Turned a corner or papering over the cracks?

[pasty]

Definitely in the "paper over the cracks" camp. As I said on another thread, the only reason we won last night was because we were slightly less bad than Wigan.

Only 40% possession
7 less attempts at goal than Wigan
2 less attempts on target than Wigan
Our 'keeper was man of match

Those stats make it look like we were playing away against a top of the league side, not at home against another struggler.

 

[Scoffers]

I was there. Ugly win, ugly performance, beautiful result. Clean sheet...No stupid mistakes.....With confidence from getting the 'no win in...' off our backs we can now move towards the performance. Hence i would say we have turned a corner, but still a long way to go to meet NSC expectations.

I can understand that point of view but the only reason we won last night, in my view, is that we were slightly less awful than they were.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Last night Calde and Bennett both played as more traditional full backs so neither Dunk or Greer got pulled out wide, and as you've said looked more solid and less inclined to make a mistake because of that in my book.

I'd say it was more down to the fact that the pressure was mostly constant rather than occasional, meaning there was no space for lapses in concentration. They didn't seem more sure-footed to me, unable to settle under Wigan's endless harrying, but didn't hoof it into their own net. I also don't think the plan was for a flat back four. They wouldn't let us out.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Wigan will be bitterly disappointed not returning to Lancashire with a point. On reflection one piss poor team beat the other piss poor team with an early goal. I don't believe Blackburn will be coming on Saturday happy to take a draw.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I also don't think the plan was for a flat back four. They wouldn't let us out.

I'd have to disagree, from the kick off the shape was clear to see; Lua Lua and Elliott were tasked with providing our width - for the first 10 mins, we did look good and should have gone 2 up. They wouldn't let us out in the end, but we still started out with a more traditional back four setup.

 

[Mattywerewolf]

I can understand that point of view but the only reason we won last night, in my view, is that we were slightly less awful than they were.

I don't disagree. i am hopeful that with confidence we will get better, and wins breed confidence more than performances when you're in our position

 

[BensGrandad]

Lua Lua and Elliott did not set out to play wide but interchanged with Calderon and Joe Bennett better than previously. We still had wing back but is was noticeable that as Calde went forward Elliott dropped into cover and the same on the left.

 

[Frampler]

First half was an improvement. Second half we looked scared of possessing the football. As bad a 45 minutes as I can remember without us conceding.

 

[BensGrandad]

It looked a matter of time before they would score but we dug in and kept the clean sheet and 3 points.

 

[London Irish]

I can understand that point of view but the only reason we won last night, in my view, is that we were slightly less awful than they were.

They were unbeaten in six. Now they're not

 

[Bwian]

Wigan will be bitterly disappointed not returning to Lancashire with a point. On reflection one piss poor team beat the other piss poor team with an early goal. I don't believe Blackburn will be coming on Saturday happy to take a draw.

I'm listening to Rosler's verdict on Seagulls Player. Bitterly disappointed is an understatement.

He mentions their 60% possession away at Brighton, 17 attempts on goal, only 5 on target.

He also said that of the two teams out there only one was on top with the other looking for counter attack. He's not wrong. There was a few times where the only person beyond thirty five yards in our half was their goalkeeper who was busy on facebook...

 

[Bwian]

I can understand that point of view but the only reason we won last night, in my view, is that we were slightly less awful than they were.

They were only awful when it came to scoring-other than that they were easily the better side. No wonder Rosler is disappointed.

We managed 10 shots-3 on target, they were 17/5. 3 corners to their 4. 40/60 possession.

Wigan manager Uwe Rosler:
"We just need to be scoring goals. After a game like that, I don't look at the table.
"We can't do more than dominate a game and I don't know what to say after we dominated a game like that.
"The first 10 minutes were not good. We can't retain possession like we did. But apart from that we did everything right."

 

[LamieRobertson]

We'll be 3rd from bottom on Friday night when BOLTON win at home
Fulham will win tomorrow night

Sami out

you should know by now not to predict anything in this league

 

[T soprano]

you should know by now not to predict anything in this league [/4th from bottom then after BOLTON win see if I can get another one wrong

 

[LamieRobertson]

you should know by now not to predict anything in this league [/4th from bottom then after BOLTON win see if I can get another one wrong

TBH u might have bit more luck with that one...although Lancs derby..so maybe a draw?

 

[Bald Gull]

In the second half it looked as if they would score on every attack through the midfield. JFC, Gardener and Texiera were light in the tackle and were not picking up runners. It was crying out for Ince and I think Sami got lucky in the fact that they didn't score in that second half period. Ince definately made a massive difference getting closer to their players in midfield, but JFC or Gardener needed replacing as well as we had no creativity at all.

Thought this was worth a bounce. Not only does it show Hyypia's complete lack of tactical nous with his starting midfield away to the league leaders, it also shows that he learns absolutely nothing from past performances (where the same midfield trio were completely over-run and outplayed by Wigan - at the other end of the table to Derby)

Sorry - know there are already hundreds of posts about Hyypia and it is getting slightly boring - but I do find it mind boggling how he is still in the job...

 

[GT49er]

Thought this was worth a bounce. Not only does it show Hyypia's complete lack of tactical nous with his starting midfield away to the league leaders, it also shows that he learns absolutely nothing from past performances (where the same midfield trio were completely over-run and outplayed by Wigan - at the other end of the table to Derby)

Sorry - know there are already hundreds of posts about Hyypia and it is getting slightly boring - but I do find it mind boggling how he is still in the job...

....and it also looks as if 80% of the people who voted in the poll were right on the money.

 

[leigull]

I saw that Wigan win in 2 ways, first that it was the much needed win we so desperately sought, and that just getting over the line to the 3 points would knock the monkey off of our back so to speak, and we could push on from there. The other way was that we were incredibly lucky to win as it was one of the worst performances of the season to date, and continuing to play like that would only send us one way.

Unfortunately, it was the second one.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

The cracks are deep canyons, and the paper made of tissue.

The corner is quickly disappearing into the distance.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I was pleased that Sami is finally showing some tactical flexibility. I thought we were set up with a flat back four, 2 holding midfielders, 2 wide midfielders, 1 forward midfielder and a centre forward. It wasn't too far from where either Gus or Oscar would have set us up. We certainly looked a bit more solid at the back with greater numbers in and around the ball.

The only element I found really frustrating was when Walton had the ball, Bennett and Calderon push forward while Dunk and Greer go to the sides of the box to get the ball - it didn't work, and every time we kick it long we lost the ball. Calderon using his experience realised this and did drop to get it on occasions, but Joe Bennett didn't and we were very rarely able to play it out to feet. We've got to learn to do this as it's no good kicking it long with the height we have in midfield and up front. On saying that, Joe and Calde both looked far more comfortable with wingers in front of them.

Individual performances perhaps stopped us from looking better with these tactics than we did. Lua Lua possibly had his worse game in an Albion shirt for me, and I'd rather see Ince providing some muscle in midfield and we either sacrifice Tex or Gardner. Elliott Bennett looked a little rusty, but an incredibly encouraging performance for his first appearance back at the club.

I hope Sami sticks with the same tactics on Saturday. It was a brave move changing from what he has felt is the way to play this season, but it was the right one, and from my own point of view, I really feel we can get better from here now we're showing some tactical flexibility and simplifying our defending.

Bloodyhell, was I really this positive at the start of November!?