[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City *** Official Match Thread ***

[BN41Albion]

We have been too soft for years. The top teams take you out if you threaten, we run alongside and admire the skill

We are what we are; a relatively small lower Prem side fighting to stay up, which we have done, three seasons on the trot. Ask the likes of Villa, and countless other teams who've come up and gone straight back down, how hard it is to stay up in this league. Yes there are exceptions to the rules, but few and far between. The fact we've managed to stay up 3 years on the trot with our budget etc says to me that we're certainly not soft. One bad result and performance against a team built from an entire state's wealth doesn't change that. Especially after a very good performance against the runaway champions just a few days ago

 

[Grassman]

Your comments about 97 ,and fans being happy clappy and only too ready to bend the knee to Archer and Belotti are a much used Palace untruth, and proved you weren't really a supporter at that time. I was there, I witnessed and took part in the struggle us fans out up against our owners. If you demean this ,through either spite of ignorance, as you have , you are really not an Albion supporter.

Exactly. And more importantly who, other than a 12yr old, calls someone ‘babes’. I smell Palace 100%.

 

[lawros left foot]

Blimey, last night wasn't just about the score (that was the flattering bit). That was the worse Albion performance I can remember in a long time, as many have said Propper was woeful.

Not as bad as against Bournemouth last year, or Cardiff, come to that, against much worse opposition.

 

[Javeaseagull]

I think last night was a good result. Not performance, result. This lot put 4 past Liverpool and we know how good they are. It could have been a lot worse and we move on.

 

[HantsSeagull]

Man City have scored 4 or more against premier league opposition 9 times this season, including Liverpool, (us twice )

just to get things into some sort of perspective although that performance was embarrassing.

 

[portlock seagull]

Man City have scored 4 or more against premier league opposition 9 times this season, including Liverpool, (us twice )

just to get things into some sort of perspective although that performance was embarrassing.

Thing is Hants, you can predict we’ll get stuffed, not compete, lose, whatever description you care to use when we play Chelsea, City, Liverpool etc. Meanwhile Norwich beat City. Sheff U beat Chelsea, Watford thrashed Liverpool and Burnley nearly beat Liverpool yday...blimey, even Palace beat City at Ethihad. And there are dozens of other examples. We just excuse our lot time and time again. And the alarming thing is with Potter it’s becoming predictable before the game starts. As you say last night was embarrassing, I was furious. This morning obviously calmed down, but still angry at our team selection and capitulation from the whistle onwards. It could have been a lot worse, that’s the really humiliating thing!

 

[Goldstone1976]

Across the 6 PL games we’ve played against them the aggregate score is 2-20. Plus ca change...

 

[jimhigham]

From The Guardian website match report...

“Probably if not quite mathematically safe, Graham Potter’s side remain a gloriously flawed machine: polished and expansive, probably the most attractive side in the bottom half, and yet still liable to keel over at the slightest breeze.

Sort the defence out and there’s a potential top-10 side in there. But it will need a few new personnel and perhaps even a culture shift, for right now they are the sort of team you relish playing.“

Fair.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Sums it up perfectly. But that’s what we want isn’t it ? We have talent and ambition in the team and the next stage will be adding in game management and steel. I would rather be at this stage with Potter than going backwards with a defensive alternative.

 

[W3 BHA]

I blame Jim Kerr

I blame his brother, Wayne......

 

[W3 BHA]

That was the worst goalkeeping display I've ever seen from a Brighton keeper. I'm not normally one to criticise but that deserved it.

You never saw Graeme Smith play then?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

We are what we are; a relatively small lower Prem side fighting to stay up, which we have done, three seasons on the trot. Ask the likes of Villa, and countless other teams who've come up and gone straight back down, how hard it is to stay up in this league. Yes there are exceptions to the rules, but few and far between. The fact we've managed to stay up 3 years on the trot with our budget etc says to me that we're certainly not soft. One bad result and performance against a team built from an entire state's wealth doesn't change that. Especially after a very good performance against the runaway champions just a few days ago

The Guardian quote is what I’m pointing out. We are too nice, never do the nasty snide stuff. Stopping attacks in the midfield, getting in the face of refs, the stuff you see most other sides do. Refs must love doing us as they know whatever decision they make, no one complains and there’s nice cakes and peppermint tea waiting for them in the changing room post match.

 

[Boroseagull]

You never saw Graeme Smith play then?

Yes I did. But going right back to the days of Eric Gill there have been a few keepers that made mistakes. However you have to bear in mind the quality of surrounding players, playing standards and the league being played in at that time. I well remember Brian Powney (another shortish keeper) making mistakes but never so many in one game. Please I'm not being ultra harsh, as an ex (long time ago) keeper I do understand, but last night was Premier League and the mistakes, indecisiveness and seeming lack of confidence shone out like a beacon.

 

[lawros left foot]

From The Guardian website match report...

“Probably if not quite mathematically safe, Graham Potter’s side remain a gloriously flawed machine: polished and expansive, probably the most attractive side in the bottom half, and yet still liable to keel over at the slightest breeze.

Sort the defence out and there’s a potential top-10 side in there. But it will need a few new personnel and perhaps even a culture shift, for right now they are the sort of team you relish playing.“

Fair.

Fair, if you only look at our last 3 home results that have been against the best 3 teams in the division.

Unfair, if you also consider the games against the second echelon of PL teams, Wolves, Leicester, Arsenal, Sheffield United, and Tottenham.

We’ve been spanked on our own ground by the 3 most expensive teams in the country, if not Europe.

No coincidence really.


I also thought our home performance against Sheffield United was worse than last night,given the quality of the opposition.

 

[Springal]

Joe Hart twiddling his thumbs at present.
Could do a pay per game, with a small retainer if an unused sub for games.
Ryan declining as season goes on, did the same last season.
If that was a team that had to show Potter what they could do we have serious attitude problems.
Didn't try at all and goal difference takes a pounding......as predicted.

Joe Hart is terrible. Looks great diving around but let’s in to many goals he should save.

 

[Monkey Man]

I thought we held our own and looked pretty good. During the minute's silence for Jack Charlton.

After that it was a complete mismatch. Man City are in a different stratosphere to us and to most other teams they play against.

Nothing riding on this game for us particularly. We knew we'd lose. Good news nobody got injured. Now we can look forward to three games in which we can actually be competitive and maybe pick up some points.

 

[HantsSeagull]

Thing is Hants, you can predict we’ll get stuffed, not compete, lose, whatever description you care to use when we play Chelsea, City, Liverpool etc. Meanwhile Norwich beat City. Sheff U beat Chelsea, Watford thrashed Liverpool and Burnley nearly beat Liverpool yday...blimey, even Palace beat City at Ethihad. And there are dozens of other examples. We just excuse our lot time and time again. And the alarming thing is with Potter it’s becoming predictable before the game starts. As you say last night was embarrassing, I was furious. This morning obviously calmed down, but still angry at our team selection and capitulation from the whistle onwards. It could have been a lot worse, that’s the really humiliating thing!

yes i agree with you entirely, but lets not forget (i know they arent quite as good as the others) but we have beaten Spurs and done the double over Arsenal and drawn with Chelsea this season and beaten Man utd 2 times out of 3 at the amex.

 

[W3 BHA]

Yes I did. But going right back to the days of Eric Gill there have been a few keepers that made mistakes. However you have to bear in mind the quality of surrounding players, playing standards and the league being played in at that time. I well remember Brian Powney (another shortish keeper) making mistakes but never so many in one game. Please I'm not being ultra harsh, as an ex (long time ago) keeper I do understand, but last night was Premier League and the mistakes, indecisiveness and seeming lack of confidence shone out like a beacon.

Fair enough. Ex keeper myself, but considerably taller than Ryan. Of all the keepers we've had that I've watched (and I know there isn't always a justifiable reason for feeling the way we do!) Brian Powney was my favourite, second only to FDM. As a kid I remember being in the North Stand and seeing him make some truly fantastic saves. Still, memories will always win over current day reality!

 

[Icy Gull]

Not read the whole thread and only came to it after the game had finished so unsure if this was mentioned at the time.

I am not saying that it would have made a difference but am I a blue and white tinted glasses optimist for thinking the push in the back on Connolly at the end of the first half was a nailed on penalty? I don’t think it even went to VAR.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Not read the whole thread and only came to it after the game had finished so unsure if this was mentioned at the time.

I am not saying that it would have made a difference but am I a blue and white tinted glasses optimist for thinking the push in the back on Connolly at the end of the first half was a nailed on penalty? I don’t think it even went to VAR.

I thought it was a penalty, shoulder shove into the back of a player is not a shoulder to shoulder challenge at all.

Late on there was a similar challenge made by one of our players on theirs and the ref gave a free kick. It wasn't done with anywhere near the same level of aggression that Walker's challenge had either.