[Albion] Andone and Bissouma

[Phoenix011]

When we got that free kick 30yards out about 10 mins from the end I was screaming for Bissouma to take it. Him and March were both stood over it and what happens? March gets the nod and skies it over the bar - what a waste!!! So angry at that, why oh why didn’t Bissouma get a crack. March hasn’t hit the target from a free-kick around the box for as long as I can remember!!

The last direct freekick i can remember us scoring was by Pocognoli in the championship against QPR, there's probably been one since then but it seems like we never score them

 

[Wellesley]

I've never said a bad word about Stephens, it's no disrespect to him to say that Bissouma is in a different class and one of, if not the most exciting prospect we've ever had. His close control is immense and we were crying out for his pace and aggression, he's going to be an absolute star. Propper had a good game considering the quality of opposition, in my opinion. Andone was getting stuck in to them the minute he came on, so after a lacklustre first half I'm feeling quite excited about the future and where this team is heading.

 

[FindonFan]

100% this. Poor Glenn Murray was getting the ball then having to run at defenders twice as fast and just as strong as him. It's like being a handbag snatcher, grabbing it, then giving it to a man on crutches to get away. Murray is for teams with a weaker midfield and a less organised defence.

Andone and Bissouma injected the pace and grit you need against teams which are man for man better than us. Andone came on and looked like he wanted to punch every Chelsea player in the head, and Bissouma was tricky as hell for them to deal with.

March had a stinker. His demeanour off the ball looked like the Solly we all despair of. He looked beaten, was often lazy when the ball was lost, and some of his passing was woeful. Stephens had a stinker, but maybe he needed some game time to get sharp again (giving him the benefit of the doubt).

Brighton are shaping up to be a pacey team if they carry on as they are. That's what we need, and that's the football we all love to watch.

Off topic, but did anyone think Lewis Dunk stepped up with his leadership a bit with Duffy not there? He was a lot more vocal and animated than usual...

Good review of the match. You were clearly at the same game as me. Some of the earlier reviews seem to be posts from the armchairs.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I was very pleased with our performance second half. Great subs who made an instant impact. We've come a long way and have built a fabulous team on a tight budget by Premier league standards.

We had Chelsea rattled a bit in the second half. Keeper time wasting and there players staying down. I'm not disappointment at all.

True. We lost that fixture 4-0 last year, so we have improved. With a bit of luck, we could even have nicked a draw today.

 

[sharpey38]

That kind of forward drive is exactly what we are waiting for and the next step for this team. I think Chris knows this and is bedding them slowly, but it is very exciting.

Together with Stephens, excellent on his return, Bernardo - who looks so confident, and March who is growing game by game, thats a huge amount of energy in the squad., Plus Knocky and Jose who will always do nothing but run at them. I like it. Stick Propper on the bench - he's has just become a short-backwards and sideways passer who offers nothing when we don't have the ball, and Glenn, well, its a toughie

I personally think that you have confused Stephens with Propper, just my opinion though

 

[Invicta]

Dale had one of his poorer games today. Everyone can have an off day, doesn't mean he has to be binned forever. Bissouma definately livened things up.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

100% this. Poor Glenn Murray was getting the ball then having to run at defenders twice as fast and just as strong as him. It's like being a handbag snatcher, grabbing it, then giving it to a man on crutches to get away. Murray is for teams with a weaker midfield and a less organised defence.

Andone and Bissouma injected the pace and grit you need against teams which are man for man better than us. Andone came on and looked like he wanted to punch every Chelsea player in the head, and Bissouma was tricky as hell for them to deal with.

March had a stinker. His demeanour off the ball looked like the Solly we all despair of. He looked beaten, was often lazy when the ball was lost, and some of his passing was woeful. Stephens had a stinker, but maybe he needed some game time to get sharp again (giving him the benefit of the doubt).

Brighton are shaping up to be a pacey team if they carry on as they are. That's what we need, and that's the football we all love to watch.

Off topic, but did anyone think Lewis Dunk stepped up with his leadership a bit with Duffy not there? He was a lot more vocal and animated than usual...

I agree with most points except March.

Dunk is the skipper which is why he's so vocal now.

 

[Bwian]

Thought Stephens was awful today. Very very surprised he walked straight back into the starting 11. Personally would have started Bissouma

Stephens has been dreadful for quite a while now. We look so much better without his backward passing when going forward is what we need. Bissouma should be starting every game.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Timbo]

Was so disappointing to see sideways Stephens back in today. He’s stayed in regardless of performances for weeks on end before yet Bissouma gets binned after one poor game.

 

[dangull]

Andone looked class today in his cameo. 15M to 5M due to the contract rules looks like an excellent club decision. Locadia, unfortunately looked anonymous from what I saw when he came on.

 

[daveinplzen]

As much as I love Glen, and rate Stephens, it was fairly clear to me today that Bissouma and Andone should start.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I personally think that you have confused Stephens with Propper, just my opinion though

thats probably the worst opinion on this thread, mind

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Somewhat arrogant thinking, just maybe you are wrong and others might be right? Then again you may be right, all about opinions.

I don't know Icy, I'm trying to work out how I watched a game and liked what I saw from Stephens and less what i saw from Propper, and yet to a man everyone on here thinks the opposite. So far I have 32 post quotes telling me I'm an idiot

The way I read it, every criticism of Stephens is that he gave the ball away a bit much and passed the ball sideways, and the praise for Propper is that he was tidy and moved the ball around nicely. I fully agree with both appraisals of those parts of the game, and so the crux of my different opinion is (1) that there was much more to both players games than that, and (2) they play different roles in the team.

When the opposition has the ball Propper does little but mark space but Stephens gets involved. I always value the player that gets involved, and although Stephens lost the ball a few times, he also won it or a forced a mistake on many occasions.

When we get the ball I expect Stephens to play a simple sideways pass, that's who he is and that's all I expect fro a guy who's main role is destructive. Propper I think can do so much more - and the more advanced CM SHOULD do more - and yet he was repeatedly turning today and switching it to the centrebacks., he did some nice stuff too on occasion, and his cross ball to Gross was great, but there was very little drive in his game for the most part.

Thats what I think Bissouma can do, the drive to move the ball forward, and its in Propper's role where that should be coming and leave Stephens to do the destructive stuff.

 

[AmexRuislip]

What's not to like.
We gave them a tad too much respect in the first half.
Alleged half time rollocking from the gaffer.
Come the second half, we made them respect us, by giving them a game and giving the fans something to cheer about.
A shame we couldn't get that second goal.
Onwards to plucky Saturday.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Bissouma has to start every game now, he's absolute class and i think he'd have done a decent job looking after Hazard too if he'd have been on the pitch in the first half.

 

[eastterracemike]

Bissouma and Andone to start instead of Murray and Stephens. No brainer . Sort it out Chris. You know it makes sense.

 

[Saunders]

I don't know Icy, I'm trying to work out how I watched a game and liked what I saw from Stephens and less what i saw from Propper, and yet to a man everyone on here thinks the opposite. So far I have 32 post quotes telling me I'm an idiot

The way I read it, every criticism of Stephens is that he gave the ball away a bit much and passed the ball sideways, and the praise for Propper is that he was tidy and moved the ball around nicely. I fully agree with both appraisals of those parts of the game, and so the crux of my different opinion is (1) that there was much more to both players games than that, and (2) they play different roles in the team.

When the opposition has the ball Propper does little but mark space but Stephens gets involved. I always value the player that gets involved, and although Stephens lost the ball a few times, he also won it or a forced a mistake on many occasions.

When we get the ball I expect Stephens to play a simple sideways pass, that's who he is and that's all I expect fro a guy who's main role is destructive. Propper I think can do so much more - and the more advanced CM SHOULD do more - and yet he was repeatedly turning today and switching it to the centrebacks., he did some nice stuff too on occasion, and his cross ball to Gross was great, but there was very little drive in his game for the most part.

Thats what I think Bissouma can do, the drive to move the ball forward, and its in Propper's role where that should be coming and leave Stephens to do the destructive stuff.

Please make that 33 posts Stephens was terrible and Propper made the goal amoungst other things like not giving the ball away and being well terrible. "marking space" is working off the ball which you accuse us of not seeing. Also Propper and Gross make themselves available off the ball for a pass something Stephens is not so good at which is evidenced when Gross and Propper were not playing and we could not keep the ball.

 

[ukpolska]

Is the keeper not showing on your screen?

lol there is always one...!!!

 

[GJN1]

Get rid of Stephens. Slow and gives away very critical free kicks at the edge of the box constantly. And cannot create a thing.

He's what Joey Barton would call an 'energy vampire'. Sucks all the momentum out of any attack and lacks the creativity we need in the middle of the par.