Dear Gus - we love the style of football

[goldstone]

But,but, but ...

It's all very well playing that style of football when you have the players with the ability.

Too many times on Saturday the ball was played in nice triangles between Casper, Elphick and ElAbd, then with nowhere to go Casper hoofed it upfield ... or Elphick did, or ElAbd did. So what did we gain? f*** all. If we are going to play that way the defenders need to pass to a midfielder (which admittedly they did on occasions) who can move the ball upfield constructively.

We've a way to go before we can play this style of football effectively.

 

[upthealbion1970]

But,but, but ...

It's all very well playing that style of football when you have the players with the ability.

Too many times on Saturday the ball was played in nice triangles between Casper, Elphick and ElAbd, then with nowhere to go Casper hoofed it upfield ... or Elphick did, or ElAbd did. So what did we gain? f*** all. If we are going to play that way the defenders need to pass to a midfielder (which admittedly they did on occasions) who can move the ball upfield constructively.

We've a way to go before we can play this style of football effectively.

Sorry, but I would say that being 3 points clear at the top of the table would imply that we can play this style effectively. We are also improving and the trend will continue, but,but,but try getting behind the team instead of getting on their backs!

 

[ady1973]

I love we play.......stop the opposition having the ball....stops the ball ending up in our net, simples..

I sit in 'G' block and I cannnot believe the amount of older fans in the 50plus bracket, booing our players, wanting hoofball. Sorry oldies football has moved on, more like a game of chess these days. Probe forward one-side, if nothing comes of it. Work the ball back across and try the other side.Then try down the middle The most important thing is to keep the ball.The amount of off the ball running and closing down is tremendous.

Well done Gus...great to see Brighton actually playing football for once, and getting the results to go with it.

 

[Peter Grummit]

I like the 'ole' idea because it can give voice to the 'silent minority'. My only slight concern is whether it winds up the oppos and/or puts more pressure on our tippy-tappy trio.

When teams play 1 up front (as B'muff did) then it should be no problem to pass it. When we went ahead, they played higher up the pitch and we did hoof it rather more then. Gus picked up on this. If teams play higher up (or push 2 up) then it frees up more space in midfield. With Inigo and Marcos pushing up the line, we effectively have 6 in midfield and this should allow us to dominate and play tippy-tappy higher up the pitch. The key here is to get it to Kish (or Liam) and then we can pass through the opposition.

It will be interesting to see how this works at Charlton where the emphasis will be on them to attack.

PG

 

[Icy Gull]

Much as I love the way we are playing at the moment, what happens when the grounds get cut up and heavy and a simple pass is impossible or requires more skill than some of our players might have, i.e being able to lift the ball through the air to a colleague rather than passing it along the bumpy ground when it could go off at an angle?

 

[Triggaaar]

In Gus we trust. And that's also before & after (I'm predicting the future) we were at the top.

 

[Rookie]

Wholeheartedly agree with everything in this thread, but wanted to share that my son trains with the development centre in seaford every tuesday, and even at this level (playing on a pitch less than half of a full size pitch and 5 a side goals) the trainers are teaching the kids from age 5 upwards to look for the player in space, pass and move, how to make space to make yourself available for a pass. Not a hint of hoof ball, and the kids are actively encouraged to pass pass pass pass and pass some more. This has been really noticeable since about easter, but even at this level there are plenty of moaners who just do not get it.

I can't understand why it is so hard to grasp the concept that knocking it around the back 4 and keeper for a whole minute or so is better than an aimless hoof up the pitch, only to have it returned on the counter attack within 15 seconds!

Ignore the idiots Gus, YOU have got our team to where they are now, and if you can do that with limited resources I cannot wait to see what you have up your sleeve in the months to come

That actually gave me a little smile, good to hear that the passing game begins at a very young age (even better about the small pitches/goal my personal pet hate, hopefully than ban parents on the side lines shouting I know they do this at Chelsea). Hopefully other clubs do the same.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Much as I love the way we are playing at the moment, what happens when the grounds get cut up and heavy and a simple pass is impossible or requires more skill than some of our players might have, i.e being able to lift the ball through the air to a colleague rather than passing it along the bumpy ground when it could go off at an angle?

The other tactic of note from saturday was that Glenn won everything in the air, so we do have a Plan B.

PG

 

[BigGully]

Its a cultural thing and it differentiates ourselves from our European counter parts.

We genuinely do not 'trust' the football and it is a key reason why our style of football mostly fails Internationally.

Some will try to appreciate a passing technically superior style of football but even those that accept it, will soon deride it if some games go against us.

I happen to think it is an extremely brave style of football, you need to be accurate, technically skilled and ultimately accountable to play such a style.

The longer ball game is the opposite of all those attributes, but some find it more exciting.

The longer game remains inaccurate and therefore less accountable and can be played by less technically gifted players.

The key is for the coach to turn a possession based play into an effective style that win you matches.

We seem to be doing alright up to know.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Sorry, but I would say that being 3 points clear at the top of the table would imply that we can play this style effectively. We are also improving and the trend will continue, but,but,but try getting behind the team instead of getting on their backs!

I see what you are saying, however I tend to disagree....when Liverpool in the 80's mastered this type of football, I passing along the back and bringing the midfield in to play, they had the players who could do just that. On Saturday, it was those pretty triangles, but I noticed on three occasions, that the defenders when receiving the ball, didn't actually look forward to pass it to a midfielder, rather along the line, or back to the keeper.

Now that is fine and yes, you cannot argue that it has got us to the top of the league ( although the last two results have been dissapointing), but I noticed that when players came for the short ball they were ignored and we pushed it back. Bournemouth sussed this in 5 minutes and all they did was push up on the defence and play tighter in midfield....what really surprised me was that Gus pushed Bennet further into the middle and not further out wide, so stretching the midfield allowing Kenza ( who I actually thought had a poor game for his standards) and Bennet to attack the fullbacks, which they didn't really do.

To take up the point that others have made, I can't remember anyone booing....getting frustrated maybe, but not actually booing!

 

[On the Left Wing]

Keep them playing proper football Gus as the great Brian Clough would have agreed

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Actually I would also like to add that I am fed up of actually winning games, and some with style and flair.

I want 90 mins of back and forth centre back hoofing please. I want Elphick hoofing it again to no one. I want El Abd back passes. I want us to make it difficult for ourselves to win or even draw games. I yearn for Centre Backs on the left wing again.

Its no fun anymore.

 

[The Large One]

A telling comment from Saturday.

I was talking to Sarah Watts yesterday and she was saying she spoke to Eddie Howe after the game, expressing her disappointment at Bournemouth's spoiling approach to the game, especially as they were supposed to be seen as a passing team.

His reply was said to be something along the lines of 'What would you have us do? Lose five or six-nil?'


Quite a back-handed compliment, I'd say.

However, I'd also say it's something we can expect more of this season, now that word has got out that we actually PASS the ball.

 

[Acker79]

A telling comment from Saturday.

I was talking to Sarah Watts yesterday and she was saying she spoke to Eddie Howe after the game, expressing her disappointment at Bournemouth's spoiling approach to the game, especially as they were supposed to be seen as a passing team.

His reply was said to be something along the lines of 'What would you have us do? Lose five or six-nil?'


Quite a back-handed compliment, I'd say.

However, I'd also say it's something we can expect more of this season, now that word has got out that we actually PASS the ball.

Hasn't anyone pointed EH to our goals scored column? We'd've been lucky to get 3.

 

[The Large One]

Hasn't anyone pointed EH to our goals scored column? We'd've been lucky to get 3.

Of course, he was gagging to take a chance on that, wasn't he...?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think the general consensus is that soon, hopefully very soon, we are going to SPANK someone (like Hudds and Norwich did to us last season) and EH did not want it to be them.

God help anyone in our league when we hit our stride.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I am, and always have been, proud to be a Brighton fan. I am unbelievably proud of the Club right now. We're playing the right way, we have a manager and a team to excite us and get us promoted. Thanks Gus.

 

[Skills]

 

[Colossal Squid]

I *LOVE* the football we are playing under Gus' able stewardship and long may it continue.

This is truly PROGRESS

 

[upthealbion1970]

I see what you are saying, however I tend to disagree....when Liverpool in the 80's mastered this type of football, I passing along the back and bringing the midfield in to play, they had the players who could do just that. On Saturday, it was those pretty triangles, but I noticed on three occasions, that the defenders when receiving the ball, didn't actually look forward to pass it to a midfielder, rather along the line, or back to the keeper.

Now that is fine and yes, you cannot argue that it has got us to the top of the league ( although the last two results have been dissapointing), but I noticed that when players came for the short ball they were ignored and we pushed it back. Bournemouth sussed this in 5 minutes and all they did was push up on the defence and play tighter in midfield....what really surprised me was that Gus pushed Bennet further into the middle and not further out wide, so stretching the midfield allowing Kenza ( who I actually thought had a poor game for his standards) and Bennet to attack the fullbacks, which they didn't really do.


To take up the point that others have made, I can't remember anyone booing....getting frustrated maybe, but not actually booing!

I see where you're coming from, but we are still very much a work in progress and have barely got out of second gear yet, Gus wants us to play keep ball and be patient from the back which will improve with practice and confidence. I can see how frustrating it can get esp when to us in the stands there could well be a forward ball on, but if the man on the ball for whatever reason doesn't play it and we still keep the ball and keep knocking it about thats good enough for me, we are still improving and will continue to do so without spending millions to buy promotion. The way Gus wants us to play must be so far removed from what is the accepted "norm" for the vast majority of our squad they are still, at times fighting the instinct to hit it long. Lets not forget also that we do have an awful lot of new faces who must still be settling in. The other point I wanted to bring up was how would we have been doing had Navs not been injured!