Anyone miss the Poyet passing style?

[kevo]

I do.

Yeah, I know it was sometimes frustrating and didn't always have an end product, but it was a joy to watch compared to some of the awful kick and rush stuff we witnessed tonight.

In April, we drew against another mediocre Championship side, Charlton - another frustrating result, but the style and technique of our football was superb. I almost didn't care that we hadn't won, we played with pure class and flair - and Charlton, to be fair to them, earned a point by defending superbly. There were countless games last season where the team played some of the best football I've ever witnessed as a Brighton fan.

Tonight we made a team who haven't won all season look half-decent. We suddenly seem to have lost the ability to pass the ball. It's all try everything as fast as possible and punt and hope. Where the **** has the style and technique from last season gone?

We are heading towards becoming a very ordinary Championship side - try and play with speed, even if half the passes go astray. There's no way on the evidence of those last two performances that we're going to be in with a chance of promotion. And for everyone who says they're happy for us to be an "ordinary Championship side", just think what might have been....

There's no doubt in my mind that we would have won the title last year if Ulloa had been with us from August - all we were lacking was a clinical finisher. And if Poyet had stayed, there's also no doubt we would be up there again - challenging for the Premier League, and dominating the opposition with the sheer class of our football. What a massive missed opportunity.

I know Poyet had a big gob and an even bigger ego, but the same can be said of many top managers (from Clough to Mourinho). I really hope someone's oversensitivity hasn't deprived us of the chance to create a fantastic chapter in the history of our football club.

Can't escape the feeling that last season could be the closest we will get to the top flight for a while. For all the talk of saving money and FFP, there seems to be very little talk about why fans bother to turn up in the first place. People come to the Amex to be entertained by the football. The club willingly got rid of its best asset - a charismatic manager who developed a superb team which played with flair. If he'd stayed, we would be in with a decent shout of going up - and in style. If we continue to play like Sheffield Wednesday we can kiss that dream goodbye, that's for sure.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Of course. You're spelling out what a lot of us think about this whole situation. In the back of my mind there's a thought that this season will be one of mid-table ups and downs and a bit of struggle, whilst we see Poyet's new premier league team get loads of plaudits on MotD for their new passing style.

But I'm also prepared to give Oscar time to implement his own style on the team, and only then can we judge. However I expect he will need a full off-season to get the right players in.

 

[W.C.]

Not going to comment on the football as have seen little of it this season, and anyway am happy to give Oscar plenty of time. Am sure he'll do alright.

Many people exaggerate things Poyet said. Especially now he's gone, but, I know one thing, that I don't ever bother watching the interviews on Player anymore.

 

[Withdeano]

A decent OP. I missed the Derby game as was on holiday but heard the sytle wasn't good. I didn't rate it much against Burnley or most of Millwall but thought it looked brighter against Bolton - passing with zip - and figured the team was learning and evolving. Last night we played more long balls than I can ever remember. The reverend behind me was nearly choking on his dentures. I bet the only person in the stadium who enjoyed it was Mackail-Smith - he's been waiting for 2.5 years for a long ball over the top and typically the bus load came while he's watching from the margins...

 

[Seasider78]

No doubting the football last night was awful but there is no chance poyet would have had us fighting at the top end of the division with our injury list

 

[The Wizard]

I thought we still played some alright football last night just when it got to the key moment, the finish or the final pass, we ballsed it up. Much as I love Mr Ujjjoa that chance he fluffed in the first half typifies that. If we got that first goal yesterday they'd have been stuffed but as you were.

 

[APACHE]

The omly thing I miss from the Poyet passing style is those few mins. of sleep I used to grab as we passed the ball about at the back before finally getting round to launching some attacking football.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

It was too inflexible at times but at least we had a defined style and approach.

I also suspect quite a few people in our squad were more comfortable with the slower approach than the quicker, one-touch style Oscar wants us to play. Mainly, I imagine, because they are not good enough to be playing that higher tempo.

 

[Marshy]

i am not missing poyet one bit

we had plenty of nights just like last night under him

And that was even with the likes of bridcutt and orlandi fit.

People have very short memories.

At least we try and move the ball with a bit more tempo. Just so happens that our best players for doing this are unfit at present

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

At least we try and move the ball with a bit more tempo.

And lose it....

 

[Mr Banana]

Scouse Dave: "This time last year, we came to Brighton, they played expansive football and we got rolled over.

"But tonight they were completely different and if we had hung on for the win, we would have deserved it."

 

[supaseagull]

No doubting the football last night was awful but there is no chance poyet would have had us fighting at the top end of the division with our injury list

An injury list, part caused by the new fitness regime implemented by Garcia...

 

[supaseagull]

i am not missing poyet one bit

we had plenty of nights just like last night under him

And that was even with the likes of bridcutt and orlandi fit.

People have very short memories.

At least we try and move the ball with a bit more tempo. Just so happens that our best players for doing this are unfit at present

In the 1980's Wimbledon moved the ball forward with more tempo.

 

[martin tyler]

No. We are missing pretty much all if what i would say are our best players. Yes we have been poor the past few games but either people have short memories but i can name some very poor nights at the AMEX under Gus.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

If we had played it the Gus way last night we wouldn't have scored an equaliser with the available players.

 

[Birdie Boy]

In the first half against Bolton, we played fast slick passing game with no end product. Second half we played fast slick passing game with an end product. Absolutely fantastic football in that half. Whats Garcia then do, drop the man of the match in the next two games and start hoofing it, just don't get it and neither does Garcia.

 

[blockhseagull]

An injury list, part caused by the new fitness regime implemented by Garcia...

How so ?

 

[grummitts gloves]

Bearing in mind where Oscar learnt his trade, I am struggling to see what he is trying to achieve by making the team play 'kick & rush'. I suppose if he wants us to play a fast tempo game, it's going to take the players some time to adapt to it, if at all.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Of course. You're spelling out what a lot of us think about this whole situation. In the back of my mind there's a thought that this season will be one of mid-table ups and downs and a bit of struggle, whilst we see Poyet's new premier league team get loads of plaudits on MotD for their new passing style.

But I'm also prepared to give Oscar time to implement his own style on the team, and only then can we judge. However I expect he will need a full off-season to get the right players in.

My feelings also. My main concern when the club got rid of Poyet was that we were making progress ( and continuous progress at that ) - changing your manager will always take you a number of steps backwards. The question is can Oscar get the momentum back ? Only time will tell but I'll be mightly pissed off if, when the facts come out, Poyet was got rid of for something minor or petty internal politics.

 

[banjo]

I like the fact that Garcia changes things earlier rather than later in a match and not wait to long as Gus did. To be fair it was a good point gained in the end although if Ulloa had put that chance away in the first half they would of had to chase the game and we would be on here raving about the win.