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[Albion] Fannying about at the back



Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,848
Brighton
I’m 100% team fanny about at the back but what I couldn’t understand today was why Bart just stood there with a motionless midfield in front of him when the CBs were free and available for a pass and could have got the game moving using width.
In De Zerbi football - the decision to pass is already made. It’s drilled into the player. Bart’s targets were man-2-man marked. Muff had worked us out. The system needed a good fix at half time……and it worked.
 
















WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
27,957
No it’s just that however often I watch I bite my nails down to the quick. It terrifies me but I was being flippant.

It always use to worry me, but now 3/4 one touch quick passes, around our own box, by players under pressure, that results in an Albion player with loads of space and time leaves me with a huge grin.

Embrace the stress, embrace the fannying :wink:
 






Zeus

Well-known member
Jan 10, 2022
700
In De Zerbi football - the decision to pass is already made. It’s drilled into the player. Bart’s targets were man-2-man marked. Muff had worked us out. The system needed a good fix at half time……and it worked.
Steele uses the side pass option regularly. I just couldn’t understand why Bart wouldn’t.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,319
I’m 100% team fanny about at the back but what I couldn’t understand today was why Bart just stood there with a motionless midfield in front of him when the CBs were free and available for a pass and could have got the game moving using width.
Don’t think the CBS were free? He’s been told to do something and followed it - agree or not that was clear so the restlessness was uncalled for by some fans. Engage brain like 🤷🏻‍♂️
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,065
fannying around works as long as you push a ball over the top occasionally. if defenders are marked, or the press is on, you bypass that with a longer ball.

also getting in front of your CB is taking things literally too far.
 






Oh_aye

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2022
2,172
I'm obviously team fanny (oi! oi!), the issue yesterday wasn't that we fannied around. Its just that we weren't fannying around properly like we usually do.
 


nickbrighton

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2016
2,187
Yesterday was the first time we have faced a team that have just stood there when confronted by us waiting for them to do something. They obviously have seen how often it pulls there players out of posiytion and allows us to bypass half the team with a quick, short pass. It probably wasnt, but at times it seemed like everyone was standing around waiting for something to happen for minutes at a time. I have wondered previously what would happen if the opposition didnt try and press in that situation-i guess now we know, nothing, the game stops!

The tactic worked as the crowd started to get on our teams back, Dunky was rattled enough to have a go at the North stand, and our players were having ago at each other, resulting in a very bad first half for us.

It changed at half time, but will other teams see that first half and think, the solution is to do nothing?
 




Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
8,770
What I don't understand is, why is it the keeper who is the one edging forward with the ball?

Surely a defender should come right next to him, pick it up from him, keeper retreats and is always the get out option if nothing is on. That way if the defender cocks it up and loses it, the striker doesn't have an open goal.
 


The Colonel

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2023
226
Yesterday was the first time we have faced a team that have just stood there when confronted by us waiting for them to do something. They obviously have seen how often it pulls there players out of posiytion and allows us to bypass half the team with a quick, short pass. It probably wasnt, but at times it seemed like everyone was standing around waiting for something to happen for minutes at a time. I have wondered previously what would happen if the opposition didnt try and press in that situation-i guess now we know, nothing, the game stops!

The tactic worked as the crowd started to get on our teams back, Dunky was rattled enough to have a go at the North stand, and our players were having ago at each other, resulting in a very bad first half for us.

It changed at half time, but will other teams see that first half and think, the solution is to do

Agreed. I thought Bournemouth's tactics were interesting.

Every team I can remember has either pressed us high (allowing us to play around them) or retreated (allowing us to advance into their half unchallenged). Bournemouth committed the men forward to match our 'box' between the CBs and CMs without ever pressing the ball and giving us a way out. It was good thinking from their manager to be fair as we haven't struggled to get the ball moving out of our defensive third like that before.

It also goes against everything Thomas Frank said on Sky last week when asked about how to play Brighton. "All in or all out - nothing in between" was his answer. Just shows there's no guaranteed right answer as even the top managers go about it differently.
 
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Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
19,380
Worthing
I am very much #TeamFanny and support the style of play. To provide some 'data' over whether Bart had options for the 1st goal, this is the moment the Bournemouth player starts to sprint to close him down. I'll let you be the judge of whether he's got options.

20230925_103144.jpg
 


portlock seagull

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
17,949
Yesterday was the first time we have faced a team that have just stood there when confronted by us waiting for them to do something. They obviously have seen how often it pulls there players out of posiytion and allows us to bypass half the team with a quick, short pass. It probably wasnt, but at times it seemed like everyone was standing around waiting for something to happen for minutes at a time. I have wondered previously what would happen if the opposition didnt try and press in that situation-i guess now we know, nothing, the game stops!

The tactic worked as the crowd started to get on our teams back, Dunky was rattled enough to have a go at the North stand, and our players were having ago at each other, resulting in a very bad first half for us.

It changed at half time, but will other teams see that first half and think, the solution is to do nothing?
We’re not a one trick pony though, and we won. Again!
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
55,028
Surrey
fannying around works as long as you push a ball over the top occasionally. if defenders are marked, or the press is on, you bypass that with a longer ball.

also getting in front of your CB is taking things literally too far.
This.

Ultimately, Bart made a mistake and it's not the end of the world. Yes we finally conceded a crap goal from fannying about with it but it still hasn't cost us! The bottom line is that Steele's distribution is slightly superior to Bart's - he is more ready to go sideways when he needs to. I suspect BV just needs more game time to perfect this.
 


Garyoldfan

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2023
591
Yesterday was the first time we have faced a team that have just stood there when confronted by us waiting for them to do something. They obviously have seen how often it pulls there players out of posiytion and allows us to bypass half the team with a quick, short pass. It probably wasnt, but at times it seemed like everyone was standing around waiting for something to happen for minutes at a time. I have wondered previously what would happen if the opposition didnt try and press in that situation-i guess now we know, nothing, the game stops!

The tactic worked as the crowd started to get on our teams back, Dunky was rattled enough to have a go at the North stand, and our players were having ago at each other, resulting in a very bad first half for us.

It changed at half time, but will other teams see that first half and think, the solution is to do nothing?
That’s not the first time it’s happened. I’ve seen quite a few games where the opposition don’t close the defence down.
 


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