[Football] Most noticeable difference tonight…..

[Not Andy Naylor]

I know i will be shot down for this but i think we look a better and a more direct side with a flat back-four.

All this inter-play at the back slows us down

There,ive said it!

While I see what you're saying about two central defenders rather than three, I wouldn't say we played a flat back four as such at Stamford Bridge. Certainly in the first half we had Cucurella on the left of a three with Lamptey and March as wing backs when they had the ball, but Cucurella bombed on when we had it, so that we were almost playing just Veltman and BDB at the back.

Risky but fun and, as you say, it reduced some of the temptation to play the ball around between defenders.

 

[rogersix]

Without Dunk and Duffy playing we are far quicker in our transition from defence to attack.
I'm not suggesting Dunk shouldn't come straight back in once he's fit enough but it would be nice to see him move the ball forward sooner.

he's a quality passer of the ball as well, i don't quite get it

 

[Stat Brother]

It never ceases to amaze me how differently fans see a game, as I thought Mac Allister was brilliant tonight and worked his socks off, up to the point I do agree with, he ran out of steam and got so red I thought he was going to explode!

So.we saw the game exactly the same!

I think Stat was trying to be clever with words.
I read it that in the two games Ali Mac's recently started that there's no reason not to have been playing him.

How very rare you.

 

[kjgood]

Last Night

For me the team came of age last night. In days of old, plucky little Brighton would have folded after their goal, played nice football, but lost.

No longer though! They took it to one of the biggest richest clubs in Europe at their own ground. There was confidence, a will, a desire to get back into the game. That was a really important point won last night, not only as it's one more towards survival, but for me for what it stood for.

 

[DJ NOBO]

What made the difference was having a tall striker who could head the ball, when and where it was needed.
Otherwise it would have been a glossy version of same old (had a lot of the ball, did nice things, didn’t score).
Theres been a lot of crossing the ball to midgets in recent games. It very rarely works.
Once Welbeck came on, we looked a different proposition from crosses.
I love Welbeck although sadly I don’t think he’s the long term answer us due to fitness.
If we can find an equivalent striker we will be pushing the top ten.

 

[Simster]

The team eventually got pegged back when Argie McJocko seemed to run out of steam.

Not seen anything from his two starts to explain why he'd hardly kicked a ball.before then.

He needs a run in this team for sure, but are we suggesting he starts ahead of Tross?

 

[Questions]

For me the team came of age last night. In days of old, plucky little Brighton would have folded after their goal, played nice football, but lost.

No longer though! They took it to one of the biggest richest clubs in Europe at their own ground. There was confidence, a will, a desire to get back into the game. That was a really important point won last night, not only as it's one more towards survival, but for me for what it stood for.

And in all that the side actually BELIEVED they could get back in it.

 

[Stat Brother]

He needs a run in this team for sure, but are we suggesting he starts ahead of Tross?

He didn't v Brentford.

Perhaps GPott needs to not play 3 centre backs and trust Biss to be phenomenal every game, allowing the rest of the midfield to get within touching distance of the striker.


Imagine going through all of the Hughton/Potter upheaval, then two and a half years later end up with Dunk & Duffy at the back.


(Obvs Dunk and Webster, but that's not so funny! )

 

[Mellotron]

He needs a run in this team for sure, but are we suggesting he starts ahead of Tross?

If his set pieces can be up to scratch, he should be playing ahead of Gross (ie if Gross was being considered for a game and Ali Mac is also available). Drives us forward better, presses harder.

I think Tross plays further forward, pretty much a striker at points.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

he's a quality passer of the ball as well, i don't quite get it

The likes of Webster and Dunk are much better "Ballers" and technical players than the likes of BDB. Therefor to keep the ball away from any silly mistakes, miss passes etc the obvious direction was forward. incidentally I thought Burn had a great game last night containing the Belgium Beast.

 

[Bold Seagull]

He needs a run in this team for sure, but are we suggesting he starts ahead of Tross?

Going to be interesting with Welbeck back fit, Trossard fit, MacA performing well how things start to shape up in the coming weeks. Really not as simple as saying 2 or 3 at the back, as all sorts of dynamics change - especially with Lamptey and Cucurella looking like a striped version of Trent-Arnold / Robertson on our flanks.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

What made the difference was having a tall striker who could head the ball, when and where it was needed.
Otherwise it would have been a glossy version of same old (had a lot of the ball, did nice things, didn’t score).
Theres been a lot of crossing the ball to midgets in recent games. It very rarely works.
Once Welbeck came on, we looked a different proposition from crosses.
I love Welbeck although sadly I don’t think he’s the long term answer us due to fitness.
If we can find an equivalent striker we will be pushing the top ten.

Completely agree with this. Having someone who we can just stand it up to (which I realise does Cuccurella cross a disservice) gives us a totally new dimension.

All those great positions we get into, we have another choice rather than to try to pass through a low block. The effect of having this option forces the opposition even deeper leading to even more promising shooting options from just outside the box (which we'll bugger up)

 

[Bold Seagull]

Completely agree with this. Having someone who we can just stand it up to (which I realise does Cuccurella cross a disservice) gives us a totally new dimension.

All those great positions we get into, we have another choice rather than to try to pass through a low block. The effect of having this option forces the opposition even deeper leading to even more promising shooting options from just outside the box (which we'll bugger up)

All that said, but I have come to expect overhead kicks for our late equalisers rather than traditional headers, so there is a bit of a negative there for anyone saying I’m too positive.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Going to be interesting with Welbeck back fit, Trossard fit, MacA performing well how things start to shape up in the coming weeks. Really not as simple as saying 2 or 3 at the back, as all sorts of dynamics change - especially with Lamptey and Cucurella looking like a striped version of Trent-Arnold / Robertson on our flanks.

Getting a regular 90 mins out of Welbeck obviously far from a given, but I could certainly see, a 4-3-1-2, with Welbeck and Maupay up front and Trossard in the hold behind them.

Also can't ignore the possibility of reinforcements being bought in, in attacking areas in the coming weeks

 

[BLOCK F]

Just great to see us play with a new sense of urgency, intensity and speed, instead of the sometimes, turgid, over elaborate predictable slow game we so often serve up.

 

[heathgate]

Even March looked to go past defenders amazing... long may that continue. To be honest, his only sideways pass that I witnessed nearly led to a Chelsea goal, so lesson learned hopefully.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I agree, just hope he wasn't just showing off in front of Roman though!

Some great posts on this thread. I think, for me last night was the first time I can remember, against a half decent side, that I didn't keep thinking 'we are about to eff it up in a minute' and, even when we were 1-0 down, I still felt we had a good chance of an equalizer, and after the equalizer I was looking for a winner.

With time, also, it has become clear (to me, anyway) that we have a first team squad, from which players are selected for the task at hand, with the players understanding their role. The old 'first team' days when loss of one 'key player' would have us all reaching for the mattress dryer are gone. The manager has seen to that. We have been without Biss, and last night we played Chelsea without Dunk and Tross. Nay bother. We had a cunning plan.

Yes, I expect we will have a stinker again soon, and the moaning minnies will all resurface, but I genuinely believe our class now exceeds our form, and it is keeping the form up that is key, not underestimating our class and scoping around, desperately, for new star players and a new star manager.

So.....Biss off to Chelsea then, nailed on

 

[Peter Grummit]

After tonight’s showing, I would be astonished, if he isn’t right at the top of Tuchel’s shopping list.

They do have N'golo Kante in that position, who is better. Left back is where they have the problem, Cucurella would make more sense as a target.

 

[dazzer6666]

Some great posts on this thread. I think, for me last night was the first time I can remember, against a half decent side, that I didn't keep thinking 'we are about to eff it up in a minute' and, even when we were 1-0 down, I still felt we had a good chance of an equalizer, and after the equalizer I was looking for a winner.

With time, also, it has become clear (to me, anyway) that we have a first team squad, from which players are selected for the task at hand, with the players understanding their role. The old 'first team' days when loss of one 'key player' would have us all reaching for the mattress dryer are gone. The manager has seen to that. We have been without Biss, and last night we played Chelsea without Dunk and Tross. Nay bother. We had a cunning plan.

Yes, I expect we will have a stinker again soon, and the moaning minnies will all resurface, but I genuinely believe our class now exceeds our form, and it is keeping the form up that is key, not underestimating our class and scoping around, desperately, for new star players and a new star manager.

So.....Biss off to Chelsea then, nailed on

Yep………half time chatter in the stands was very much positive…..and only got better as the second half progressed. We looked a bit flat for a short while after Lamptey went off but still always felt we were in with a chance, and it looked like the players thought so too. All those late goals salvaging points this season have led to a huge increase in the belief within the squad I think.

Confidence is high, Welbs coming back (and looking very sharp and hungry) is brilliant, Ali Mac seems to finally be displaying what we’d hoped for etc etc. We’re in great shape heading into the second half of the season, even without any incoming.