[Albion] The first half...

[Kneon Light]

Errr according to official BHA web site the starting line up was 443 ?

Well starting with 12 men would certainly have been a different approach!!
We started 442 - Andone and Murray upfront. Gross right, Izzy Left.

 

[Triggaaar]

Errr according to official BHA web site the starting line up was 443 ?

According to Chris it was 442. It wasn't a very rigid 442 though (IMO).

 

[Triggaaar]

What I've found slightly baffling in recent weeks, is the home crowd. It would seem in spite of one of the worst ever 1st half displays by any team at this level ever... our home crowd, rather than resoundingly booing and calling for heads, seemed to by all too apathetic... Unfortunately a load of keyboard warriors ranting on this forum will change nothing, as the board seem to be on message with the general acceptance that we've 'found our level.'

Malaise from the crowd, reflected in the players, and here we sit, fists clenched in impotent rage...

I don't advocate booing an unlucky, plucky bunch of hard working players who just can't cut it... but that lot (first half) deserved nothing but a chorus of boos for what was an absolute disgrace.

But we didn't boo, and the team turned it around. The second half performance was good. It wasn't boring negative football, it was good. If we played like that all year, no one would be complaining. Easier said than done of course, but the manager and players aren't going out there with the intention of being shit.

 

[Kosh]

But we didn't boo, and the team turned it around. The second half performance was good. It wasn't boring negative football, it was good. If we played like that all year, no one would be complaining. Easier said than done of course, but the manager and players aren't going out there with the intention of being shit.

True, but they really did deserve it at half time yesterday. There's trying and still being 'shit' and then there's being really shit because you're not trying at all... you know, I rather fancy the latter applied to the fist half yesterday...

Note I'm not making reference to CH herein, I blame the players for that 45 yesterday. Yes they pulled it round, but akin to a nasal gazing Prog band of yore they're playing for themselves, not for CH, nor for the adulation of the masses. Kind of Yes, Tales from Topographic Oceans era. A self indulgent mess.

 

[Triggaaar]

True, but they really did deserve it at half time yesterday.

But it would have been counter productive.

There's trying and still being 'shit' and then there's being really shit because you're not trying at all... you know, I rather fancy the latter applied to the fist half yesterday...

It may well have looked like they weren't trying, but there's no way that was the case. They didn't battle against Wolves and Spurs to then not bother trying in the last game we had a realistic chance of winning. And they didn't just suddenly decide to try in the second half after not being interested in the first. There's no logic to that.

 

[Marshy]

I’m not sure our 2nd half performance was really that good.

Sure it was a whole lot better than the first half but I never actually thought we were going to score

The keeper had zero shots to save of any note

For me we got away with it a bit

We need 3 players badly

Centre mid, no 10 and a striker and spend 60 million getting them

 

[Fran112]

Well starting with 12 men would certainly have been a different approach!!
We started 442 - Andone and Murray upfront. Gross right, Izzy Left.

Lol typo, we started 433.
If you watched, Murray was in the middle, Andone was wide right and Izzy wide left was up level with Murray.
Gross was behind Andone and Kyal was Behind Izzy.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

...

 

[Kosh]

But it would have been counter productive.
It may well have looked like they weren't trying, but there's no way that was the case. They didn't battle against Wolves and Spurs to then not bother trying in the last game we had a realistic chance of winning. And they didn't just suddenly decide to try in the second half after not being interested in the first. There's no logic to that.

I disagree. I've suspected for a while that CH has lost the dressing room, and for me it looked very much like certain players didn't like the initial shape and set up yesterday... hence the apathy on the pitch, they weren't buying into whatever CH was thinking and then all change at HT. Harsh words may have been spoken from both sides of the dressing room...

Come on; that first half was abject. They weren't trying, no running, no passion, no balls and very little fire. Zero effort, sulky and pedestrian... I know what I saw and they were, for the most part, not interested.

 

[Acker79]

Centre mid, no 10 and a striker and spend 60 million getting them

We spent 30mil on Locadia and AJ. I don't think the issue is transfer spend, the problem is wages. All the while we're paying bottom six wages, we'll get bottom six players regardless of outlay in transfer fee.

 

[Triggaaar]

I disagree. I've suspected for a while that CH has lost the dressing room, and for me it looked very much like certain players didn't like the initial shape and set up yesterday... hence the apathy on the pitch, they weren't buying into whatever CH was thinking and then all change at HT.

Well if you're right, then he'll be gone in 2 weeks. I don't think he has, but I'm just guessing.

Come on; that first half was abject. They weren't trying, no running, no passion, no balls and very little fire. Zero effort, sulky and pedestrian... I know what I saw and they were, for the most part, not interested.

But they were interested against Wolves and Spurs. And yesterday was an attempt at a different formation, so it makes no sense for the players not being interested at the start when we're attempting to make a change to the crap performances we've had. We then played poorly, and you're just assuming that was because they weren't interested. It makes no sense.

March looked like he was full of confidence when he came on, and he just kept attacking. Up until then our players hadn't looked confident at all.

 

[Icy Gull]

The A

Well if you're right, then he'll be gone in 2 weeks. I don't think he has, but I'm just guessing.

But they were interested against Wolves and Spurs. And yesterday was an attempt at a different formation, so it makes no sense for the players not being interested at the start when we're attempting to make a change to the crap performances we've had. We then played poorly, and you're just assuming that was because they weren't interested. It makes no sense.

March looked like he was full of confidence when he came on, and he just kept attacking. Up until then our players hadn't looked confident at all.

Being interested in just not conceding and being interested in actually playing football outside your own half takes a very different mindset. Defending with everyone behind the ball is much easier than opening teams up by attacking them, whilst defending well at the same time.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well if you're right, then he'll be gone in 2 weeks. I don't think he has, but I'm just guessing.

But they were interested against Wolves and Spurs. And yesterday was an attempt at a different formation, so it makes no sense for the players not being interested at the start when we're attempting to make a change to the crap performances we've had. We then played poorly, and you're just assuming that was because they weren't interested. It makes no sense.

March looked like he was full of confidence when he came on, and he just kept attacking. Up until then our players hadn't looked confident at all.

As the other poster is...personally think its tosh from kosh..maybe its just a josh

 

[nicko31]

I bought a guess with me from Oz to the Amex yesterday, had to apologise at HT, was so embarrassed. Thankfully things changed after the break

 

[Triggaaar]

Being interested in just not conceding and being interested in actually playing football outside your own half takes a very different mindset. Defending with everyone behind the ball is much easier than opening teams up by attacking them, whilst defending well at the same time.

Maybe that's what it is - they've forgotten how to do it. When we attacked Bournemouth, we simply couldn't defend. But it's not because they're not interested, the team (players and manager) just haven't been able to figure it out recently.

 

[Kosh]

Well if you're right, then he'll be gone in 2 weeks. I don't think he has, but I'm just guessing.

But they were interested against Wolves and Spurs. And yesterday was an attempt at a different formation, so it makes no sense for the players not being interested at the start when we're attempting to make a change to the crap performances we've had. We then played poorly, and you're just assuming that was because they weren't interested. It makes no sense.

March looked like he was full of confidence when he came on, and he just kept attacking. Up until then our players hadn't looked confident at all.

I agree re March and one or two others are remaining professional and committed. I still think a section of the squad is lost to CH, and if you have four of any eleven not trying, well with our squad we're buggered! So, shape aside, can I ask why you think we were so deep, and unwilling to close a bang average Newcastle down... was it tactical, if so (again), why - were they too good.... or were the players just going through the motions?

 

[Kneon Light]

Lol typo, we started 433.
If you watched, Murray was in the middle, Andone was wide right and Izzy wide left was up level with Murray.
Gross was behind Andone and Kyal was Behind Izzy.

Not from the start - we started 442 with Gross on the right and Murray/Andone upfront.
Changed during first half as it wasn't working.

 

[Triggaaar]

So, shape aside, can I ask why you think we were so deep, and unwilling to close a bang average Newcastle down... was it tactical, if so (again), why - were they too good.... or were the players just going through the motions?

To be able to give you a decent answer, I'd need to watch the half again, this time without shitting bricks that we're going to lose. You could be right that a couple of players aren't up for the fight, but I don't believe that the majority of the team aren't interested or aren't trying. They don't want to lose, and they sure as hell don't want to get relegated.

 

[Kosh]

To be able to give you a decent answer, I'd need to watch the half again, this time without shitting bricks that we're going to lose. You could be right that a couple of players aren't up for the fight, but I don't believe that the majority of the team aren't interested or aren't trying. They don't want to lose, and they sure as hell don't want to get relegated.

Fair enough - I think we've reached an awkward (Brexit) style agree/disagreement of sorts, although I seem to have given more ground than I should have done. Hmmmmm. I've mellowed.

Onward to the Arsenal match. I look forward to picking over the bones of that one in due course.



Here's hoping we just win.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Just a slight lack of confidence. We came out like world beaters eventually [emoji108]


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World beaters