Mydad'saseagull
New member
- Apr 7, 2012
- 6
Been lurking for a while, but thought I’d risk a post.
Now I’ll make something clear from the start. I’m not a Seagulls supporter – however, my dad is a huge fan and I’ve accompanied him to maybe nine or so games this season. And I’ll be honest, the way the team plays football and their recent rise on and off the field makes them a very interesting team to keep an eye on and analyse – especially if you’re interested in football development and tactics.
I thought then from a relatively neutral standpoint (although you might tell me to get the hell off your forum) a review might be useful, especially given the debates raging on here – at least I can ‘stand back from it’ a little.
Style of football: Would be shocked if anyone can complain here. Brighton play a fantastic passing game, keeping the ball on the deck in the style of Swansea, Man Utd, Barca etc (not that they’re as good - yet). In line with the modern thinking that ‘possession is king’ they are easy on the eye and difficult to beat. Poyet deserves great credit for implementing this style and they will only get better as the playing staff develops (and the youth players come through playing the same way) – I’ve heard a minority at the ground moan about not getting the ball forward often enough – by and large that’s total rubbish. Appreciate the great football you play and the fact you’re not Stoke.
Stadium: Just wow. I’ve been to a fair few Premier League grounds and the Amex would grace the top-tier. In terms of look, views and facilities it’s simply sensational – I can’t believe anyone could complain. The only thing it doesn’t compare well on is capacity, but this will come in due course I believe.
Players: I can’t believe some of the stick Ashley Barnes gets on here and from the stands. Whenever I see the kid play he works his socks off and quite often scores great goals – not sure what else he’s meant to do? I wonder if complaints are actually to do with him or the formation Poyet employs – in which case he shouldn’t be damned by association. More on that later.
I have to say though, I have rarely been impressed with Navarro as a holding midfield player at championship level as he neither seems destructive enough to break up play or act as the team’s playmaker. But given you can’t replace your entire team in one summer, I don’t think you can complain too much that you’ll have some slight weaknesses in your first championship season – and he does put a hell of a shift in, so excessive moaning is harsh. I think in Bridcutt and Buckley you have two of the finest young players in the division.
Formation: I find this fascinating. It seems to me that Poyet is a devotee of 4-3-3, but an adapted version with a ‘defensive’ winger who tucks inside, with one out and out winger on the opposite flank. It’s slightly reminiscent of the AC Milan formation of the late nineties. It’s a little different to the ‘in-vogue’ 4-3-3 where teams have two wide men and a central striker who can switch roles (see Chelsea, Swansea, Barca etc).
It’s an interesting tactical decision. For me, it can only work at its best if you have outstanding full backs that can compensate for the lack of width and your defensive or ‘drifting’ winger is capable of causing havoc inside, as well as being disciplined in the centre of the park.
Looking at the table, you would have to say it’s worked; anything top half is an outstanding effort for Brighton in my opinion. The debate is; would you be higher up the table if you had deployed a ‘wide’ 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 more often – especially at home? It’s difficult to know. Looking at the Brighton squad I’m surprised it hasn’t been tried more by Poyet. You have two outstanding widemen (Buckley and Lua Lua – Noone might well be in future, but for all his skill has an awful final ball when I’ve seen him) and a super ‘in the hole’ player in Vicente (how on earth did you sign him? What a player!)
However, for this wide 4-3-3 to work at its best, you either need to have a striker with the skill to work as a ‘false 9’ (see Messi) or a combination of power and pace (a Drogba or, to a lesser extent, a Danny Graham). My guess is that Poyet feels he has nobody who can play this role effectively, so prefers his adapted version – but that’s just my hunch. It would be interesting to see if Barnes could be taught to play there as, although not carrying the pace of Mackail-Smith, he probably has the most raw tools to do it.
For me then, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with Poyet’s tactical decisions, but given your players and the right signings, it would be nice to see a switch to a wider 4-3-3 for next season (or this, if the play-offs look to be gone and he wants to take a chance). He’s still learning though – he’s not Alex Ferguson and not faultless, but given time he will do an even better job (and he’s doing a good one now).
To those people calling for 4-4-2, it’s a dead formation at the highest level unless you are a ‘direct’ footballing side and it simply doesn’t suit Brighton’s passing game (even Manchester United actually play with Rooney in the hole these days), so I can’t ever see Poyet using it. Also, a wide 4-3-3 shouldn’t be considered as overly attacking – it still has two defensive midfield players, so you don’t get out numbered in the centre of the park. Given Brighton’s comparative lack of goals, it would be interesting to see if Brighton go that way next season.
In summary, you should be pleased. You have an outstanding young manager, great chairman and good players. But neither is the manager faultless as he’s still learning and young. I can see where some constructive criticism might arise (but calling for sackings or over-the-top public moaning would be foolish) – but he also has his reasons for playing the way he does. Next season should prove fascinating, in terms of Poyet’s development and the team’s. Personally, I think if you sign a quality ‘keeper, central midfielder and strong all round striker (good luck finding one!) / develop an existing one, you’ll have all the tools to play in a slightly more attacking style and go up – the sight of Lua Lua, Buckley, Vicente and a strong all-round striker bombing forward, but with strong defensive cover, would be a frightening prospect.
Now I’ll make something clear from the start. I’m not a Seagulls supporter – however, my dad is a huge fan and I’ve accompanied him to maybe nine or so games this season. And I’ll be honest, the way the team plays football and their recent rise on and off the field makes them a very interesting team to keep an eye on and analyse – especially if you’re interested in football development and tactics.
I thought then from a relatively neutral standpoint (although you might tell me to get the hell off your forum) a review might be useful, especially given the debates raging on here – at least I can ‘stand back from it’ a little.
Style of football: Would be shocked if anyone can complain here. Brighton play a fantastic passing game, keeping the ball on the deck in the style of Swansea, Man Utd, Barca etc (not that they’re as good - yet). In line with the modern thinking that ‘possession is king’ they are easy on the eye and difficult to beat. Poyet deserves great credit for implementing this style and they will only get better as the playing staff develops (and the youth players come through playing the same way) – I’ve heard a minority at the ground moan about not getting the ball forward often enough – by and large that’s total rubbish. Appreciate the great football you play and the fact you’re not Stoke.
Stadium: Just wow. I’ve been to a fair few Premier League grounds and the Amex would grace the top-tier. In terms of look, views and facilities it’s simply sensational – I can’t believe anyone could complain. The only thing it doesn’t compare well on is capacity, but this will come in due course I believe.
Players: I can’t believe some of the stick Ashley Barnes gets on here and from the stands. Whenever I see the kid play he works his socks off and quite often scores great goals – not sure what else he’s meant to do? I wonder if complaints are actually to do with him or the formation Poyet employs – in which case he shouldn’t be damned by association. More on that later.
I have to say though, I have rarely been impressed with Navarro as a holding midfield player at championship level as he neither seems destructive enough to break up play or act as the team’s playmaker. But given you can’t replace your entire team in one summer, I don’t think you can complain too much that you’ll have some slight weaknesses in your first championship season – and he does put a hell of a shift in, so excessive moaning is harsh. I think in Bridcutt and Buckley you have two of the finest young players in the division.
Formation: I find this fascinating. It seems to me that Poyet is a devotee of 4-3-3, but an adapted version with a ‘defensive’ winger who tucks inside, with one out and out winger on the opposite flank. It’s slightly reminiscent of the AC Milan formation of the late nineties. It’s a little different to the ‘in-vogue’ 4-3-3 where teams have two wide men and a central striker who can switch roles (see Chelsea, Swansea, Barca etc).
It’s an interesting tactical decision. For me, it can only work at its best if you have outstanding full backs that can compensate for the lack of width and your defensive or ‘drifting’ winger is capable of causing havoc inside, as well as being disciplined in the centre of the park.
Looking at the table, you would have to say it’s worked; anything top half is an outstanding effort for Brighton in my opinion. The debate is; would you be higher up the table if you had deployed a ‘wide’ 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 more often – especially at home? It’s difficult to know. Looking at the Brighton squad I’m surprised it hasn’t been tried more by Poyet. You have two outstanding widemen (Buckley and Lua Lua – Noone might well be in future, but for all his skill has an awful final ball when I’ve seen him) and a super ‘in the hole’ player in Vicente (how on earth did you sign him? What a player!)
However, for this wide 4-3-3 to work at its best, you either need to have a striker with the skill to work as a ‘false 9’ (see Messi) or a combination of power and pace (a Drogba or, to a lesser extent, a Danny Graham). My guess is that Poyet feels he has nobody who can play this role effectively, so prefers his adapted version – but that’s just my hunch. It would be interesting to see if Barnes could be taught to play there as, although not carrying the pace of Mackail-Smith, he probably has the most raw tools to do it.
For me then, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with Poyet’s tactical decisions, but given your players and the right signings, it would be nice to see a switch to a wider 4-3-3 for next season (or this, if the play-offs look to be gone and he wants to take a chance). He’s still learning though – he’s not Alex Ferguson and not faultless, but given time he will do an even better job (and he’s doing a good one now).
To those people calling for 4-4-2, it’s a dead formation at the highest level unless you are a ‘direct’ footballing side and it simply doesn’t suit Brighton’s passing game (even Manchester United actually play with Rooney in the hole these days), so I can’t ever see Poyet using it. Also, a wide 4-3-3 shouldn’t be considered as overly attacking – it still has two defensive midfield players, so you don’t get out numbered in the centre of the park. Given Brighton’s comparative lack of goals, it would be interesting to see if Brighton go that way next season.
In summary, you should be pleased. You have an outstanding young manager, great chairman and good players. But neither is the manager faultless as he’s still learning and young. I can see where some constructive criticism might arise (but calling for sackings or over-the-top public moaning would be foolish) – but he also has his reasons for playing the way he does. Next season should prove fascinating, in terms of Poyet’s development and the team’s. Personally, I think if you sign a quality ‘keeper, central midfielder and strong all round striker (good luck finding one!) / develop an existing one, you’ll have all the tools to play in a slightly more attacking style and go up – the sight of Lua Lua, Buckley, Vicente and a strong all-round striker bombing forward, but with strong defensive cover, would be a frightening prospect.
).