PROUD of the team tonight

[Chesney Christ]

US loves to be a victim

No need for that mate, and I fail to see what it has to do with this thread.

 

[Chesney Christ]

If one game this season sums us up perfectly, that was it. Reading might not have been firing on all cylinders or producing anything of any note going forward, but I thought they looked more professional and organised. We are very pretty, very good technically and if football matches were won on possession we'd be champions. There is no disgrace in that at all, we're like a Championship Arsenal. But that also means we're never going to dine at the top table, because too many of the good teams do a job on us time after time. Look at our line-up, there are five players in there that arguably wouldn't get on the Reading bench. We may pass the ball well, but we only really have two attacking options. 1) Get it wide and hope a winger produces something. 2) Give it to Vicente, who will never pass, but might do something sublime. I think we need more to break down teams like Reading. As good as our passing is, teams like that just aren't bothered about it. The top teams in this division all play 4-4-2 and I think we will have to go that way. CMS is never going to be able to play upfront on his own. The key to it all is finding a holding midfielder good enough to justify him being the only one. At the moment, we're totally hamstrung as an attacking force by the fact we have to play two defensive midfielders. This results in only one striker or only one winger, and often both. Reading's centre backs were fantastic and had CMS in their pocket.

I hate to moan so I don't want it to sound like that, because we're obviously a decent team and I'm pleased we can at least compete with good sides in this division. But to be perfectly honest, I've come away from that match tonight thinking we're further away from being top two contenders than I ever realised. And I think there are now too many holes to fill for it to be a possibility next season.

Measured, thoughtful and accurate.

Why don't you post like that more often?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

No need for that mate, and I fail to see what it has to do with this thread.

It has no need. The bloke is just being a cock.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Don't be such a child.

All I've said is that CMS is not up to it at this level and now agree with TCB that we are hamstrung by playing two holding midfielders, thereby sacrificing an attacking option. I'm not even saying that isn't the right thing to do, given the players at Gus' disposal.

fair enough

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Totally disagree...and how u can agree that our play was similar to the west ham home game beggars belief....there are various spec saver outlets...perhaps u need to use one

You should get some that are not rose tinted

 

[LamieRobertson]

You should get some that are not rose tinted

eyesight is perfectly fine...but thanks anyway..and ye i saw both games

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Sorry mate Vicente IS that good ... Best player in championship by a mile

Worth the entrance fee alone, he's a genius with the ball, such a beautiful player to watch. Some of the comments (only a few) on here seem to forget where we've come from. This is the best Albion team in a generation easily. We should all be proud of the lads this season, it's been great!

 

[00snook]

Well, I wouldn't say we played them off the park. They got an early goal and defended it - the onus was on us to attack. We did pretty well but couldn't break them down. Saying "we should win" in those circumstances makes no sense to me. It's not the way football works.

You may not like the "plucky little club" mentality but we have come an awfully long way in the past two years. Sometimes it's worth taking stock of just how far that is, and not getting carried away with dreams of back to back promotions.

Monkey Man, who said I had dreams of back to back promotions.

I was simply replying to the OP who thought a superb 1-0 loss was a good performance.

It's not. Especially when chasing play offs, but that wasn't my original point.

 

[00snook]

If one game this season sums us up perfectly, that was it. Reading might not have been firing on all cylinders or producing anything of any note going forward, but I thought they looked more professional and organised. We are very pretty, very good technically and if football matches were won on possession we'd be champions. There is no disgrace in that at all, we're like a Championship Arsenal. But that also means we're never going to dine at the top table, because too many of the good teams do a job on us time after time. Look at our line-up, there are five players in there that arguably wouldn't get on the Reading bench. We may pass the ball well, but we only really have two attacking options. 1) Get it wide and hope a winger produces something. 2) Give it to Vicente, who will never pass, but might do something sublime. I think we need more to break down teams like Reading. As good as our passing is, teams like that just aren't bothered about it. The top teams in this division all play 4-4-2 and I think we will have to go that way. CMS is never going to be able to play upfront on his own. The key to it all is finding a holding midfielder good enough to justify him being the only one. At the moment, we're totally hamstrung as an attacking force by the fact we have to play two defensive midfielders. This results in only one striker or only one winger, and often both. Reading's centre backs were fantastic and had CMS in their pocket.

I hate to moan so I don't want it to sound like that, because we're obviously a decent team and I'm pleased we can at least compete with good sides in this division. But to be perfectly honest, I've come away from that match tonight thinking we're further away from being top two contenders than I ever realised. And I think there are now too many holes to fill for it to be a possibility next season.

Good post TCB again I find myself agreeing with you.

Must remember to buy that lottery ticket too.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Monkey Man, who said I had dreams of back to back promotions.

I was simply replying to the OP who thought a superb 1-0 loss was a good performance.

It's not. Especially when chasing play offs, but that wasn't my original point.

U home yet

 

[00snook]

Yep just got in.

 

[00snook]

I'm
A gay

 

[00snook]

Apologies all.

Girlfriend got my phone.

She isn't a fan of NSC

 

[LamieRobertson]

Apologies all.

Girlfriend got my phone.

She isn't a fan of NSC

Lol

 

[BHAFC BIG BOY]

Great performance from the lads tonight, El-Abd definitely deserved MOTM by a country mile!

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Proud. We lost. No end product. Missed penner.

Nothing to be proud of there US

You absolute arse-hole. Where the f*** were you when we were shit? Go & get yourself a Sky Sports subscription & leave The Albion alone. You won't be missed.

 

[The-Libertine]

If one game this season sums us up perfectly, that was it. Reading might not have been firing on all cylinders or producing anything of any note going forward, but I thought they looked more professional and organised. We are very pretty, very good technically and if football matches were won on possession we'd be champions. There is no disgrace in that at all, we're like a Championship Arsenal. But that also means we're never going to dine at the top table, because too many of the good teams do a job on us time after time. Look at our line-up, there are five players in there that arguably wouldn't get on the Reading bench. We may pass the ball well, but we only really have two attacking options. 1) Get it wide and hope a winger produces something. 2) Give it to Vicente, who will never pass, but might do something sublime. I think we need more to break down teams like Reading. As good as our passing is, teams like that just aren't bothered about it. The top teams in this division all play 4-4-2 and I think we will have to go that way. CMS is never going to be able to play upfront on his own. The key to it all is finding a holding midfielder good enough to justify him being the only one. At the moment, we're totally hamstrung as an attacking force by the fact we have to play two defensive midfielders. This results in only one striker or only one winger, and often both. Reading's centre backs were fantastic and had CMS in their pocket.

I hate to moan so I don't want it to sound like that, because we're obviously a decent team and I'm pleased we can at least compete with good sides in this division. But to be perfectly honest, I've come away from that match tonight thinking we're further away from being top two contenders than I ever realised. And I think there are now too many holes to fill for it to be a possibility next season.

Excellent post. The one bit I don't quite agree with is your last sentence. We need to strengthen in the areas you've highlighted, but I think a couple of players would do the trick. For me, the problem is that they need to be high quality additions and therefore would cost a tidy sum!

 

[00snook]

You absolute arse-hole. Where the f*** were you when we were shit? Go & get yourself a Sky Sports subscription & leave The Albion alone. You won't be missed.

Excellent input to the debate on this thread.

Well done.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Brighton manager Gus Poyet: "I take huge encouragement from this performance. If we keep the same players fit and if we add some more key, important players, us going to the Premier League will just be a matter of time.

"If I were a fan I would pay for a ticket to watch Brighton. Vicente is a player who does something special, the team play quick and pass the ball."

"If we play as we did against Reading, we will win games. We are capable of doing it. As long as we are technically sound we will be a very difficult team to play against."

 

[Mellotron]

If one game this season sums us up perfectly, that was it. Reading might not have been firing on all cylinders or producing anything of any note going forward, but I thought they looked more professional and organised. We are very pretty, very good technically and if football matches were won on possession we'd be champions. There is no disgrace in that at all, we're like a Championship Arsenal. But that also means we're never going to dine at the top table, because too many of the good teams do a job on us time after time. Look at our line-up, there are five players in there that arguably wouldn't get on the Reading bench. We may pass the ball well, but we only really have two attacking options. 1) Get it wide and hope a winger produces something. 2) Give it to Vicente, who will never pass, but might do something sublime. I think we need more to break down teams like Reading. As good as our passing is, teams like that just aren't bothered about it. The top teams in this division all play 4-4-2 and I think we will have to go that way. CMS is never going to be able to play upfront on his own. The key to it all is finding a holding midfielder good enough to justify him being the only one. At the moment, we're totally hamstrung as an attacking force by the fact we have to play two defensive midfielders. This results in only one striker or only one winger, and often both. Reading's centre backs were fantastic and had CMS in their pocket.

I hate to moan so I don't want it to sound like that, because we're obviously a decent team and I'm pleased we can at least compete with good sides in this division. But to be perfectly honest, I've come away from that match tonight thinking we're further away from being top two contenders than I ever realised. And I think there are now too many holes to fill for it to be a possibility next season.

Can't agree. Your above post would be correct if talking about the West Ham match earlier in the season - but last night we were CONSTANTLY getting through them, absolutely tearing them apart.

How many times out of ten is Vicente going to be through on goal like that and hit the bar rather than the back of the net? 1 out of 10?

How many pens has Barnes missed this season? 1?

There were TWO more stonewall pens, on another night at least one if not both would've been given.

I'm sure none of the above was part of Reading's "plan". A fair result last night would've been around 3-1, and even then that's being generous to Reading, who created NOTHING of note all game.

Reading were SHIT and incredibly lucky. We passed like GODS at points last night. Superb performance, play like that for the next 4 and we are in the playoffs, no question.