[Football] Very interesting to watch

[Dave the OAP]

I didn't think Liverpool played particularly well, however managed to score 5 and to be honest if they had been on song it could have been a cricket score. The had a fabulous group of subs to come in too...

I have changed my mind about better players...cutinho was the best player I have seen at the Amex. He was incredible today and you can see why Liverpool want to hold on to him and why Barca offered somewhere around 120million. Absolute class player.

We had our chances and with a bit of much may have scored a couple, BUT we mustn't be lured into fans pretences...they were a different league to us today. On the busses today a couple were suggesting that we looked the better side and should have won. We really were not!

Just to open up the debate, would you prefer to stay in this division fighting for survival every year with no real chance of winning anything or to be fighting for promotion in the championship? We also had this discussion on the bus.

 

[Seasider78]

It was the ruthless versus the wasteful but the gulf in class and resources in this division are enormous so difficult to be too hard on our lads today

 

[BUTTERBALL]

We missed a number of chances of our own.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I didn't think Liverpool played particularly well, however managed to score 5 and to be honest if they had been on song it could have been a cricket score. The had a fabulous group of subs to come in too...

I have changed my mind about better players...cutinho was the best player I have seen at the Amex. He was incredible today and you can see why Liverpool want to hold on to him and why Barca offered somewhere around 120million. Absolute class player.

We had our chances and with a bit of much may have scored a couple, BUT we mustn't be lured into fans pretences...they were a different league to us today. On the busses today a couple were suggesting that we looked the better side and should have won. We really were not!

Just to open up the debate, would you prefer to stay in this division fighting for survival every year with no real chance of winning anything or to be fighting for promotion in the championship? We also had this discussion on the bus.

Whoever thought we were the better side knows nothing about football. They barely got out of first gear, they thumped us 5-1 playing a formation they’ve not played before with two CMs at CB, and they looked like they could score almost at every moment. The difference in class was immeasurable really.

As to your question, I’d like to stay up initially but longer term I think clubs need to have something to hope for and challenge for. So my answer may change if we stay up and we’re still fighting for 10th 7-8 years down the road.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Staying in this division. By a mile. At least we get to witness some of the greatest players in world football. It’s better than watching the likes of Burton tip up on a Tuesday night in January.

 

[oldboyroy]

deffo stay in the premier league, you have to be in this league to get better players and for the players to improve and learn.Forget the championship the quality is miles better in premier and financially the club will be set up nicely to attract quality and eventually we can be challenging for a Europa league place and Leicester have shown that although improbable miracles do happen

 

[Javeaseagull]

There is an old adage in football, you always want to play at the highest level you can.

 

[clarkey]

I don't particularly share your pessimism. I was watching from a hotel on the other side of the world so not as close to the action, but I thought:

1) We conceded 2 really poor goals in the first half - set-piece then sloppy defending. They didn't offer a huge amount else in the first half, despite us not offering anything
2) Murray missed 2/3 really good chances that on another day go in - and if he takes one of them, they don't have the counter-attack to score their 3rd
3) At 3-1 I still felt we were in the game.....
4) .....but our substitutions halted our momentum
5) We ran out of steam in the last 10 against a brutal attacking force, with insane strength in depth - nothing to be ashamed of there

The 2 caveats are:
1) It just wasn't a penalty - very soft - so we were lucky to get back into it
2) Always felt they had another gear or two, as well as Mane and Sturridge, if they needed it

So we conceded some uncharacteristically sloppy goals, and looked a little lacklustre at times. But I messaged my mate at 3-1 saying it could be 5-5 and neither manager could really complain.

I think the last 2 goals change the complexion, and response, to the game as it looks like a drubbing. But at the 80 minute mark you wouldn't really have said that, in my opinion.

 

[maffew]

It would be a huge step back to go back to the Championship, not least for commercial reasons. Patience is required. We would lose half our squad anyhows, so back to square one

 

[Weststander]

I thought Liverpool played well. Patient with a probing passing game against the Albions mass defence, they simply did not fluster.

Doubling up on in form Salah, eventually left space elsewhere. So hard to nullify all talents. Firmino was good and works his socks off, but Coutinho was a tiny genius. Barca bound eventually and he will fit in immediately.

Stephens and Bruno stood out for me, and Izzy had a great second half.

Loved the occasion. Two honest teams there simply to play football.

The Albion worked their socks off and were organised. But up against a team with great forwards.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Strewth.

I'm fed up of year after year in the Championship. Don't want to go back there just yet.

 

[goldstone]

Stephens and Bruno stood out for me,

The Albion worked their socks off and were organised.

Stephens stood out for me too ... as the worst player on the pitch. He gave the ball away almost every time he touched it. Awful performance today.

And the only "working their socks off" that Brighton did was figuring out yet another way to give the ball away.

 

[Stato]

I would guess that Chris's biggest disappointment today would be conceding the first goal. Up until then the game plan was going quite well. They played the ball back and forth, but didn't look like getting in behind or stretching us. As soon as we failed to defend a routine corner, and subsequently got caught napping a minute later, we had no choice but to try to open up. We had a go, but the outcome shows why Hughton is reluctant to do this in games against the top six. When you allow them the space to play, they can move the ball like lightning. If you are stretching to force a result and give the ball away, they will hurt you.

Despite the result, it was good to see us have a go, and it showed that we can create chances against very good sides. It's just that, if you are going to get anything when going toe to toe in an attacking match with these sides, you need absolutely all the margins to go your way: all of our players would need to play very well, nobody should give the ball away, every chance created needs to be taken and even then the opposition need to have an off day. None of this happened today, but I'm confident that Hughton will ensure that nobody lets their head go down after this, in the same way, that he will make sure that nobody gets carried away if and when we get a result in one of these matches.

 

[Nixonator]

I didn't think Liverpool played particularly well, however managed to score 5 and to be honest if they had been on song it could have been a cricket score. The had a fabulous group of subs to come in too...

I have changed my mind about better players...cutinho was the best player I have seen at the Amex. He was incredible today and you can see why Liverpool want to hold on to him and why Barca offered somewhere around 120million. Absolute class player.

We had our chances and with a bit of much may have scored a couple, BUT we mustn't be lured into fans pretences...they were a different league to us today. On the busses today a couple were suggesting that we looked the better side and should have won. We really were not!

Just to open up the debate, would you prefer to stay in this division fighting for survival every year with no real chance of winning anything or to be fighting for promotion in the championship? We also had this discussion on the bus.

150M rated player rested in previous match running rings around us in the last 10 mins. Absolute shocker.

They were on song, and conceding 5 goals absolutely flattered them. We have ourselves to blame from conceding a goal from a corner to ****ing liverpool, Chris was absolutely furious on the touchline like I've never seen him before.

Meanwhile we're playing the same 11-13 players 3 times in a week. Could it possibly be that their budget is 20 times ours?

 

[Stat Brother]

I too found Liverpool an odd watch.

They were nothing special until the moment the Albion overplayed their hand, instantly Liverpool looked like world beaters.
They certainly weren't flat track bullies, more like a pack of hunting lioness'

I can't see them beating the best in England or Europe but clearly, when they need to be, they are a class or two above the bulk of this division.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Stephens stood out for me too ... as the worst player on the pitch. He gave the ball away almost every time he touched it. Awful performance today.

And the only "working their socks off" that Brighton did was figuring out yet another way to give the ball away.

Is the accurate assessment. Stephens 20 yard pass along the ground, from penalty arc to centre circle, which was intercepted, was the most stupid thing I’ve seen one of our players do this season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Weststander]

150M rated player rested in previous match running rings around us in the last 10 mins. Absolute shocker.

They were on song, and conceding 5 goals absolutely flattered them. We have ourselves to blame from conceding a goal from a corner to ****ing liverpool, Chris was absolutely furious on the touchline like I've never seen him before.

Meanwhile we're playing the same 11-13 players 3 times in a week. Could it possibly be that their budget is 20 times ours?

A pint of bitter should wash the 5-1 down.

Ignore the pro London hacks narrative of "Liverpool are awful" and they've been playing well/scoring for fun.

Until we've had a few PL windows to get better forwards, creators, etc in, unfortunately these drubbings are always on the cards.

Even Arsenal have conceded 3 at home tonight, after spending fortunes.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Stephens stood out for me too ... as the worst player on the pitch. He gave the ball away almost every time he touched it. Awful performance today.

His form has noticeably dipped in recent games, WAY too many straightforward passes going astray. And still he gets Man Of The Match today. Bizarre!

 

[Nixonator]

A pint of bitter should wash the 5-1 down.

Ignore the pro London hacks narrative of "Liverpool are awful" and they've been playing well/scoring for fun.

Until we've had a few PL windows to get better forwards, creators, etc in, unfortunately these drubbings are always on the cards.

Even Arsenal have conceded 3 at home tonight, after spending fortunes.

I don't think liverpool are awful. They are probably the side I have feared the most with their high press but are also the side we should have feared the least from corners/set pieces at home this season. We undid half an hour of good work by conceding direct from a corner. It appears I wasn't the only one to understand the significance of this, as our manager was apoplectically raging on the touchline.

 

[oldboyroy]

must admit I have not been impressed with Stephens in most games so far I think he ponders on the ball to much and too many stray passes which get punished ruthlessly in this league