin.

A real off night, yet again. Some very worrying individual performances, especially from Webster, Trossard, Maupay and Gross, who is not a right wing back and should not be sent out to play in that position again.

But the bedrock of it was the tactical set up, bizarre substitutions and a complete unwillingness to play the team rather than the system.

Good points well made. Agreed.

 

[Icy Gull]

If i was unmarked a yard from goal dont think I would mind what speed ball arrived

That was possibly the worst miss of the season from Maupay tonight, the pass was PERFECT

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Agreed.. and he’s brilliant of late. But man, he’s missed some terrific chances himself. Disappointing for a player of his class and ability.

Yes, he may not be a goal scorer but he should have scored 3 or so recently.

 

[Robinjakarta]

Potter should come on and apologise for that.

Yeah, would be good at least to acknowledge that we were crap instead of the usual predictable same old. One of our worst performances of the season BUT we rarely play badly and no team plays well every game, so no need for some of the hysterics on here. Maybe a second match in four days didn't help.

 

[Seagull58]

If i was unmarked a yard from goal dont think I would mind what speed ball arrived

How the **** did he get it over the bar? He must be a ****ing magician.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I appreciate your view on this and have refrained from using it.
But Why is it only that one you object to, whilst ignoring "lickers".
It's equally childish and inflammatory/

Fair point, for some reason I have a blind spot to the word ‘lickers’. I think with that phrase it’s the fact that it gets used out of context and gets levelled against people who are quite simply miffed about something.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

Good points well made. Agreed.

Well done on having the patience to read it all!

 

[portslade seagull]

Well that went well. Trossard MIA again, Maupay misses a sitter and we seemed to play at the speed of an oil tanker turning. There didn't seem to be any urgency not until Ali came on for his cameo and was almost MOM.

 

[Stato]

no need to be narky. we got two players instead and our defence is improved on last season, white has proven he can't make the step up, it is all good. i was simply commenting that every single week, on every single game thread on here you lot as a collective bemoan your lack of finishing/scoring ability. we signed raphina for less than 20million and he is not even a striker and i think has more or less scored the same as your leading scorer. rodrigo was 25million. to say there are no players out there is just a nonsense and an excuse. get a better scouting network. anyway, i wasn't here to wind anyone up. just seems a simple solution to a problem you lot whinged about all season.

What a load of self serving nonsense. Your defenders are so great that your club would still pay over £30 million for White tomorrow, if Tony Bloom would accept it. Its obviously not about players, its playing style. Raphina would have scored no more goals playing in our team than Maupay has. Your manager is playing a style that trades defensive solidity for attacking intent. You score goals, but you also concede them. With the promotion bounce, yours has been slightly more successful in getting points this year. Sheffield United can tell you how much that will mean next year. And to address scouting - Rodrigo for £25 million playing in a high risk attacking formation has less goals than our centre half. He's the wrong side of 30 and will have little sell on value. Meanwhile Bissouma has more than doubled in value, we picked up the likes of McAllister and Moder for less than half what you paid for old man Rodrigo's three goals, Sanchez and White were scouted at youth level and developed into players worth tens of millions and we have quite a few more coming through.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Yep, me too. I fully expected to win that game easily but I am not even a little bit surprised we fecked it up, it’s the Brighton way

Never surprised . I personally worry that I am in some sort of abusive, coercive relationship with an aspiring football club. Can't be healthy.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

but i'm not even a bielsa fan i was here all along watching the game, and have not once come on here to gloat or poke fun at a final whistle, instead for nearly 20 years have enjoyed the companionship, friendship and debate that i have found here. i apologise for upsetting you.

Quick question while you’re here, I think I remember rightly that you weren’t that sold on Ben White in the Premier League, but he’s been one of best and most consistent performers.