[Albion] Should we just kick them?

[The Optimist]

Coming out and defending for our lives for 90 minutes will see us on the end of a spanking. Stevie Wonder could see that - and I hope CH does too.

From the BBC:

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton on his side's approach: "I think it's foolish to go toe to toe. I'm certainly not embarrassed to say that you have to be able to try and contain them.
"They have too many options if you feel that you can take the game to them. They have so many strategies that can open you up.
"The last thing you need is to go into a game like this and you're very quickly out of the game."

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Maybe this will be the game where all of Bissouma's potential is unleashed in one amazing match winning performance we will be remembering for decades to come!




or maybe not

 

[Commander]

My brother-in-law is a lifelong Chelsea season ticket holder. Talking to him after the game on Wednesday and he said “I don’t understand why more teams don’t have a go at us at the Bridge. We HATE it when they do, and we often really struggle with those games. 90% of teams just come and sit right back, and that’s exactly what we want, we just pressure them into submission eventually”.

I think we should have a right go at City tomorrow, we have absolutely nothing to lose. Say we lose 7-0- so what? I’d much rather we lost 5-2 and had some excitement than they just wear us down and win 3-0 without us having a shot on target.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

. Say we lose 7-0- so what?.

That would be really painful. The problem with playing City is that they are as good without the ball as with it. There is almost nowhere to pass the ball, unless you go over the top - and they are really swift at the back.

I agree about Chelsea by the way. They are not City.

 

[Bodian]

The problem with playing City is that they are as good without the ball as with it. There is almost nowhere to pass the ball, unless you go over the top - and they are really swift at the back.

No worries - we've got Murray!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

No worries - we've got Murray!

Indeed!

 

[vegster]

Since the draw was announced I've spent many hours thinking how the hell can we beat them.

I just can't see it. So should we just kick them and hope that somehow works? We haven't really tried that against a top six team. Used to work well for Burnley and Stoke.

I genuinely can't think of a strategy that is likely to work. I know what we will do, hang in there, defend, hope to get something from a set piece, standard Hughton away performance, but we know that doesn't work, all it does is reduce the likely thumping. So what else can we do?

Surely we have to catch them before we can kick them ? Nah, we mustn't betray our core values and ideals just because we are facing almost insurmountable odds, we must look deep in to the very living heartbeat and soul of our footballing ethos ….. So, keep it tight, be prepared to give up possession and hope to nick it on pens.

 

[Albion Prem]

Judging by the number of cap-doffing threads to the footballing gods of Man City, we'll effortlessly beat them in the field of TINPOTTERY!

Off yer knees, serfs! It's 11 v 11 in a one-off cup tie. Sake!

Agreed its 11 v 11 but you have overlooked the price and experience of their 11 and
1. Our away form
2. The fact that at this period of the season our players are suffering the effects of being burnt out due to continual covering our defence and trying to get up front to attack our opponents, this has also
led to a number of our players being unable to be selected due to injuries,this weeks game against a top team could not have come at a worst time.
3. Playing at a huge stadium which our opponents are well used too.
I am more concerned that should we be thrashed what the effect it will have on our remaining Premiership games as we have still to play a number of the top teams in our league.
In no way do i critise our manager, we are a small team in a very tough league.

 

[Whitley Bayster]

Agreed its 11 v 11 but you have overlooked the price and experience of their 11 and
1. Our away form
2. The fact that at this period of the season our players are suffering the effects of being burnt out due to continual covering our defence and trying to get up front to attack our opponents, this has also
led to a number of our players being unable to be selected due to injuries,this weeks game against a top team could not have come at a worst time.
3. Playing at a huge stadium which our opponents are well used too.
I am more concerned that should we be thrashed what the effect it will have on our remaining Premiership games as we have still to play a number of the top teams in our league.
In no way do i critise our manager, we are a small team in a very tough league.

We are the home side. We won the toss He said clutching for straws

 

[studio150]

We are handicapped by the use of VAR, without it, we could employ the dark arts of off the ball fouls, and wind up the City players.

What we can do though is to employ a rotation system of fouling to ensure that the game is stop start, this also ensures we can maximise the individual fouls each of our players can commit before being booked.

Also whether City commit a foul, our player should fall to the ground,roll over at least six times, while our entire team confront the City player who committed the foul, and thereby putting pressure on the referee to send the City player off.

Maty Ryan needs to continue with his double bottle refreshment break at every goal kick, swap sides to take the goal kick, then play it towards one of our defenders who steps into the area thereby ensuring the kick needs to be taken again.

By employing these tactics we can ensure that the ball is in play for the shortest amount of time possible and we can win the semi final on penalties,

A Masterplan

 

[Sorrel]

I'm doing the game in five minute stretches. If we don't concede in any particular five minute stretch, then we're the moral victors (for those five minutes).

 

[Sorrel]

We are handicapped by the use of VAR, without it, we could employ the dark arts of off the ball fouls, and wind up the City players.

What we can do though is to employ a rotation system of fouling to ensure that the game is stop start, this also ensures we can maximise the individual fouls each of our players can commit before being booked.

Also whether City commit a foul, our player should fall to the ground,roll over at least six times, while our entire team confront the City player who committed the foul, and thereby putting pressure on the referee to send the City player off.

Maty Ryan needs to continue with his double bottle refreshment break at every goal kick, swap sides to take the goal kick, then play it towards one of our defenders who steps into the area thereby ensuring the kick needs to be taken again.

By employing these tactics we can ensure that the ball is in play for the shortest amount of time possible and we can win the semi final on penalties,

A Masterplan

Actually, how many places can VAR look at the same time? Can we foul in six different places at once and only get punished for one of them?

 

[The Wizard]

We are handicapped by the use of VAR, without it, we could employ the dark arts of off the ball fouls, and wind up the City players.

What we can do though is to employ a rotation system of fouling to ensure that the game is stop start, this also ensures we can maximise the individual fouls each of our players can commit before being booked.

Also whether City commit a foul, our player should fall to the ground,roll over at least six times, while our entire team confront the City player who committed the foul, and thereby putting pressure on the referee to send the City player off.

Maty Ryan needs to continue with his double bottle refreshment break at every goal kick, swap sides to take the goal kick, then play it towards one of our defenders who steps into the area thereby ensuring the kick needs to be taken again.

By employing these tactics we can ensure that the ball is in play for the shortest amount of time possible and we can win the semi final on penalties,

A Masterplan

I’ve often wondered about that, if a team was 1-0 up with 5 minutes left, had a goal kick and just kept doing that what could a referee actually do about it? How about we just do that from minute 1 and play for penalties

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Earlier in the year people seem to forget we went to both Liverpool and Man Utd, gave them a good match and lost narrowly by the odd goal. Liverpool were "hanging on" from what I remember.

 

[OzMike]

We should field the Swansea team wearing the Brighton strip, they seemed to have worked them out.

 

[MJsGhost]

Nailed on then, I'd get on large at 25/1 !!

Now 30/1 with Betfair.

THIRTY to ONE!!

 

[BN41Albion]

Earlier in the year people seem to forget we went to both Liverpool and Man Utd, gave them a good match and lost narrowly by the odd goal. Liverpool were "hanging on" from what I remember.

What has happened to us since then?! I remember being pretty excited about the season ahead after those two games at home v United and away at Anfield.
And yet somehow we've found ourselves in an FA Cup semi final. Let's hope we can somehow replicate those early season performances that saw us unlucky to lose at Anfield. I just hope and pray that we don't look complete powderpuff this evening in front of the world, as we have done so often this season. If bloody Swansea can almost cause an upset, why on earth can't we??

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

What has happened to us since then?! I remember being pretty excited about the season ahead after those two games at home v United and away at Anfield.
And yet somehow we've found ourselves in an FA Cup semi final. Let's hope we can somehow replicate those early season performances that saw us unlucky to lose at Anfield. I just hope and pray that we don't look complete powderpuff this evening in front of the world, as we have done so often this season. If bloody Swansea can almost cause an upset, why on earth can't we??

Points are not up for grabs. There is no pressure because we are the underdogs. We will have a game plan, but I trust there's also room for the players to enjoy themselves!!!!

 

[trueblue]

City have one of the fewest if not the least amount of tackles made in the premier league. .

That stat's misleading though. Guardiola's teams don't tend to tackle because they swarm around the ball so effectively that they win it back that way - cutting off all angles and intercepting the pass. If anyone gets on players' backs for giving the ball away today, they're really missing the point. And a massive bell-end.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Now 30/1 with Betfair.

THIRTY to ONE!!

45-1 at the moment

Sadly, thats probably about right!