Lazio Friendly

[Thunder Bolt]

Knockheart took a nasty kick to his achilles, which happened right in front of us. The ref didn't see it, and he was quieter for the rest of the game because of it. He was hobbling at first but seemed to run it off later.
I though Ince had a good game, one stray pass aside, but like a previous poster said, Hemed & Murray are not the right mix.


As far as transport goes, getting a train to Falmer wasn't a problem, but we had to queue for quite a while to get one home again,at least they were running.

 

[dazzer6666]

Ok runout for a few to get match fitness, can't imagine we learned a lot. For parts of the game we pinged it around pretty well and easily matched them. Their goal should never have been allowed. Bruno was fantastic, and along with Dunk, Rosenior, Bong, Kayal, Stephens and Knocky confirmed they are nailed-on starters assuming available. Ince and Manu are probably not good enough, Murray is a bit lazy and Murphy needs to stay a bit wider. Like I said, nothing learned really, we'll be challenging at the top end somwhere.

Edit - and as regards transport, avoided the trains and parked near Woodingdean. 20 min walk to the car on a lovely afternoon. Might do it more often.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

[tweet]759807980229525504[/tweet]

 

[Gazwag]

I fancied a cheeseburger today but they had run out. So I went for the guest pie - butter chicken it was very nice. Trains were good getting there but eventually got one back to Lewes at 17.30. Quite warm in WSL good to see so many making their amex debut Inc. Rooney. Good to see the shop so busy, there was a Chelsea supporting dad spending £35 on an away shirt for his small son which was good. Murray should of scored in the first minute and Sidwell had three bags of sweets but that was about that.

 

[Machiavelli]

anyone notice Onazi at the end of the game? couldn't shake hands with any more Brighton Players, Management, Coaches if he tried.
Apparently he is looking for a new club

Onazi was the best player on the pitch. Everything went through him, and his reading of the game was superb.

 

[Arkwright]

While it's great to get the likes of Lazio for pre season games I do question whether it is of any benefit to our play as we chased shadows for ninety minutes. I thought Lazio were a quality outfit, we worked hard but offered very little iin the final third.

Roll on the proper games.

 

[Poyningsgull]

While it's great to get the likes of Lazio for pre season games I do question whether it is of any benefit to our play as we chased shadows for ninety minutes. I thought Lazio were a quality outfit, we worked hard but offered very little iin the final third.

Roll on the proper games.

The fact we should have won 3-1 isn't important

 

[Arkwright]

The fact we should have won 3-1 isn't important

I must have missed something, other than a Murray header and Knocky shoot in the first half I can't remember much more. Lazio were a different class to us.

 

[Murray 17]

Murray is a bit lazy

I've never understood this view of him. What makes you say he's lazy?

 

[Murray 17]

Did anyone notice Akinfenwa playing for Lazio - No 7 I think.

 

[London Irish]

While it's great to get the likes of Lazio for pre season games I do question whether it is of any benefit to our play as we chased shadows for ninety minutes. I thought Lazio were a quality outfit, we worked hard but offered very little iin the final third.

Roll on the proper games.

We all see what we see but I saw us edging possession in the first half. Second half a little more scrappier as the game slowed but I'd take a re-run of Murray's two chances against Derby next week and I'd bet he'd bury at least one of them

 

[London Irish]

I must have missed something, other than a Murray header and Knocky shoot in the first half I can't remember much more. Lazio were a different class to us.

Murray shot from 6 yards out that somehow went wide, also a clear handball pen not given, both second half

 

[perseus]

While it's great to get the likes of Lazio for pre season games I do question whether it is of any benefit to our play as we chased shadows for ninety minutes. I thought Lazio were a quality outfit, we worked hard but offered very little iin the final third.

Roll on the proper games.

Decided not to risk the trains and watched it on Player.

I thought Lazio were good at keeping the ball and stopping anything through the middle, but we were the team creating the half chances from wide positions. And long shots. No threading balls to our strikers on the ground near or in their penalty area. That is understandable with Hemed and Murray up front. Only a handful of first teamers for them. http://www.gazzettaworld.com/news/serie-a/lazio/morrison-man-brighton/?refresh_ce-cp

Bong pushing forward created a good chance. Bruno did well although he should have put more distance on the header leading to their debatable goal. Debatable because of interpretation of the offside rule.

Overall, I thought whereas the Fulham game was awful, this was encouraging.

 

[Murray 17]

hopefully CH will give up on playing Hemed and Murray together.

Hemed and Murray are the best strikers at the club by some distance.

Some people say you need a taller, target man, and a shorter, quicker foil. However, that only works if the quicker guy is skillful and good at scoring goals using his pace. CMS couldn't fill this role, Baldock rarely scores, and Manu, well...

So unless we sign someone quicker who scores goals, or Harper gets a go (and he wasn't even on the bench today), I think he'll go with H&M, with Baldock on the bench.

 

[perseus]

Did anyone notice Akinfenwa playing for Lazio - No 7 I think.

I noted their number 7. The text says Kishna.

The difference is not the transfer fees paid as much as the basic wages with the fringe top flight team players. £20K pw. Promotion bonuses will push our wages total bill up though.

 

[Murray 17]

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I noted their number 7. The text says Kishna.

The difference is not the transfer fees paid as much as the basic wages with the fringe top flight team players. £20K pw. Promotion bonuses will push our wages total bill up though.

I think Lukaku may have been their 'Akinfenwa'. Looked at least a stone overweight to me.

 

[dazzer6666]

I must have missed something, other than a Murray header and Knocky shoot in the first half I can't remember much more. Lazio were a different class to us.

How many saves did Stockers have to make (excluding the goal which was highly questionable) ?

 

[perseus]

Hemed and Murray are the best strikers at the club by some distance.

Some people say you need a taller, target man, and a shorter, quicker foil. However, that only works if the quicker guy is skillful and good at scoring goals using his pace. CMS couldn't fill this role, Baldock rarely scores, and Manu, well...

So unless we sign someone quicker who scores goals, or Harper gets a go (and he wasn't even on the bench today), I think he'll go with H&M, with Baldock on the bench.

I agree. The option of threading the ball through to a small tricky striker with pace of the shoulder defender was not in a our repertoire with H & M up front.

As we can only play on one wing at a time, our spare winger could move nearer the edge of the area and run into channels. Sudden switching of the play then relies on an overlapping full back and now that Bong is fit we have this option.

So the option is not entirely reliant on a new striker if our current players can do the job

 

[Murray 17]

As we can only play on one wing at a time, our spare winger could move nearer the edge of the area and run into channels. Sudden switching of the play then relies on an overlapping full back and now that Bong is fit we have this option.

I like this idea, and with our current wingers this would work.

In the past I would not have held out much hope of us finding a decent striker in this transfer window. Now, with CH, I am a bit more confident.

 

[Arkwright]

How many saves did Stockers have to make (excluding the goal which was highly questionable) ?

Lazio played a typical Italian style, kept the ball while our Midfield worked hard to close them down. Lazio's wortkrate off the ball was huge and gave us few opportunities. Yes they didn't create a lot themselves but I thought they were as different class to us.
Kayal and Stephens looked good together as ever. Its not a doom and gloom post as we did some things well today but I do question the logic as playing preseason against a style of play we wont encounter for the rest of the season.