[Albion] Are Hughton’s tactics too negative?

[erkan]

Nothing for anyone to apologise for. The only idiots were the ones who insisted that anybody who wondered if we could be a little less defensive was advocating going gung-ho, attack, attack, attack, suicidal in this league. Nobody did suggest that. I didn't see any suggestions that CH was anything but an excellent manager either.
So, maybe today the players broke from defence more effectively than usual, and took enough of our chances to win the match. Or maybe Hughton decided that he should - ever so slightly, and ever so carefully - take the brakes off a bit?

I reckon he read NSC during the week and decided that it was time to be a little bit less defensive.

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[Blue Valkyrie]

Absolutely excellant tactics today.

 

[Billy the Fish]

But the tactics were the same. Just different opposition, different performances from our players.

The tactics weren't the same as Southampton away. Anyone who thinks they were is getting into cloud cuckoo land territory.

 

[Mike Small]

They were similar to Watford where we could have scored 5. Wished we pushed on like this against Bournemouth too. Knew we'd be on the front foot today. Well done lads!

 

[Guinness Boy]

The other team is allowed to play as well.


No I wasn't there on Wednesday.

I know you weren't. You wouldn't have typed that first paragraph if you had been


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[Mackenzie]

25% more positive today.

 

[erkan]

I didn't see any suggestions that CH was anything but an excellent manager either.

Laughable revisionism.

If we had drawn today then NSC would have been absolutely full of thickos criticising our manager.



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[Stat Brother]

Laughable revisionism.

If we had drawn today then NSC would have been absolutely full of thickos criticising our manager.



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Drawing at home against that team, NSC would have been full of justifiable criticism of CH.

 

[erkan]

Drawing at home against that team, NSC would have been full of justifiable criticism of CH.

Why justifiable criticism of CH if we had drawn...? He could have done nothing different - Jose and Pascal could have missed - and we could have drawn.

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[Triggaaar]

If the '' No's '' get up to 100 I will be happy

Wasn't to be.

 

[Triggaaar]

I reckon he read NSC during the week and decided that it was time to be a little bit less defensive.

You're welcome.

 

[chaileyjem]

The tactics weren't the same as Southampton away. Anyone who thinks they were is getting into cloud cuckoo land territory.

The players were the same, the formation was the same, the subs were the same and we were playing against a team with similar # of points.
Why can’t it be - played better, chances went in, West Ham not great aside from 1 moment of quality.

 

[Stat Brother]

Why justifiable criticism of CH if we had drawn...? He could have done nothing different - Jose and Pascal could have missed - and we could have drawn.

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Because West Ham were poor, very poor indeed.
If a draw was looking possible and CH did nothing different then he'd come in for a lot of criticism, with only 1 or 2 posters defending him.

 

[Triggaaar]

The players were the same, the formation was the same, the subs were the same and we were playing against a team with similar # of points.
Why can’t it be - played better, chances went in, West Ham not great aside from 1 moment of quality.

I suspect it's a bit of both. We were at home and expectations are different at home. But it's not like on Wednesday Chris said 'if we get the lead, just sit back and let them have the ball'.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

The other team is allowed to play as well.

There's the possibility all that could happen v Stoke and their players rise to the occasion.
Or they might just be shitehouse for the full 90 minutes.

If it were to be an identical game CH will still do exactly the same, because it's what he's always done.
There's no way his team will chase more goals, away, when leading in a Premier League game.
If they come great, if not then expect to see the midfield get bolstered the longer the game goes on.
You really ought to be used to that by now.


No I wasn't there on Wednesday.

Southampton were honestly the worst team I'd seen all season on Wednesday. They didn't have more than two consecutive touches at all until we scored. Immediately we, not them, changed our position. Our midfield sat back and allowed them space to be able to slowly get their act together. If, if, we had continued the way we had started we would have been comfortably ahead.

The decision to retreat had to be tactical, because even doing so Southampton still didn't threaten. We however stopped attempting to take the game to them. Murray become more isolated and the ball returned to them. Slowly and believe me slowly Southampton got a foothold on the game and it was only a matter of time before they scored. Even the best teams can't defend for 70 mins and Hughton can't expect us to.

That game was there for the taking and the "team" failed to capitalise on a good opportunity, today we showed what could have been. We have undoubtedly lost points this season due to sitting back.

 

[Guinness Boy]

You keep repeating this but I think it's incorrect. We had the same general formation as Wednesday, but the players were clearly instructed to play in a different way. Propper and Stephens started 20 yards further forward and were positively trying to drive us forwards when they had the opportunity, which was great to watch. Gross was more of a number 10, rather than a central midfielder, and was causing confusion for West Ham by dictating play across the pitch. Izquierdo could regularly be seen up front, which stretched the West Ham defence and allowed Bong space to run into and play in (part of the reason why he played so well). Knockaert started instead of March, and Knockaert's instinct is to always push us up the pitch and create chances. The mentality was completely different to Wednesday, when we were happy to play for and stick with a point. Of course you can say Southampton didn't allow us to play that way - but I think Southampton were gash and we gifted them a point. The balance on Wednesday wasn't quite right, IMO. I wouldn't expect us to create as many chances as we did today, given we were away. But I would have preferred a bit more intent - on Wednesday it looked like we were happy to sit back. Whereas today, the team was set up to create space to allow the attacking players to get involved, and to create chances. We could have scored more.

Exactly this. Someone who understands the difference between formation and intent. Praise the Lord.

 

[Stat Brother]

Southampton were honestly the worst team I'd seen all season on Wednesday. They didn't have more than two consecutive touches at all until we scored. Immediately we, not them, changed our position. Our midfield sat back and allowed them space to be able to slowly get their act together. If, if, we had continued the way we had started we would have been comfortably ahead.

The decision to retreat had to be tactical, because even doing so Southampton still didn't threaten. We however stopped attempting to take the game to them. Murray become more isolated and the ball returned to them. Slowly and believe me slowly Southampton got a foothold on the game and it was only a matter of time before they scored. Even the best teams can't defend for 70 mins and Hughton can't expect us to.

That game was there for the taking and the "team" failed to capitalise on a good opportunity, today we showed what could have been. We have undoubtedly lost points this season due to sitting back.

But that's happened all season, last season, and throughout CH's reign.
2 vital games instantly spring to mind as they both cost the team a proper trophy and medal (Newcastle H/Villa A)

With what is an all but identical week, I still believe Albion fans are happier tonight.
I'd take exactly the same situation over the next 2 games, as I'm sure you would do as well.

Getting bent out of shape about what was a decent point (taking 2 from Southampton) away from home, just seems so pointless after that result was emphatically backed up today.

 

[erkan]

Good stuff on both sides of the debate.

I like the suggestion that West Ham (on the back of 4 recent Premier League wins...) DECIDED to sit back, create nothing positive going forward and concede an inevitable goal or two to us in that second half today.

Bafflingly negative tactics from Moyes. Was he trying to protect their goal difference from a heavier defeat?

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[Mike Small]

Think it was great management to puck Izquierdo in two straight games and show him he believes in him. Plus picking Knockhart who showed so much endeavour and if he didn't snatch at those shots could have had two. Reckon it will be AK's day before the end of the season.

 

[erkan]

Very, very funny watching MOTD and the analysis of how many good players Southampton have and what attacking threats they pose as a side...

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