[Albion] Post-match reaction and thoughts - Bournemouth

[GT49er]

Also, what I’ve seen of Andone suggests he’s a very good player. And while we haven’t seen much of Locadia I think he could be decent too. Both players are strong, can hold the ball and have pace to run in behind. Get them both in there and I think they’ve got the movement to cause more problems than any of our underperforming wingers.

But we all know at West Ham we’ll line up with March, Knockaert, Stephens and Gross off the striker...

What's West Ham got to do with it? - three games away.

 

[Weststander]

Yup.

Unless it’s Palace at the Etihad, of course

 

[Triggaaar]

Whatever Hewtown said at half-time:-

DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN.

I have it on good authority he said 'We need to attack more'.

 

[mreprice]

It is embarrassing that so many on here haven't noticed that we have played quite a different style the past two away games. How can they go every week and still not see what is happening on the pitch.

 

[Icy Gull]

N

What change of tactics? There was a change of personnel as he decided to put a striker on the left wing, but no change in system.

Hughton’s last 31 away games: W4 D7 L20

Forgive me for not thinking we’ve turned the corner just because he played Andone upfront instead of Murray.

If you didn’t see it was a change of tactics to most away games then I guess there is no point trying to discuss it with you. We were far more adventurous than I’ve seen us in any away game for a couple of years

Yes we lost but then we nearly always lose at Dean Court. I have hated the way we play away from home for a couple of years now, yesterday I enjoyed until Dean decided to give Bournemouth a helping hand.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Top post. Just about sums it up.

And actually the cost of away games is cheaper now than it was in the last season of the Championship (Leeds was £38 or something if I recall).

A fair point, but unfortunately it’s still really expensive to go to most away games once everything is factored in. And for the football that’s on offer 95% of the time, it’s hard to justify unless you’ve got unlimited resources and time.

 

[southstandandy]

Yesterday was disappointing and can't see many if any points from the next 5 games, but still think we can stay up as there are definitely 3 worse teams than us.

 

[heathgate]

I was saying this to someone else earlier. What is the point in our u23s? Must be bloody frustrating for some of those lads

... ..and it will stop some signing for us, the agents will know our dev squad is a black hole, and will go elsewhere.

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[Lethargic]

Its a massive step though good or even great championship strikers struggle in the PL one step at a time.

I constantly hear this argument but have we ever tried it, other teams bring in youngsters successfully why not us. I understand it is difficult an I am not advocating mass changes but 1 u23 on the bench occasionally is that not a risk worth taken after all it might actually work.

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[portlock seagull]

MOTD just called it a 10 year Bmuff unbeaten run against us.

That is embarrassing. Regardless.

 

[bhawoddy]

It’s hilarious how it’s Bournemouth away is an acceptable loss because “we never win there”.

 

[dazzer6666]

I constantly hear this argument but have we ever tried it, other teams bring in youngsters successfully why not us. I understand it is difficult an I am not advocating mass changes but 1 u23 on the bench occasionally is that not a risk worth taken after all it might actually work.

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Brooks is 21.........he did alright yesterday.

 

[trueblue]

On the stream commentary they said Gross was coming off to be replaced by Murray. Not sure where the commentators sit at the ground but they might have seen the subs board flash up initially before the decision was changed.

TV commentators know in advance who’s coming off, so that would be correct.

 

[Stat Brother]

Brooks is 21.........he did alright yesterday.

Yeah but he was only up against the Albion.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

So we (naively in my opinion) change to a more attacking side, to TAKE THE GAME TO THEM... came away with the inevitable loss and you're still complaining?

What did you think the PL was going to be like may I ask? When we were promoted at molineux (not mathematically but we all knew it), I knew then and there that the enjoyment at away games was going to be obliterated, and that it was important to remember just how rare points are in the circus that is the PL. Away wins were going to be few and far between and therefore more special, and very likely smash and grabs.

Because of our past, I honestly thought our fanbase would have more patience than this. Depressingly, turns out we are just as thick as the rest and less than 2 seasons in, we are demanding attractive football away from home despite having an amazing home record and players of a quality that we could have only dreamt about a few years back.

You shoud direct your frustrations at the Premier League, the cost of football as fans and the absurdly disproportionate wealth present at the top of our league structure. We are trying to survive here, for long term gain, where generations after us just might have their own dreams fulfilled.

That's spot on. Last week Complete Badger (he's back with a bang! ) specifically moaned that ch wasn't starting bissouma and andone, this week he does and he moans about team selection, so it just looks like a vendetta that won't be dropped.

And yes, it was an inevitable defeat. Team looked nice and played some attacking stuff and then they get the ball in midfield and run through us with propper standing off brooks and making no attempt to challenge as he scores a nice goal. 1-0 down, Howe then shores it up, shuts it down, plays for 1-0, does it well-, goals change games.

Later in the second half Fraser gets the ball, propper shadows him, stands off, doesn't attempt to tackle or close down, cross comes in and 2-0.

Irony is that its that lack of defensive ability in our defensive midfielder role that ultimately costs us the game, and yet people who are calling for Stephens to be dropped are still criticising ch for the tactics and loss. On the flip side, I'm frustrated at the lack of ds, but I believe in Chris and presume he was simply resting him as lots of players will be rotated during the Christmas period.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Disappointing result but a lot of positives still. First half was the best away performance for a very long time, I really enjoyed watching us and that doesn’t happen very often away.

2nd half was very poor. Bournemouth obviously upped it and we didn’t react. Lessons to learn hopefully.

I do hope CH sticks with the team that started for the Arsenal game but maybe swap Knockaert for Locadia. I thought JL did well first half but AK will offer us a little more protection. I do think that team is the future, it just needs a bit more confidence and time playing together.

 

[boik]

We're definitely in a transition between the old guard who got us promoted, and the new guard who look like they could be of a higher standard, but deperately need game time playing together. Hughton has a juggling act as to how to get them integrated without throwing results away. I personally think we play more attractibe football without Glenn in the side (burn him!), but then at the moment, that leaves us missing the vital element of getting the ball in the back of the net. I'm more than happy to be patient as I think the end result will be worth it.

Anyone who says the style yesterday wasn't different from the sit back and defend deep is blind. And yes - I am aware that the result was the same.

 

[Icy Gull]

Because we were discussing how we play away and West Ham is our next away game.



There is playing better than we normally play away and there is changing tactics. I would agree we played better in the first half, but still nobody has said how we changed things tactically. Picking Bissouma over Stephens is not a tactical overhaul. It was still the same formation with almost all the same players.

Isn’t trying to take the game to the opposition away from home rather than defending with 10 men behind the ball and relying on a breakaway a change in tactics then?

 

[Taybha]

One massive difference yesterday was Begovic , made 3 absolute class saves in the first half , another day we have 2 on target and we score 2 , swings and roundabouts , Bournemouth took their chances .