Benitez starts mind games with Brighton boss Hughton

[Whitechapel]

I don't like Rafa, haven't trusted him since he stole Woody in Toy Story 2

 

[Eeyore]

The first fixture opposition fans and players are looking for is Newcastle United. It remains so.

You only have to look at their home record against their away one to see where the pressure is. 50,000 fans expect victory. We simply hope to continue our run. They are expected to be there come what may.

 

[crasher]

Agree that he's just answering questions put to him in a press conference, I don't think he's trying to stir anything up.

Apart from anything else, he must think like we do - it's the gap to third we need to worry about, not who finishes top.

 

[pasty]

Three points for Forest and us tonight will put pressure on Benny's boys.

Mmmm, 5 point cushion over the Mighty Toon. That'd be nice And if Fulham do Reading tonight as well, which is not beyond the realms of possibility, an 11 point cushion over 3rd

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

Winner of two La Liga titles, a European Cup and a UEFA Cup playing "mind games" with Brighton. Wouldn't have imagined that ten years ago (even though I agree that he isn't really).

 

[Bozza]

Mmmm, 5 point cushion over the Mighty Toon. That'd be nice And if Fulham do Reading tonight as well, which is not beyond the realms of possibility, an 11 point cushion over 3rd

You see, this is where I diverge from the general short-termist view in looking to maximise our advantage/gap over the third placed side of the moment. From what I've seen, Fulham are more likely to be a threat over the long-term so I'd prefer them to be not picking up another three points today.

 

[Lethargic]

So out of interest which manager has spent more time at the top of the Championship in their career?

Rafa, table 3 needs the plates cleared..

 

[Tooting Gull]

This is all completely normal given the huge prize at stake, and fair game IMHO. A compliment to us, if anything.

I was actually just thinking the other day, wonder how long it will be before Newcastle and Benitez start indulging in this kind of thing.

Although their chosen tack won't wash at all, I might have gone for the Bloom money angle, and said Brighton are exactly the same as the relegated PL teams. It might not be true, but it would have upset people and ruffled feathers (can you imagine the fury on here..).

Any time Chris Hughton wants he can crank it up on Benitez and Newcastle, we all know that (along lines of 'We want it, they are desperate for it, best squad, most money' etc), but I suspect he is just too good a bloke to exploit it to its full potential.

 

[Gazwag]

I hope Cardiff do try and beat us tonight rather than just park the bus like they did a month ago.

 

[Icy Gull]

You see, this is where I diverge from the general short-termist view in looking to maximise our advantage/gap over the third placed side of the moment. From what I've seen, Fulham are more likely to be a threat over the long-term so I'd prefer them to be not picking up another three points today.

If Fulham can sort their defence out in January they are the team most likely to threaten whoever the top two are by the end of the season. I was very impressed by their first half performance at the Amex. They fell apart once they went behind though.

Rafa has now lost one excuse if we end up in front of Newcastle at Season's end with those comments.

 

[Hammer15]

I always found the whole 'mind games' thing tiresome.

But that said, isn't it nice that we're in a position where 'mind games' are being played against us?

 

[Icy Gull]

I always found the whole 'mind games' thing tiresome.

But that said, isn't it nice that we're in a position where 'mind games' are being played against us?

I may have missed it but I have never seen Hughton get "wound up" by opposition managers before, during or after a game. Doesn't he leave the scuffling and shouting to his assistants?

 

[Jim D]

If teams "raised their game" when playing against the Albion, surely we'd have seen some recent evidence of this. Losing a game, for example.

Yes indeed. In fact it seems to be the opposite. Look at Leeds - winning games and either side of us but very wary and introverted at The Amex.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I may have missed it but I have never seen Hughton get "wound up" by opposition managers before, during or after a game. Doesn't he leave the scuffling and shouting to his assistants?

Good point. I think when he made his comments about Calderwood going, that was about as angry as I have ever seen him. And even then he largely contained it, and it didn't last long.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Yes, he's been asked a question and he's given his answer, and that has been spun to create more clickbaity news.

However, I disagree that his response, as quoted, is "an obvious truth". It may be his opinion that teams will now raise their game when they face us and not them, but if that is his opinion then I believe he's wrong.

We've been there or there abouts for most of the season, with a big lead for some months. Being top won't change the attitude of other teams towards us.

What I have observed is that other teams have a go at us from the off - but find they are typically banging their heads against a brick wall and once we go ahead, they tend to go for damage limitation. Very, very few have gone at us like it's all about beating the top dogs. My guess is many think we're probably punching above our weight, have a go, conclude in the face of our relentless teamwork that we're not at the top by luck, and accept dropped points (justifying it by accepting that we're at the top by some distance).

Not all oppo do this - but it almost seems that if sides don't manage to ruffle us, they accept it and move their thoughts to the next game. Not well explained, but you get my drift.

 

[Easy 10]

Say what you like about Rafa and Newcastle, but you have to give them credit, they've done bloody well to keep up with us so far.

 

[Bozza]

I may have missed it but I have never seen Hughton get "wound up" by opposition managers before, during or after a game. Doesn't he leave the scuffling and shouting to his assistants?

He did in one home game this season, although I can't remember which now. I recall it (albeit vaguely it seems) because it's so unusual.

On a related note, the one moment of Sami Hyypia's tenure that I remember with fondness was when Steve Evans rocked up at the Amex with Rotherham. It all got heated on the touchline and Evans was his usual red-faced heart-attack-waiting-to-happen-self. Hyypia had a look of utter disbelief with what he was facing. I'm not sure Sami could comprehend that Evans was from the same species as him.

 

[spring hall convert]

Did we raise our game against Newcastle then?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Did we raise our game against Newcastle then?

Baldock sent off just after half time when we were only one-nil down. Duffy playing his first (?) game for the Albion. Newcastle picked up half a dozen yellows in a very physical game. I think we know why that result happened.

 

[W.C.]

Tedious mind games....


from some second rate local hack