[Albion] AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Is it PotG?]

Nice bunch there today, nice to catch up with a few.
Pity about the performance and the result though.

 

[Springal]

The horny Albion fan has gone viral

 

[Bodian]

Does strike me as rather concerning that a 19 year old kid has been the best person on the pitch in both his very first and second starts for the Club. He is excellent and full of raw talent but has none of the experienced decision making and positional awareness that we should expect from his older teammates. Most of players are looking burnt-out and struggling with motivation - That Barco, who should by rights be barely managing 65-70 minutes for his age and experience , has looked the most energetic and forwardly aggressive player on the pitch in the past two matches is a sad reflection on where the rest of the squad are lacking it seems.

Or on the positive side of things - if Barco is our best player now - he's going to be amazing for us when he has the experience!

 

[oldboyroy]

Or on the positive side of things - if Barco is our best player now - he's going to be amazing for us when he has the experience!

He does look the business doesn't he.

 

[Wardy's twin]

He does look the business doesn't he.

I like the way he tackles, shows some commitment

 

[zefarelly]

Playing with the Johnson?

No Trophy for my performance, and I didn't put a gloss on it either

I had floorboards up, chasing out walls ( real brick ones) and wiring . . . And removing a rad, and spemnding too much time on knackered knees.

looking forward to work to morrow, a nice sit down!

 

[Springal]

 

[oldboyroy]

I like the way he tackles, shows some commitment

There was 1 in 2nd half where he lost the ball but quickly won it back again with a superb tackle. He just wanted it so much

 

[Justice]

So you are suggesting only managers with £1bn squads are able to evolve their tactics. Funny how De Zerbi was actually able to get this poundland squad playing his way in the first place!

I wonder if this is the reason he moves on every couple of seasons, gets sussed in a league has no idea how to fix it and finds it easier to move on.

 

[Wardy's twin]

There was 1 in 2nd half where he lost the ball but quickly won it back again with a superb tackle. He just wanted it so much

That was just in front of the fans if it's the one I am thinking of.

 

[Dick Head]

Emphatically correct (again), Dear Friend

it was another self refilling prophecy

 

[Hiheidi]

Bournemouth are in the form we were in last season. Be interesting to see if they get raided in the Summer, and their manager gets talked up for every big job going...

 

[Seagull58]

Actually some of them haven’t apart from exercises in training - I suspect the many changes we’ve made this season due to injuries and bringing in so many young players to fill gaps and constantly using players out of position has completely undermined the coherency of the squad which has spilled out onto the pitch at times.

Unlike many others, I think this is a season specific, temporary problem - offloading some squad bloaters in the summer, buying another decent winger, defensive Midfielder and another FB (that can play right and left ideally) and doing so early on in the window so they have summer training to settle in, will go a long way IMO to building us up again for 24/25.

The key will also be not selling important players but giving them decent incentives to stay.

As Paul Barber said last week, the Club is well run with everyone aligned as to ambition and targets but when things aren’t going so well, it’s that alignment that helps you recover.

Cloughie said "tactics don't win you matches, players win you matches". This is true with de Zerbi, Pep, Klopp and everyone else. De Zerbi's style is particularly reliant on wingers (and fullbacks) executing with precision and speed. For the second half of the season we've been desperately lacking in both areas (as well as at DM).
As for de Zerbi being "found out", it's always difficult to beat a 9 man low block. You need players to execute quickly and well in transition, and you need to take your chances.
I want to see how we do in the first half of next season before writing off de Zerbi.

 

[Seagull58]

Didn’t what the game as was at birthday party.

Judging by the scoreline let me guess, a lack of urgently and speed in our build up and no plan B after getting no success?

What should plan B look like?

 

[Seagull58]

Maybe March, Hinshelwood, Enciso and Mitoma would've improved us greatly if they had been fit all season however the rest have been bang out of form for most of the season and it doesn't compensate for the glaring gaps in midfield.

Enciso made an immediate difference when he came on. There's a clue right there as to why we've been struggling; missing players who can execute with skill and precision.

 

[Seagull58]

I guess we will have to just disagree on the De Zerbi situation. I think its tactics and you think its personnel. Thanks for the sensible input

What tactics should de Zerbi use?
1. Lump it up to the big man and fight for the second ball?
2. Play longer, direct balls to the wingers and (buffalo girls) go round the outside (round the outside)
3. 8 man low block?
4. Something else ( please explain what)?

 

[Seagull58]

I wonder if this is the reason he moves on every couple of seasons, gets sussed in a league has no idea how to fix it and finds it easier to move on.

ImO he needs the players to execute efficiently and it requires a high degree of precision e.g. baiting and playing out from the back. His style has been no more "sussed out" than Pep's or Klopp's. It come down to the players.

 

[Justice]

ImO he needs the players to execute efficiently and it requires a high degree of precision e.g. baiting and playing out from the back. His style has been no more "sussed out" than Pep's or Klopp's. It come down to the players.

Well of course although we don’t have the luxury of Liverpool, when they finished fifth last season Klopp didn’t spend hours on the training field he went out and purchased a new midfield.
I’m sure if we had properly replaced our midfield with a £100m worth of talent we wouldn’t be having this conversation. The problem is we didn’t spend on two quality midfielders and had to adapt.

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

What should plan B look like?

Different to Plan A?

 

[Albion my Albion]

Bournemouth not totally terrible.