KZNSeagull
Well-known member
Thanks to the internet I got my first look at a whole game of Oscar Garcia's Brighton team last night.
The obvious difference between last year and this is the speed. The team certainly play a more direct uptempo game yet still concentrating on the short pass. Is this better? Well, its better on the eye certainly as it makes the game more exciting..... and more risky. perhaps when weve got all the injured players back this tactic will take off but last night I could not but wince at the mischosen passes (completed but the wrong pass), the rushing around occasionally like headless chickens and our truly awful set pieces (a major step back from last year).
I thought Gus style of play was initially dictated by the quality of players at our disposal..... better to take care with possession and passing with our level of players.... an idea which may have outgrown itself by last season when the quality of the team was much higher.... with the eleven we have playing now though this quicker direct style may cause ourselves problems against teams like Watford that can punish us.
The team (no numbers as numbers mean nothing)
PIG - always one of my favourites did fine last night but he is a bit of a moaner.No chance with the goal OOPs forgot the flap,,,,, will forgive him that for being PIG
Bruno - lucky to stay on.... very reckless last night and although ocassionally a danger in the opposing half. One or two good tackles so a mixed bag from him
Ward - unlucky with the goal... couple of good crosses and generally did ok... hope injury isnt a problem because then its..... Chicksen !!!
Greer - lucky man!!! Needs to play with BOTH feet! Generally dependable but tricky quick wingers do undo him
Upson - quiet but did his job
JFC - I am probably in a minority of one but do think its B2B midfielders we need (ie a quicker forward passing Hammond) and JFC does fit that bill. You wont see that much of him in a game but everything he does is tidy and with experience the chances and the goals will come..... his set piece taking needs serious work though. Not a finished product but like the look of him.
Crofts - Good game, dangerous probably our MOM and the second of our needed B2Bs
Andrews - of the three I thought he was the least impressive. Ok but...
Buckley - also a very good game. Really dangerous and seemingly back to his best.... no better crossing and shooting and the old Buckers is back. BTW him and Crofts for MOM
Barnes - hes not strong enough for the Ulloa role and he is definately having a porblem scoring but his harassing and link up work was excellent. Afraid though for his future at the Albion as I suspect he is the wrong type of player to hold down a place. Soemwhere he is goign to do very well, though
Conway - patchy, good at times at everything but not consistent
Lita - he is so obviously not match fit (the danger so loans... by the time they are fit the loan is over) but is the closest to Ulloa well probably find right now. Good cross to set up Crofts chance but needs time and perhaps hasnt got it.
Calderon - fizzed and buzzed int he time remaining but to no real avail
I would say that we looked more threatening and contained them better than the last time we played them at home.
I thought the defence and defensive midfielders broke up the play well and were often first to the loose ball.
Bruno and Buckley combined well and Barnes did well too.
Upson is a very efficient defender and as such, maybe does not look good when he actually is.
Crofts was good and JFC was too in patches.
All in all, I thought it was a decent team performance, nothing like as bad as I thought it would be having read NSC for the last few weeks. Other than the missing playewrs back (Ulloa and Orlandi in particular), confidence and belief are the two things we need to move on, I would say.