Sheebo
Well-known member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 29,319
Their set pieces and overall play that day were atrocious. Those stats don’t tell the story as is often the way.
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[Albion] I thought today would be the day we might win a close-fought game - but not to be...
- Thread starter Kalimantan Gull
- Start date
Their set pieces and overall play that day were atrocious. Those stats don’t tell the story as is often the way.
lancyclaret
New member
- Jan 10, 2014
- 566
Dyche isn't exactly the most adventurous manager, but he is positively gung-ho compared to Hughton who has always been a risk-averse operator and, in my opinion, over-cautious - especially away from home. He was the same at Norwich.
I reckon you would probably have won the 2015/16 Championship if Hughton had been more adventurous away from home. How many draws? Double figures? Even in home games, he tended to put the emphasis on protecting a lead once gained (1-0, 2-1).
Burnley were pretty awful and negative away from home last season but Dyche realised he had to be more tactically flexible this season and we've actually picked up more away points than home points (28-26).
Spot on.
This.
Sadly [MENTION=34242]Neville's Breakfast[/MENTION] thinks differently. Obviously he likes spending lots and lots of money travelling the UK and watching that shit.
As you say, things need to improve next season for away fans. He can be forgiven this season as it's our debut season and it's all about staying up.
I suspect we need to be more clinical at home before Hughton considers a more attacking philosophy away. Burnley were exactly the same last year, where they stayed up purely because of their home form. We are turgid away because we haven't been clinical enough at home IMO. I suspect Hughton thinks of the bigger picture and the effect on morale of dropping two silly points at home followed by a morale sapping 4-0 thumping away. Instead, we drop points at home and he looks to grab a point away and reduce the damage. Even a narrow defeat under those circumstances isn't then soul destroying.
Anyway, we do need an upgrade up front in order to change our home fortunes (and keep Murray as a 3rd option because he does have some great qualities).
Anyway, we do need an upgrade up front in order to change our home fortunes (and keep Murray as a 3rd option because he does have some great qualities).
I think a huge part of the problem is our lack of pace in central areas. When we break Murray, or Ulloa, will look to come short to offer themselves for the pass, Gross will do similar and not look to break beyond Murray. That only leaves Izquierdo looking to get beyond the striker, Knocky and March are not particular quick, Propper and Stephens are not quick either and certainly do not look to run forward. So some of it is Hughton's tactics but a huge amount is due to the players available, and the style those players play in. A quick central midfielder would be hugely useful to us in the future.
Hotchilidog
Well-known member
- Jan 24, 2009
- 9,136
That Swansea performance was the worst I have seen by any side this season.
el punal
Well-known member
That’s a bit harsh. We have always known - the club, the team, the fans - that this was going to be a season of survival. Do that and then be more ambitious for next season. Don’t forget that most pundits had us and Huddersfield as absolute relegation certs. On that basis many possible new signings would have been reluctant to join us if we were considered to be going straight back down. I think Chris Hughton has just about got it right. Be pragmatic, gain a solid, gritty draw - one point gained, then a gung-ho let’s go for it attack fest and lose - no points.
Admittedly throughout the season there have been games that we controlled, dominated even, but did not press home the advantage. Newcastle (away) and Huddersfield (home) spring to mind. Some games where we played well but didn’t get the desired result Man Utd and Stoke, both away.
The fact is we’re on a gigantic learning curve. We haven’t been in the top flight since 1983 therefore we have had to adapt very quickly to keep our heads above water. I reckon we’ve just about done that with a solid draw at Burnley. Not pretty but needs must.
The co-commentator on the stream I was watching mentioned our away record a couple of times, along with comments like 'it's simply not good enough', and so on. But - although we might not like the seeming lack of adventure away from home, it can't really be denied that it has been good enough. We're staying up, and looking quite good.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Sorry, but people don't half like to re-write history. We were joint top scorers with Burnley in 2016 with 72. M'Boro pipped us on GD having scored 9 less. We conceded 11 more than M'Boro, and 7 more than Burnley – not the stats of a negative side. We also had a better away record that M'Boro and scored 32 goals away from home, only Burnley & Brentford scored more. No doubt we drew too many, but you are wrong and its a misconception that Hughton was negative in the Championship. From nearly being relegated we scored 146 goals in 92 games.
Weststander
Well-known member
Your posts about football are nornally fair. You're incorrect IMO about CH last season. Our football brought many happy away days, thousands of us were there to witness it. Great counter attacking football.
What you forget is that on paper we were up against clubs with bigger budgets and on-paper better players. At the beginning of that season, the pundits and bookies had us as squeezing into the playoffs at the very best. CH worked wonders in making us runawy top 2, with Newcastle. We never win at big spending Villa and Norwich, and so it proved to be. The might of Newcastle fairly took the title, and fairly as they'd also done the double over us.
I'm guessing you didnt go, after that game I had Swansea to go down, they were truely terrible.
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
I've seen Swansea live 3 times this season ( twice after the new manager took over ).
Awful and woeful side.
Wardy's twin
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2014
- 8,875
i thought that was one of teh best games we played, maybe not a lot in the box but the football was good.
Wardy's twin
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2014
- 8,875
I think you are correct but to be fair Norwich away we just switched off, we weren't beaten we lost it for ourselves not helped by two keeper own goals. Villa we tried but again too many heads including the keeper on other things. I think we would have done better playing them when it mattered. Newcastle at home was unbelievable we were the better team and lost.
The problem this season is AK is not as fast against Pl players as he was championship and he is playing deeper so having to do more. It can't work. one of AK or Jose need to be further up field to get the ball and then go 1:1 or take ball into channels to allow rest to catch up and cross to them.
Lifelong Supporter
Well-known member
I think if we had a consistent solid winger at this level we could play him further up the pitch and play with just that one winger and four solid midfielders inclu. Gross. I do not see AK or Jose as that winger at this level. They both have flashes but that seems to be it. Hence the need for defensive solidarity.
Neville's Breakfast
Well-known member
Oh well, I enjoyed it. A competitive game of football between two sides of roughly equal quality. I would much rather watch that at Turf Moor than go to Man City and get tonked. I thought we were solid and looking to create chances.
