What did Gordon Strachan mean?

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

On the ITV highlights show after the Brighton game, the presenter said "Brighton were good" and Strachan replied "Brighton were good at what they do - but if you allow them to do what they do then you have problems".

It was very qualified agreement. What did he mean?

 

[Mackenzie]

Possession football.

 

[junior]

I just took it that it was because he didn't want to fully admit that we are f***ing amazing!

 

[stss30]

I think he meant very few Newcastle players were pressurizing us enough.

 

[BensGrandad]

That Newcastle allowed us time on the ball which many other teams that come to The Amex don't they just shut up shop and rely on a break away after absorbing pressure.

 

[mune ni kamome]

I noticed that too. Clearly doesn't agree with the way we play.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I appreciate that MacKenzie - but was there implied criticism in his comment? Not sure what is to criticise.

 

[R. Slicker]

There seems to be a feeling within the game, that we can be stopped if other teams 'get about us' . Whether they are right or not, I don't know, as we seem to keep getting results.

 

[wadhurstseagull]

He was commenting on what many sides have identified when visiting the Amex this season - don't give us time in the ball and our game plan crumbles, we sit very deep in defence, make silly mistakes and concede a goal. Hopefully our start to 2013 will address this.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

On the ITV highlights show after the Brighton game, the presenter said "Brighton were good" and Strachan replied "Brighton were good at what they do - but if you allow them to do what they do then you have problems".

It was very qualified agreement. What did he mean?

I noticed that, and thought it a little odd, but I think he just meant that we have a distinctive style, and if we're given the space and time to play as we want, we're pretty good at it. Teams that close us down quickly and don't give us the space we want give us a problem.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

So he's suggesting that Newcastle allowed us to be good - and should have pressed us. Can't disagree with that. Ipswich made the same mistake and were taken apart despite us having only four on target shots. How we cope when pressed will dictate the rest of our season.

 

[jevs]

He meant that if the opposition don't do their homework on how BHA play, they will get slaughtered.

You are a very good passing side when allowed to pass, stop the passing and mess up your game plan and there's a chance of a win. Most teams visiting the Amex should've worked this out. Pardew obviously, to his peril, thought it would be a walk in the park for his side

 

[kevtherev]

It's obvious what he meant. If you stop us playing our game and press us hard. Then we have a problem, if you don't then the chances are we will make the other team pay. I expect we slip under a lot of prem managers radar, as they probably think they have the quality to out play us(which a lot don't, look at Swansea last season)..But in the championship the word is out, that's WHY we need another way of playing to fall back on, so we can mix it up a bit and give teams something else to thing about.

 

[Mackenzie]

I appreciate that MacKenzie - but was there implied criticism in his comment? Not sure what is to criticise.

Perhaps he doesn't appreciate the knocking it along the back line waiting for an opening approach, and wants it played forward sooner. Strachan was quite a cultured footballer, but generally we are still playing in an era of kick and rush football. Our continental style did take us (fans) a while to adjust to, and even now you hear the odd 'get it forward' shout.

It was quite a pointed comment, and facial expression.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I think he´s right. If other teams let us play we will dominate them and probably win, even though we still struggle to convert the chances we make.

But more teams are coming up with a plan to stop us playing and we haven´t yet worked out ways to win if they do that successfully.

In my opinion that´s the next step. Gus has said he´s happy as long as he sees us improving, and I´m sure he´s working on that. Once we can develop our normal game so we can unlock teams who try to stop us, and improve our finishing, the future looks very bright indeed.

 

[Commander]

It's obvious what he meant. If you stop us playing our game and press us hard. Then we have a problem, if you don't then the chances are we will make the other team pay. I expect we slip under a lot of prem managers radar, as they probably think they have the quality to out play us(which a lot don't, look at Swansea last season)..But in the championship the word is out, that's WHY we need another way of playing to fall back on, so we can mix it up a bit and give teams something else to thing about.

I disagree. I think we need to get a couple more quality players in and get better at playing the way we currently play. I'd much rather we did that.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I think the only way you can overcome teams closing you quickly is for the players around the ball to be quick to offer numerous passing angles to give options for the man on the ball

 

[Twizzle]

It's an obvious cliche` though. Same goes for every side!
Stop them doing what 'they do'? Shirley Knott??

 

[Beach Hut]

One thing is for certain on the later highlights show I rarely ever rate Townsend but he got it spot on with his comments on Pardew namely he played an understrength team to prove to his Chairman they need to invest in better quality players to remain where they are in the Premiership.

 

[kevtherev]

I disagree. I think we need to get a couple more quality players in and get better at playing the way we currently play. I'd much rather we did that.

In all honesty, I think all we are really missing is a couple of players who can mix it up a bit. I NOT talking about hoofball or anything like that, just think there is room in every team, even Barcelona for a couple of players who can stand up and be counted if the going gets rough. You can't deny we are a little bit lightweight in certain areas..We don't like it up us, as someone once said...Big centre forward who can take a few knocks, maybe a old fashioned centre half and maybe a midfield general...Then we really would be the finished article at this level.