[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers *** Official Match Thread ***

[Sid and the Sharknados]

So does De Zerbi get credit for us being undefeated and scoring 13 goals already this season? Or do players’ muscles forget him in front of goal?

Have Ferdi, Minteh and Weiffer inherited RDZ muscle memory?

Ex-managers are only ever responsible for the shit things we can blame them for.

Unless it happens to suit us to only mention the good things we can praise them for. But the important thing is that the argument should be one eyed and oblivious to context or reasoning.

 

[Guinness Boy]

No, I'm taking about how the back 5 of Steele, Webster, Igor, Hinsh and Estupinan played tonight.

Thought that was clear from my post

Not really. You seem to be reaching for “good stuff Fabian, bad stuff RDZ” from a moody stream in the jungle.

 

[zefarelly]

Steele made a horrific pass for their 3rd goal.

But he'd generally been good. He was very good off his line and cut out some dangerous Wolves attacks and made decent saves

Losses of the ball are inevitable but the keeper and defence when they are asked to take risks to break the opposition lines

But what I don't get is why is Steele and the others still playing high risk football at 3-1 up after 90 mins. We don't need a goal at this moment. These are experienced players? Surely we need to use other options in these moments

It was an easy win we tried our best to lose but thankfully failed.

a few horrific mistakes and appalling performances at times, as if some of the players had never met . . . I'm not sure what the mental confusion issue is but it needs sorting out quickly.

 

[Weststander]

Steele made a horrific pass for their 3rd goal.

But he'd generally been good. He was very good off his line and cut out some dangerous Wolves attacks and made decent saves

Losses of the ball are inevitable but the keeper and defence when they are asked to take risks to break the opposition lines

But what I don't get is why is Steele and the others still playing high risk football at 3-1 up after 90 mins. We don't need a goal at this moment. These are experienced players? Surely we need to use other options in these moments

And a rushed goal kick leading to the final goal. Every other PL team in a good position at that stage would do things ever so slowly. Ipswich the masters on Saturday.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Not really. You seem to be reaching for “good stuff Fabian, bad stuff RDZ” from a moody stream in the jungle.

Yeah, was in a different thread where I highlighted that. No, no agenda here, just trying to provide some analysis of what I watched, like we used to do in the old days on here before it became all unnecessarily argumentative and abusive

 

[Shaktarman]

Not quite sure what to make of that game some very good attacking and a couple of great goals some brilliant pressing in midfield while also making mistakes at the back I thought we looked below par but a win is a win so onwards and upwards we go

Agree with this. Strange one. Seemed clear we were giving them too much time and space out wide. Noticeable from early on and shock they kept doing it. Surprised Fab didn’t react to it tbh. Needed to get tighter and defend wider whilst others tracked the runners.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Every other PL team in a good position at that stage would do things ever so slowly

Correct.

 

[kevo]

Huge question marks over Webster, Hinshelwood, Estupinian, Minteh, Enciso and Moder I’m afraid.

Adingra, Baleba and Ferguson excellent.

Seriously concerned should we lose either Dunky or Van Hecke to injury.

After that superb half of football, you thought there were huge question marks over the majority of the team?

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[Albion my Albion]

Baleba

 

[Han Solo]

Igor has a real tendency to get under the ball too often. He was done with a really simple lofted ball in behind in the first half, which luckily they made a mess of. He just doesn’t seem to read the game well. Both Dunk or Van Hecke would’ve dropped a couple of yards and headed that clear or back to the keeper.

He just doesn’t fill me with confidence at all. Some extremely dicey passing too, but could say that for all the back 5.

Don't want to see him in central defense any more. Dunk, Van Hecke, Webster and Veltman should be enough for the job.

Maybe he can play left back if Pervis, Hinsh and Ferdi are all injured.
Nah, actually let me retract that; maybe he can play left back if Pervis, Hinsh and Ferdi are all dead.

Yeah, was in a different thread where I highlighted that. No, no agenda here, just trying to provide some analysis of what I watched, like we used to do in the old days on here before it became all unnecessarily argumentative and abusive

I don't necessarily disagree with whatever your take was (haven't read it yet) but from reading thousands of old threads during the pandemic, I will tell you those days never existed on this iteration of NSC.

 

[Guinness Boy]

No, I'm talking about how the back 5 of Steele, Webster, Igor, Hinsh and Estupinan played tonight.

Thought that was clear from my post - edit actually was in a different thread where I highlighted how that back 5 were very schooled in the ways of RDZ and it showed.

In fact, let’s get down to brass tacks on that.

Hurzeler picked that back five. And despite our biggest spending window ever, Tony Bloom and the recruitment team chose to leave Webster and Igor as our third and fourth choice centre backs, without addition, replacement or challenge.

The coach also decided we’d play out from the back if we could and it can be changed in a game or two. See Pickford launching it for Everton and then trying to be Allison for England after literally two training sessions.

De Zerbi didn’t pick our back five tonight, nor did he instruct them. We’re agreed on that, right?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

In fact, let’s get down to brass tacks on that.

Hurzeler picked that back five. And despite our biggest spending window ever, Tony Bloom and the recruitment team chose to leave Webster and Igor as our third and fourth choice centre backs, without addition, replacement or challenge.

The coach also decided we’d play out from the back if we could and it can be changed in a game or two. See Pickford launching it for Everton and then trying to be Allison for England after literally two training sessions.

De Zerbi didn’t pick our back five tonight, nor did he instruct them. We’re agreed on that, right?

I'm agreeing that I've got to try and get another hour or so's shut-eye or I'll be knackered tomorrow.

 

[PlayMoran]

There were several 19-22 years old in the starting XI.

Hinshelwood - 19
Baleba - 20
Minteh - 20
Adingra - 22
Enciso - 20
Ferguson - 19

This lead to some inconsistency in terms of decision making. A bit of sloppiness crept in after a fairly comfortable 35 mins or so.

What didn't help was that experienced players like Steele and Webster started to lose their heads a bit in the 2nd half. Both started the game well. Steele gathered some dangerous crosses and swept up through balls throughout. It's a shame that he made that error. He was having a solid game.

Hürzeler needs to explain that the drop in levels wasn't acceptable. That could easily have went to penalties on a different night.

I still feel Brighton need another LCB and a deep lying playmaker to partner one of Wieffer/Baleba. Keeping Groß for one more season would have been ideal. But at least Ayari is benefiting from his departure.

 

[GT49er]

In fact, let’s get down to brass tacks on that.

Hurzeler picked that back five. And despite our biggest spending window ever, Tony Bloom and the recruitment team chose to leave Webster and Igor as our third and fourth choice centre backs, without addition, replacement or challenge.

The coach also decided we’d play out from the back if we could and it can be changed in a game or two. See Pickford launching it for Everton and then trying to be Allison for England after literally two training sessions.

De Zerbi didn’t pick our back five tonight, nor did he instruct them. We’re agreed on that, right?

So Hurzeler's total failure to un-school them in de Zerbi ball is the problem?

 

[ozzygull]

We won. We are still unbeaten this season. I am happy.

I think that FA Cup loss against them last season was when it started to turn into bad end to the season, and RDZ getting the right hump.

Take a bow Carlos Baleba, what a player, so happy for the lad he got a goal.
Take a bow Jack Hinshelwood that goal line clearance was incredible and was as good as any goal.
Well done new player Kadioglu on getting your first goal for the Albion.
In fact well done to all the players.

 

[Weststander]

So Hurzeler's total failure to un-school them in de Zerbi ball is the problem?

It’s the binary daftness from RDZ-haters such as yourself, exploiting 2024/25 situations to carry on old scores. We play well, Hurzeler’s a genius, we play poorly it’s a legacy of RDZ. Unable to truly move on.

 

[Bodian]

I think that FA Cup loss against them last season was when it started to turn into bad end to the season, and RDZ getting the right hump.

Yes. That did feel like a real turning point. But I think he had the hump first - which led to that really odd performance and defeat.

 

[Professor Plum]

Steele is fine as a number 2 keeper playing early round cup games and being able to a job on the rare occasions that the first-choice keeper is unavailable. He’s definitely not good enough to even think about as a regular in the PL and rotating with Verbruggen though.

I thought Steele had a really good game apart from what looked like a cockup for their 2nd (couldn’t really see from where I was sitting).

 

[Professor Plum]

Yeah - 6 games, 4 wins, 2 draws. He’s clearly a fraud.

If you include the preseason friendlies it’s P10 W8 D2 L0. What the f*** do people want from a new coach?