Was Steve Claridge right all along?

[Monkey Man]

He got some stick last year when he said Brighton's pretty passing game would not be as effective in the Championship as it had been in League One. But does he have a point?

Last night, and a few times in recent games, we've been doing all the patient, building-from-the-back and then back to Ankergren again stuff, only to lose the ball when some opposition midfielders outmuscle us.

I'm a convert to Gus's way of playing, and against many teams it works. But I still think we need some midfield enforcers, with a bit of height and muscle, to cope with the physical nature of this league. We have some skilful ball players but as a unit we're too lightweight.

 

[Samej]

He got some stick last year when he said Brighton's pretty passing game would not be as effective in the Championship as it had been in League One. But does he have a point?

Last night, and a few times in recent games, we've been doing all the patient, building-from-the-back and then back to Ankergren again stuff, only to lose the ball when some opposition midfielders outmuscle us.

I'm a convert to Gus's way of playing, and against many teams it works. But I still think we need some midfield enforcers, with a bit of height and muscle, to cope with the physical nature of this league. We have some skilful ball players but as a unit we're too lightweight.

The passing was fine they need to grow some bollocks and have a shot from distance now and then,and Ankers needs to attend the Gus team talks.

 

[Paddy B]

Its not the pretty passing that is the problem, but the speed of passing and the movement off the ball. We need to inject some urgency into the play without sacrificing our principles.

 

[The Large One]

Its not the pretty passing that is the problem, but the speed of passing and the movement off the ball. We need to inject some urgency into the play without sacrificing our principles.

This.

 

[pishhead]

Teams have of days thats a reality of football. The difference between a good team and a great team is how they bounce back, we know this team has the ability to bounce back it's now up to the players to prove they have the bollocks to come back from a bad day at the office. The thing that was perhaps more worrying last night was the lack of chances created.

 

[perseus]

He got some stick last year when he said Brighton's pretty passing game would not be as effective in the Championship as it had been in League One. But does he have a point?

Last night, and a few times in recent games, we've been doing all the patient, building-from-the-back and then back to Ankergren again stuff, only to lose the ball when some opposition midfielders outmuscle us.

I'm a convert to Gus's way of playing, and against many teams it works. But I still think we need some midfield enforcers, with a bit of height and muscle, to cope with the physical nature of this league. We have some skilful ball players but as a unit we're too lightweight.

Whilst tending to agree with you, the "tippy-tappy" style means the ball is meant to do the work and if we have the ball we do not need an enforcer. The idea is to keep hold of the ball.

 

[Quagmire]

We didn't get the chance to play our passing football, once we scored the goal palace slowly but surely took control of the game - pinning us back into our own half. We couldn't get the ball to the right area's to make anything happen once palace put the pressure on.

 

[Danny-Boy]

Whilst tending to agree with you, the "tippy-tappy" style means the ball is meant to do the work and if we have the ball we do not need an enforcer. The idea is to keep hold of the ball.

Liverpool proved "tippy-tap" does not win out to sides that press in midfield. I think MK Dons tried the same last year. Sounds like Ankergren's distribution ain't too good either.

 

[Seagulltonian]

Its not the pretty passing that is the problem, but the speed of passing and the movement off the ball. We need to inject some urgency into the play without sacrificing our principles.

Agreed. There were times we should have gone forward quickly, to expose the space left at the back.

I thought Palace were the first team this season to suss how we play, and they managed to close us down a lot more than other teams have, in games that I've seen this season. They didn't give us much time on the ball to allow us our passing game in the second half at all.

 

[Simster]

Its not the pretty passing that is the problem, but the speed of passing and the movement off the ball. We need to inject some urgency into the play without sacrificing our principles.

Whilst this is certainly true, I'm fairly sure we actually mixed up our play a lot more last season. There were times when the long pass was played from defence or goalkeeper, and I haven't see that this season.

But the fact of the matter is that our league record is 5-2-2 and we beat Premiership Sunderland too. I'm not yet convinced we've come unstuck.

 

[Icy Gull]

Whilst tending to agree with you, the "tippy-tappy" style means the ball is meant to do the work and if we have the ball we do not need an enforcer. The idea is to keep hold of the ball.

When pressed by fit and robust players we don't keep hold of the ball because we aren't strong enough. Stoke exposed our fragility last season and it was brushed under the carpet as "oh well they are a Premiership side". We definitely need more players of the Bridcutt ilk.

I am resigned to us being a mid to lower league club until we can afford/find the more robust skilful players. We will win some games in style but we'll also be out muscled and out fought quite often byt he better teams imo.

 

[Monkey Man]

Whilst tending to agree with you, the "tippy-tappy" style means the ball is meant to do the work and if we have the ball we do not need an enforcer. The idea is to keep hold of the ball.

That certainly is the idea!

Trouble is the reality is more complicated than that, and when we lose the ball in our own half during an exhibition of our crisp one-touch passing we always look vulnerable. It's infinitely better than the hopeful hoofing of old but too often we lose our shape and momentum when teams get physical with us.

 

[British Bulldog]

Our style of football will win through in the end but it will take time, Lets not forget the vast majority of our squad were last seasons League one players who are still learning and coming to terms with life in the Championship so it's not going to come together overnight and there will be up's and down's. If somebody had said to me before the season started that at this stage we would be sitting in 5th place as well as having beaten Sunderland and pushing Liverpool all the way I'd never have believed them.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Certainly last night, our forwards were getting bored with the passing along the back. You could see at one point barnes and mac smith standing next to each other shaking their heads.

It's all very well passing it along the back so long as you then bring the midfield in to play and it leads to attack. Last night, it went along the back many times, ankeran hoofed it to their defenders and then we were ripped apart by them coming forward at pace.

Tippy tappy football is great if it leads to a clear opportunity to do it for the sake of it, ie killing the game after 10 minutes is just plain lunacy.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I think Brighton are missing a massive Beast in the middle, sadly all the good sides in the league have one to win the ball, the midfield was too light weight

 

[jcdenton08]

Whilst tending to agree with you, the "tippy-tappy" style means the ball is meant to do the work and if we have the ball we do not need an enforcer. The idea is to keep hold of the ball.

Tiki-taka

 

[fly high]

Whilst this is certainly true, I'm fairly sure we actually mixed up our play a lot more last season. There were times when the long pass was played from defence or goalkeeper, and I haven't see that this season.

But the fact of the matter is that our league record is 5-2-2 and we beat Premiership Sunderland too. I'm not yet convinced we've come unstuck.

Even in the games we've won we get caught too often, losing possession on our own half, too slow to move ball around we drop back deeper & deeper then play a ball to a marked midfielder. Haven’t conceded because opposition haven’t had their shooting boots on. Sadly Palarse has watch us & sussed us out, other will too if we don’t up or game.

 

[jcdenton08]

Liverpool proved "tippy-tap" does not win out to sides that press in midfield. I think MK Dons tried the same last year. Sounds like Ankergren's distribution ain't too good either.

Tiki-taka

 

[Acker79]

No. The passing game can help you succeed in this division, swansea showed that. Maybe some of our players will struggle, but he didn't criticise our players he criticised the passing game.

 

[Commander]

It seems to work for Barcelona. Or, let me guess, they'd struggle on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke.

This is why England cant win the World Cup, because the majority of people in this country still don't understand how to play the game properly.