[Albion] Stephens says we were unlucky to lose

[Thunder Bolt]

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...................

I didn't see complacency, I saw frustration. Injuries to Gross and Andone haven't helped.

This is the Albion, and we never make it easy for ourselves. Two years ago we lost 4-0 away to Cardiff where we played a lot worse than on Saturday, and all the usual suspects were convinced Huddersfield were going to be promoted automatically instead of us.
This is where social media doesn't help. Someone comes home feeling thoroughly peed off about a game, and goes online where negativity feeds negativity.
Apart from Mothers Day, there is a good reason I avoided this place (and Facebook, where it is worse) on Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

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

Well he did have Knockaert to pass to in the second half, completely free on the right and he would have had a clear run in on goal. Stephens, running free, in central midfield, deep in their half, had plenty of time to look left and right. He didn't. He had his head down and only saw Murray wide on his left. So the ball found its way to the slowest player in our side, who couldn't react in time and in a game of limited opportunity, a clear chance was gone.
Entirely Stephens fault and showing a complete lack of awareness. Its ok swinging passes out wide from a defensive midfield position but in this instance, when a simple moment of creativity, in a forward position, was required, he couldn't deliver. He wasn't the only player who struggled but oppositiion players have worked him out now and know that he needs that extra time and touch and they pressure him into mistakes. Its happening more and more.

 

[Kosh]

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.

I take the point, and yes basically that sums up the game - they were better in that key area BUT they also wanted it more and, well, got it. Not wishing to cover old ground - and I realise we're all disappointed to a degree yet I (for the first time in a long time) was left angered by the 60 mins of going through the motions like we're PL mainstays in 10th with no danger of going down. The players need to WAKE the **** up.

CH too needs to start setting us up to carry a bit more threat, it's starting to look ball breakingly obvious the rest of the PL have figured out how to handle our shape and system with Murray up top on his own - it's Chris' turn to shine.

I have faith, but socks need to be pulled up and fast. I can take a defeat on Wed, with Hazard certain to start, but if we turn up and lie down again - well, digging ourselves out of this mess is going to get increasingly hard.

It's difficult to even imagine a win (in any coming fixture), especially when we were so woeful at the weekend.