[Albion] Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Thought Pervis was having his best game and was our best attacker in 1st half Surprised taken off

Agree, when It was reported on here Mitoma was warming up on his own at half time I knew It would be Pervis coming off, despite being effective, getting forward and putting in some decent crosses

 

[Surf's Up]

How much longer can we keep starting the season weaker than when we finish one .
The striker issue has been a thorn in our side long enough pay up Tony and sort it

He won't - been burnt too many times with strikers

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Are you being ironic? drama queens and Tom Daley copycats all over the park!

I expected some reaction to my comment.

No, I stand by it. I tried to watch the game objectively yesterday. Their players took a few tumbles and got cramp a bit but there was no taking the ball into the corner, admiring the fauna while delaying taking goal kicks and throws, and other weaselly ploys typical of the Dyche Bumley and other shysters we have faced over the years, and they attacked us for 90 minutes (not all that well, but well enough), so I was content to not wet my pants and accuse them of winning by gamesmanship. They won because we were rather naive, and a tad unlucky, and that's the end of it.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

In the cold light of morning, our familiar failings were present again. Like our slumps last season, our inability to score first kills us. Chasing the game, teams know they can cede possession to us and try and block, then hit on the break.
Brentford deserved to win because they set up to play to their strengths.

As with last week I never thought Brighton would score, not a great deal created and what they did it fell to someone looking nervous and snatching at the chance rather than showing the composure needed.

Summed up with March missing a sitter with the whole goal to aim at.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I expected some reaction to my comment.

No, I stand by it. I tried to watch the game objectively yesterday. Their players took a few tumbles and got cramp a bit but there was no taking the ball into the corner, admiring the fauna while delaying taking goal kicks and throws, and other weaselly ploys typical of the Dyche Bumley and other shysters we have faced over the years, and they attacked us for 90 minutes (not all that well, but well enough), so I was content to not wet my pants and accuse them of winning by gamesmanship. They won because we were rather naive, and a tad unlucky, and that's the end of it.

I tend to agree with this, I didn’t really see any of the diving/time wasting above a normal game.

Sanchez was spoken to for time wasting at 0-0 in the first half

 

[Swansman]

He won't - been burnt too many times with strikers

There's not a lot around either and those available are dirty dirty expensive. It is a result of diminishing supply as very few teams these days play with two strikers: it affects the entire football eco system. Kids who twenty years ago would have been strikers now gets schooled as wingers. Any time there is a reasonably good centre forward around, big clubs will be willing to spend absurd money and smaller clubs will hold on to their players rather than sell at modest prices.

Scamacca has one decent season in Serie A and West Ham pay £30m. Nunez has two alright seasons in Benfica and Liverpool pay £85m. The striker market is absurd right now. While I would be happy if Brighton find the right man, it is incredibly difficult and may remain a problem for years.

 

[West Upper Seagull]

Not really sure what all the negativity is about, aside from those with delusions of grandeur from the beginning of the season.

I was a huge Potter doubter for a long time. It took 3 seasons for him to convince me. We’ve lost him - how can anyone expect us to go and get a better (or even like for like) manager from the get go?

De Zerbi is playing the kind of football this team are used to and skilled at playing. I actually enjoyed the game hugely - seeing us basically on the ball for 90 minutes. I disagree that we’re slow. We zipped it around really quickly at times. Reminded me of life under Poyet - clearly superior to Brentford, but just wasn’t working for us today.

Our downfall is that to play like De Zerbi, Potter and Pep play, you have to have midfielders who can score. March, Lallana and Gross are not those kind of midfielders. At all. We need an upgrade.

Plus corners still continue to be my biggest frustration, a hangover from the Potter era. You can’t have as many corners as we do and do absolutely nothing with them. I don’t get excited at corners because I know it won’t result in anything of any worth.

On the plus side I am still encouraged. The team haven’t lost their identity - continuity is good. Caicedo is fantastic and means I don’t miss Bissouma at all. Onwards and upwards. Here’s hoping for De Zerbi’s first 3 points against Forest.

This is bang on. Complete over action by many on this thread.
I was at the game last night and as far as I’m concerned we completely outplayed them for 90 minutes - they finished the only 2 chances they had. Brentford completely parked the bus in the second half, even before their second goal and that is why it gives the impression we’re slow on the ball, because we had to keep moving the ball to try and find the space. The only criticism from me is the quality of our finishing, because we lack composure in front of goal and simply hit it straight at the keeper. Had Brentford not had those 2 chances and the game finished 0-0 people would have been saying on here ‘how the hell did we not win that game’. As per the game against Spurs last week, we came up against a team that were happy to sit deep and deny the space and we just lacked that extra bit of quality / flair to undo these sort of teams.

 

[Live by the sea]

I was at the game . The chanting for Mwepu went on the first 20 mins of the game great to hear . We totally dominated the game but couldn’t score . Felt like perhaps one pass to many at times when possibly a shot might have been the better option . No one stood out as having a poor game but I agree Leo wasn’t as involved as much as an attacking threat as he usually is .

 

[Bodian]

I was at the game . The chanting for Mwepu went on the first 20 mins of the game great to hear .

Came across really well on the telly.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Brentford had three shots on target and scored twice. We, on the other hand, are back to where we were before the spring international break, during which Potter looked at our tactics and decided we had to get the ball forward quicker before teams had got into their defensive shape. Roberto De Zerbi's demand that we play out more deliberately from the back has taken us backwards in the literal sense, that we start attacks from farther back, giving opponents even more time than before to form a low block into which we swarm pointlessly and ineffectively.

 

[Mustafa II]

It was a strong performance from Brentford. We were decent enough as the stats show, but apart from the March sitter, never looked like scoring.

The sad truth is that it will take months for De Zerbi to own this team and apply his ideas. We should expect more poor results during this transition.

We aren't at risk of relegation and I'm certain we won't be at any point. We have a strong squad that is still performing well. I think we can wave goodbye to any hopes of European qualification this season though.

Sadly Potter leaving has set us back a couple of seasons. It's absolutely crucial that we get behind the new manager, particularly when results aren't going our way. We need to expect some poor results for at least the next 20 games and we need to understand the circumstances behind that, and get behind the new manager.

 

[RandyWanger]

Frustrating return to Brighton Nil. All the possession, a lot of shots but lacking a clinical finisher.

Brentford: 2 shots on goal 2 goals.

Like many things in life, it's not how much you have it is what you do with it that counts.

Tuesday is MASSIVE now.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Brentford had three shots on target and scored twice. We, on the other hand, are back to where we were before the spring international break, during which Potter looked at our tactics and decided we had to get the ball forward quicker before teams had got into their defensive shape. Roberto De Zerbi's demand that we play out more deliberately from the back has taken us backwards in the literal sense, that we start attacks from farther back, giving opponents even more time than before to form a low block into which we swarm pointlessly and ineffectively.

Agreed. It’s early days and I might be overreacting but I find this pretty worrying to be perfectly honest - especially since RDZ said he had been studying our games before he joined us.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

The Mwepu tribute was fantastic.

The game largely quite dull, Brentford look very well organised. Not sure how they shipped 5 last night.

Not too concerned, October would have been a grim month even under GPot. But it was disappointing how few clear chances we created.

 

[brighton_tom]

Twitter is saying Mitoma left the stadium last night on crutches. Is that true?

 

[Swansman]

Frustrating return to Brighton Nil. All the possession, a lot of shots but lacking a clinical finisher.

Brentford: 2 shots on goal 2 goals.

Like many things in life, it's not how much you have it is what you do with it that counts.

Tuesday is MASSIVE now.

Dunno man, I just googled it and it says Nottingham.

 

[HCxUK]

We were far worse at Fulham than we were last night. We created a few very good chances, their keeper was MOTM - it happens.

Toney is a very clinical striker, and that sort of thing makes a big difference in scrappy games like last night.

It's a bit unfortunate for RDZ that Tuesday night now becomes quite big. He obviously deserves loads of time, but if we don't get a result against Forest I could see things turning a bit sour, especially with City and Potter's Chelsea to come.

 

[Dave the hatosaurus]

I was at the game . The chanting for Mwepu went on the first 20 mins of the game great to hear . We totally dominated the game but couldn’t score . Felt like perhaps one pass to many at times when possibly a shot might have been the better option . No one stood out as having a poor game but I agree Leo wasn’t as involved as much as an attacking threat as he usually is .

I too was at the game and stupendous chant for Mwepu actually was 12 minutes not 20. Not that that belittles it in any way because although i am sure some groups of supporters had planned to start a chant the fact that it went on for so long and was kept going continuously for that entire period by virtually every Albion fan was amazing! I had to smile at the incredulous look on the face of a brentford steward just in front of me, she had obviously heard nothing like it and was in awe. I will also give credit to the Brentford fans for not once pouring scorn or booing something that was a passionate and for the most part impromptu display of respect and support for one of our playing family. Sheer class.

 

[GABS]

Some interesting takes on the game here from you chaps. Nice for us Bees and Benham to finally wipe the smile off Bloom's face in the away end. I wonder when the two of them will grow up, shake hands and let bygones be bygones?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I expected some reaction to my comment.

No, I stand by it. I tried to watch the game objectively yesterday. Their players took a few tumbles and got cramp a bit but there was no taking the ball into the corner, admiring the fauna while delaying taking goal kicks and throws, and other weaselly ploys typical of the Dyche Bumley and other shysters we have faced over the years, and they attacked us for 90 minutes (not all that well, but well enough), so I was content to not wet my pants and accuse them of winning by gamesmanship. They won because we were rather naive, and a tad unlucky, and that's the end of it.

Fair enough! The match stats of % of play, total shots against theirs, and the total shots on target against theirs show we didn’t play total rubbish. Raya made some very good saves and Toney (never have liked him) scored a very good goal. I still think the penalty was harsh.