[Albion] Stephens says we were unlucky to lose

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I didn’t think Stephens turned up on the day and now he’s proven he wasn’t there.

Utterly ridiculous opinion. An example of the complacency that has engulfed the club most of the season.

 

[Weststander]

I agree that we were unlucky to lose

The reason is agree is that I felt that Southampton didn't do much during the game so didn't impress, they didn't look particularly dangerous and created very little and the stats back that up (we had more shots 14 v their 8, and we only had 1 on target but they only managed 2 on target)

So i think that a draw would have been the right result for how both teams performed (both were fairly poor tbh)

Several last ditch blocks in the first half prevented Ston taking a clear lead, whilst we offered little. Redmond, Ward-Prowse and Armstrong making openings.

 

[warmleyseagull]

So you believe we deserved a point? For only turning up after going a goal down, and this after an abject hour... failing to break down a flimsy makeshift Saints back line playing a new shape to cover a key injury.

Fair enough.

Come on; we were nothing short of mid table 'championship standard' at best. If that's deemed good enough at this level, well, I suspect we'll not be in the PL for too much longer.

There does seem to be absence of reality from Stephens. Ryan made a more forthright and honest assessment. Sometimes you have to hold hand up and say "not good enough", and yesterday was one of those. I agree that this is a side that would be PO standard at best in Championship. The signings are not making it and some of the old guard are creaking (including DS IMO). Frankly I am struggling to see us in PL in 20/21 right at the moment, but things can change.

 

[Kosh]

There does seem to be absence of reality from Stephens. Ryan made a more forthright and honest assessment. Sometimes you have to hold hand up and say "not good enough", and yesterday was one of those. I agree that this is a side that would be PO standard at best in Championship. The signings are not making it and some of the old guard are creaking (including DS IMO). Frankly I am struggling to see us in PL in 20/21 right at the moment, but things can change.

Top stuff and I couldn't agree more. What I find confusing re a few of the players coming out and saying 'we just didn't get the breaks etc.' is Chris post match saying 'we simply weren't good enough...' Are they listening to the manager, or hearing what they want to hear?!?

Interesting and worrying.

 

[Kosh]

Yep I think a point wouldn't have been unwarranted ....they looked sharper than us...more inventive and bullied us...but created very little ...so ye on balance of chances a draw wouldn't have been out of order

Oh and the ''new shape'' isn't entirely new ...this was a side that probably deserved something from Old Trafford and beat Spurs in their last match..deserved something out of the Arsenal game....but I guess you can balance that up against a loss at home to Cardiff who no doubt didnt let them dictate the game '''physically''

Okay, fair enough.

What did it for me yesterday, was a lack of pride. Pride in the shirt; alas our 'togetherness' is looking like a tattered flag blowing in the wind. For my part, I've always been proud of the effort we've made in this division - yesterday, akin to WBA away last season, was one of those moments where I wasn't proud to be a fan of our team.

The players, DS included, ought to be ashamed.

 

[METALMICKY]

Is it sufficient enough to say that I hate that bloody Tin Tin style quiff. Also noted that slightly smug look to the Albion fans behind the goal when he scored his penalty at Millwall. It seemed to overlook that his was easily the weakest penalty that perhaps keeper could have done better with.

 

[Weststander]

Okay, fair enough.

What did it for me yesterday, was a lack of pride. Pride in the shirt; alas our 'togetherness' is looking like a tattered flag blowing in the wind. For my part, I've always been proud of the effort we've made in this division - yesterday, akin to WBA away last season, was one of those moments where I wasn't proud to be a fan of our team.

The players, DS included, ought to be ashamed.

We played like crap for most of the game, but I think it’s exaggerating to say that the players lacked pride and should be ashamed.

Stains simply had a far superior midfield, with pace all the pitch, they high pressed us and closed off most of our avenues. Bar that spell for a while after 65 minutes, where we still made some shocking passes.

Just beaten by a team with better midfielders.

 

[BensGrandad]

I dont think that anybody not wearing blue and white blinkers can deny that the best team yesterday won.

 

[London Irish]

Several last ditch blocks in the first half prevented Ston taking a clear lead, whilst we offered little. Redmond, Ward-Prowse and Armstrong making openings.

It wasn’t just that, they tactically dominated the game. They correctly identified our main weakness, our ponderous midfield and ponderous build up. They ruthlessly picked it off and had the class in Redmond (second time at the Amex this season!) to create the winning goal.

Of course we would get the odd chance as they then defended the lead, Montoya’s decent hit, Propper’s pratfall and Locadia’s neat turn but tame shot. None of that amounted to us deserving a draw. We shanked an undeserved draw at St Mary’s, lightening was never going to strike twice.

We can’t hide the fact how bad we are playing - it’s mostly been woeful since we collapsed at West Ham

 

[HastingsSeagull]

If those players mentioned really think that, I'm amazed. We were lucky to be the second best team on the park!

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Mods - a bit like the Brexit thread, all the mouth-frothing after a defeat should be collected on one thread. Including "Hughton" or "Stephens" in the title will be sufficient to direct the traffic...

 

[Is it PotG?]

No he wasn’t.
He looked forward every time but had nobody to pass to.
He was let down badly by Knockeart and Jahanbksh.

Absobloodylutely

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I didn’t think Stephens turned up on the day and now he’s proven he wasn’t there.

Utterly ridiculous opinion. An example of the complacency that has engulfed the club most of the season.

The players have to give press interviews. They are not going to come out & say, we were rubbish, and the fans would slate them if they did.
The club is not complacent by any means. Chris Hughton has already spoken of his disappointment with the team's performance.
One game at a time. They haven't given up, and neither should we.

 

[Lower West Stander]

I don't think we deserved to lose.

But we also didn't deserve to win.

We deserved to lose because we were absolutely rubbish right up until the point where Southampton scored.

It’s all very well chasing the game when you’re behind but you deserve nothing when you play as we did for the majority of the game.


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[doogie004]

The players have to give press interviews. They are not going to come out & say, we were rubbish, and the fans would slate them if they did.
The club is not complacent by any means. Chris Hughton has already spoken of his disappointment with the team's performance.
One game at a time. They haven't given up, and neither should we.

I disagree,it would make a pleasant change for a player to come out and say we were rubbish . At least it would be the truth and stop the slating of the player for talking bollox .


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[Thunder Bolt]

I disagree,it would make a pleasant change for a player to come out and say we were rubbish . At least it would be the truth and stop the slating of the player for talking bollox .


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Ah, the ever positive doogie04. Have a nice day.

 

[rippleman]

The players have to give press interviews. They are not going to come out & say, we were rubbish, and the fans would slate them if they did.
The club is not complacent by any means. Chris Hughton has already spoken of his disappointment with the team's performance.
One game at a time. They haven't given up, and neither should we.

But "we were not good enough" is in danger of becoming a recurring theme. I agree with much of what you say here but if you couldn't detect the complacency on Saturday then we must have been watching a different game.

Hughton trains the players, he picks the team, he decides how they are going to play. Same players & same tactics over and over again. They are not working. Can Hughton change the way we play? Is able to overlook loyalty to certain players and pick the best to get the job done? Is he capable of playing in a different way to his "ten men behind the ball, start deep and get deeper and woe betide any player pressing the ball high"? If he can't...................

 

[Miami Seagull]

Let's not delude ourselves. We have been poor for quite a while now. Awful for 89 minutes vs Millwall and also for much of the Huddersfield game. That too could have gone anyway. Palace away was the one reasonable performance lately, dating back to the Everton and Palace home wins.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

He was utter shite yesterday.

No, don't agree. I thought he was the strongest of the midfield 3. Bissouma started well but faded badly and Propper had his worst game for us in a while. DS did lose the ball at times, but he also played some great passes - one into Locadia's feet stands out for me.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Let's not delude ourselves. We have been poor for quite a while now. Awful for 89 minutes vs Millwall and also for much of the Huddersfield game. That too could have gone anyway. Palace away was the one reasonable performance lately, dating back to the Everton and Palace home wins.

You are right.

In all honesty, we have played ‘well’ and good football in 3 games this season, Man Utd at home and both Palace games. I also thought we played very well in the first half away to Bournemouth but ruined it with a shocking second half. Even the Everton game we had to grind out.

We’ve picked up some wins and points through dogged defensive play and a bit of luck (Wolves and West Ham at home, Huddersfield away) and a one man second half show at home to Hudds. Also a couple of good comebacks when we’ve had to throw everything at it late in the game (Fulham, Stains). Overall though, it’s really not been good.

Even the cup run has been painful to watch at times. 3rd round - ground out a win against another premier league reserve team, 4th round - drew at home and had to go to extra time away to a championship reserve side, 5th round - ground out a tight win at home to a championship side, 6th round - penalties after a shocking display against a championship side.

Hopefully this is just a second season syndrome, we’ll stay up, the club will have learnt some lessons and we’ll kick on next season. But it’s not been a good season at all and at the moment it seems like we’ve regressed from last year.