Were they that good, or were we that bad ?

[mune ni kamome]

It's not, we've been drifting gash-ward since the second half against Rotherham

True I'm afraid. Even Rotherham sliced through our defence several times in that second half for one on one chances. We failed by the slenderest of margins last season and it's going to take a massive effort by those same players to get themselves mentally up for another promotion challenge.

 

[nwgull]

Until they scored they were nothing special. And then we seemed to suffer under the weight of expectation, getting worse and worse. Thought Hogan exploited the lack of understanding between Bruno and Duffy very well by drifting wide in the first half i.e. Duffy doesn't understand yet that the way we play, he can't expect Bruno to be at right back.

That is actually true. Their first goal was their first shot of any description and was against the run of play. We'd attacked enough to get 4-5 corners up to that point. However for all of them, for whatever reason, we tried to do clever short corner bollocks. Getting set pieces into the box wa a strength of ours, wasn't it?

 

[pasty]

They were average. We were shit. Ho hum. Roll on Tuesday.

 

[mooey]

Thought we had enough chance s to bury them tbh just lacked the finishing.also the midfield looked disjointed I like to have seen kaz on for Murphy didnt get invovled enough for me today and apart from knockhart we lacked a Spark.its only one game I think we will still make top 6 this season idbe happy with that

 

[crasher]

They were tactically better than us. Hogan was their lone striker/most advanced player and in the first half he played all the time wide left. Which meant he regularly got in behind our attacking right back (Bruno) when they broke.

That's how the first goal came, and he could have a second in the first half but for a Stockdale save.

So bad as we were, you also have to give Dean Smith tactical credit.

 

[wellquickwoody]

They came to disrupt, harry and niggle and be difficult to play against. We didn't turn up.

 

[banjo]

Poor today, pretty clueless. Bad day at the office.

 

[portslade seagull]

We had no answer to their quick breaks. Totally mesmerised by them. Our attacks seemed pedestrian in comparison

 

[sllugaes]

Have always liked Woods, he has on the last couple of meetings, dominated our midfield. Neat and tidy little player with huge energy, and a commitment to close us down in the middle of the park. Yes we were poor in all departments (bar dunk) although credit to Brentford made has pay with their movement, hurrying, and general play. Having said that, they will not be nop six come the end of the season.

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[binky]

Well, that was the most disappointed I've been with a performance at the Amex since we lost to Palace in the payoff semis under Gus.

HOWEVER, Just before they scored, I said to the young lady sitting next to me, that if we scored first, we would have a hatful, but if they did, it would be a long road back. (and so it proved).

The very first time Hogan got loose down the left, I thought that Bruno would have to sit a bit deeper than usual to contain what was clearly a threat.
He didn't, and the next time Hogan had a run on the keeper, he finished well.
After that, I though that Bruno would sit deeper, him being a defender and all, but he didn't, and for the second goal, I would say that not having Bruno in place cost us.

Brentford weren't all that, but they came to niggle us. Pulling, pushing, little niggling taps on the ankles, and even some outrageous pushing.
The referee did us no favours by letting that degree of gamesmanship go without punishment.

We should have stepped up OUR play, and moved into second gear to combat the Brentford play, but we didn't.
I thought only Knocky, Dunk, and perhaps controversially, Murray were fit to wear the shirt today.
The rest just didn't turn up and want to fight for the right to play.

Perhaps there is a bit of complacency in the squad, believing that we are pretty good after what we achieved last year, but forgetting that we got there on the back of a 21 game unbeaten run where the team fought for every ball, and fought for each other.
On top of that, I think the Stephens affair has upset the dressing room balance and spirit.

From where I sat in the South stand, the ball appeared to have crossed the line. I was celebrating and couldn't understand why the game was continuing.
Maybe if the players were more vociferous about claiming it, the ref may have taken a moment to consider.
At one all, I'm sure the second half would have been a different game.

The players need to take a good long hard look at themselves tonight and ask themselves whether they really are up for another season long battle, or whether they are content to rest on their laurels and take the paycheck.

On another day, with a bit of luck, we might have cruised to a comfortable victory.
Once we went a goal down, we never had enough heart in the team to recover.

I'll be interested to see the goal that wasn't, and Elvis' penalty shout, for which he got booked, tonight on the tele.

But make no mistake, this wasn't a defeat by the ref and linos. We beat ourselves today by failing to fight for the right to play.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Was in Boro for a function but from what I'm reading the grind of the season is effecting the Albion. Also the fact that sides are putting focus on BHAFC and playing up to a higher level against one of the better teams in the Championship.

 

[AlastairWatts]

True I'm afraid. Even Rotherham sliced through our defence several times in that second half for one on one chances. We failed by the slenderest of margins last season and it's going to take a massive effort by those same players to get themselves mentally up for another promotion challenge.

Promotion challenge? Dream on - if this goes on we'll be more nervous about the other end of the table. Tactically they seemed to have no answer to a very average Brentford side. No-one seems to have pointed out (in a week when much has been made of Joe Hart's difficulties) that Stockdale's distribution was off and mostly seemed without purpose. And they still don't seem like a team to me, just a collection of individuals playing together....

 

[theboybilly]

..... he can't expect Bruno to be at right back.

Why not? I do

 

[Me and my Monkey]

Some teams are just difficult to play against for no particular reason. Brentford were distinctly average, but carved such massive holes in our defence that it was an open invitation to score. Hogan took his goals well though.

I don't think they carved any holes, I think they just fell into them.

 

[Buzzer]

Bit of both, I'd say. They had a couple of useful players - that winger on the right side and their number 9 did play very well but we were just crap right across the pitch today. No-one looked up for it and that ref and West Stand lino didn't help either with their very dodgy performances. Even Hughton looked a bit out of sorts, that's how bad it was.

 

[Bozza]

They were OK, but nothing particularly special.

We were utterly shithouse though and got what we deserved.

 

[jessiejames]

We made them look good.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

We made them look good.

This. They did next to nothing in the first half.

When we had to chase the game in the second they went a bit longer, which left us exposed.

We were very, very poor.


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[sir albion]

Christ that was horrific to watch and we just didn't look like scoring
To slow getting forward and boy we had so many underperformers it's unreal..Bruno and bong were awful and hemed and Murray were non existent.
Strange but since bong has started we've been bloody rubbish lol

 

[Pevenseagull]

Hope you get that d in English

Anyone order some punctuation?