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

[jcdenton08]

I give up.

He is the only reason that a jittery looking Chelsea got back into a game that up until then they were second best in.
Sport at any level is about momentum, we literally gave it back to them.
It’s not like this is out of the blue is it? He’s been making these mistakes for years now, he’s not good enough.
When the team came out JP being out and Webster in were met with equal groans around me.

I am not some superfan of Webster, I’m just viewing the match and his performance objectively. Realistically, we could do with an upgrade on him - and Igor - but it’s easier said than done. We tried for Colwill and got rebuffed, we were linked with Bascogli and Hummels and didn’t/couldn’t proceed. It’s clear the club knows this.

He often makes mistakes, this is true. But all our players made dreadful mistakes today, Pervis was only not sent off thanks to Webster’s cover, and he made two clearances off the line.

The mistake was unacceptable, but that type of mistake is why he isn’t first choice. He’s fine as a cover until we can upgrade him, and absolutely not the reason we lost the game today.

It just strikes me as scapegoating.

 

[Bold Seagull]

This style really doesn't suit Dunk either.
Does it.

He's going to get done for pace consistently.

Something is going to have to give.

I’m trying to think who in world football it would suit!?

Perhaps in German football theyre less inclined to try the diagonal into the channel for the winger, but here in Blighty we still love a ball over the top.

The only players I can see benefitting from defending on the halfway line with the pace of the Premier League will be the opposition.

 

[chrisg]

How did Ferdi play ? Was he worth the wait ?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Was there any defense at all?

We had two linebackers, four defensive backs, a strong safety, two cornerbacks and a free safety.

 

[Bold Seagull]

But we are only 6 games into the new season with most (if not all of our new signings) having never played in the Prem before. They have to be given time. A year ago I thought Baleba looked pretty useless but a year on he looks a really decent addition. Mitoma and Adingra also took time to adjust.

I'm afraid people have just got to be a bit patient, give them time to adapt and adjust. We would have been incredibly lucky if all the new players hit the ground running.

Only 3 starters haven’t played in the PL before, although one of them up from the Championship.

I’m going with the new players aren’t the problem, rushing into new defensive tactics is.

 

[Weststander]

He took his eye off the ball when he didn’t get what he wanted in January. Nothing conspirital about that imo

Some here claimed he tried to destroy the Albion, warranting immediate dismissal.

There wasn’t the “RDZ can do no wrong” collectively from nsc. He took pelters from many.

 

[Flounce]

We lost to the better team, we move on

 

[Seagull58]

JPVH is our best defender

He is getting closer but still Dunk by a good margin for me.

 

[Flounce]

Some here claimed he tried to destroy the Albion, warranting immediate dismissal.

There wasn’t the “RDZ can do no wrong” collectively from nsc. He took pelters from many.

Don’t remember seeing any posts that suggested that. It‘s rubbish though. Links?

 

[Bold Seagull]

We lost to the better team, we move on

Football is pretty boring without discussing tactics, performances etc.

I’ve never gone hyperbole with this player is rubbish or the manager needs sacking, but I think it’s reasonable to observe that tactically we’re giving a lot away at present without notable gain.

 

[Bodian]

Left my mum’s and we were 1 up.

By that time I’d got home we were 3-1 down, and they’d had the ball in the net twice more.

By the time I sorted out the malfunctioning firestick it was 4-2.

I watched the end of first half added time and the whole second half and didn’t see a single goal.

I’ll take the point.

Same here, drove to a mates house round the corner. 1-0 when we left 3-2 when we got there

Well - we all know who to blame then....

Should have stayed where you were!

 

[Zeberdi]

Last season, especially from February, RDZ was under relentless criticism here. Some bordering on conspiratorial hatred that he’d spent the season trying to destroy our club.

So now it’s Fabian’s turn?

RDZ deserved a lot of the criticism but he also deserved credit - but it seems some people from day one are determined not to give FH a chance because he is an unknown from Bundesliga and 5 years old apparently and represents a mega-fcuk up on the part of StarLizard.

He’s on a learning curve - he is still working out a system that will work for us - that includes our defence.

He doesn’t strike me as the sort of manager that will refuse to come up with a plan B because it doesn’t fit with ‘his idea/DNA’ - FH strikes me as a manager that is willing to be very flexible and willing to learn from others around him.

If we are in 18th place in December, I will return to this thread and delete this post

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

At least El Ratta’s goal was disallowed

Can you imagine

 

[raymondo]

Post match Fab said (some decent direct questions from the interviewer) that if we can't get pressure on the ball higher up the pitch, then we need to drop.
But, I don't think that's possible during open play!! If we don't pressure in midfield then the oppo can fire a ball over the top for their runners...we have a nanosecond to "drop", it's not gonna happen! Need to have dropped before.

 

[Flounce]

At least El Ratta’s goal was disallowed

Can you imagine

He was not celebrating though, credit it where it’s due

 

[jcdenton08]

How did Ferdi play ? Was he worth the wait ?

Really struggled. Was skinned 3-4 times in the first half alone - Sancho had him for pace. He needed to drop 5-10 yards to give himself a chance, but couldn’t because of the high offside trap.

Was a good runner and willing to get forward - on one occasion picked up the ball wide in the box about 10 yards out and passed it blind to the edge of the six yard box. He had loads of time to take a touch, look up and pick a pass - but I think he was blowing out his arse by then. Came off soon after.

Nothing special so far but again, I reiterate very few players for us played well today.

 

[Flounce]

Football is pretty boring without discussing tactics, performances etc.

I’ve never gone hyperbole with this player is rubbish or the manager needs sacking, but I think it’s reasonable to observe that tactically we’re giving a lot away at present without notable gain.

Fair enough but blaming Webster for the defeat is not fair imo. We came up short as a team. No shame imo, we went for it, we weren’t good enough

 

[Littlemo]

Who's pretending?

Just some of the posts/ social media stuff.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Fair enough but blaming Webster for the defeat is not fair imo. We came up short as a team

I agree re Webster, but actually felt at times we matched them as a team, but our tactics gave them chances from very little.

Going to SB with Sancho and Palmer in great form and playing so high, just seems

 

[Seagull58]

Yeah, we are only 6 games in and by and large it's not a bad start to the season and we did score 2 today. Yes, the defense is something FH needs to work on but I'm sure he will be looking at this in the next few weeks.

We have O'Reilly, March, Pedro, Gruda, Adingra, Van Hecke plus Gomez to come in January. If we can add another CB in January then I think things will look far better. Wasn't expecting miracles in FH's 1st season but I for one think he's doing ok.

Never get too high if we win or too low when we don't. Looking forward to Spurs next Sunday.

We don't have O'Reilly