Reasons Why Grounds Are Half Empty.....

[coach03]

.........Burnley !

Or at least that attitude

What a disgraceful exhibition of a singular lack of ambition. And that from a team who used to pride themselves on the finer points of the game and who used to turn out quality players like it was a production line.

I accept that we were relatively toothless, but did Burnley have one shot all game? I'd be surprised if they had.

We pay somehwere between £21 and £24 per game (depending if you're a season ticket holder) and some muppet decides to travel 275 miles on a cold midweek and put up that show of inanity to deny the paying punter any idea of value for money or entertainment?!

Good Grief, Charlie Brown................


.........................................................and relax..........

 

[glasfryn]

calm down mate you could have been born in sunderland and have a state of the art stadium and a crap team and pay more and have to walk out at half time because your team is being thumped by the local rivals.
and if you support the albion what else do you expect.
and I'll bet you stayed to the end?

 

[Yorkie]

No Burnley didn't have one shot on target all evening. (four off target)
On the other hand Albion did have four on and three off target.

 

[Beach Hut]

But we failed to score (again) and have no real striker with potential.

 

[Gwylan]

I'd be happy if we played like Burnley and got a point away from home like that.

We used to be seen as an easy three points ("we should be beating teams like Brighton") and now clubs are coming for the draw - that has to be an improvement.

If we beat Crewe, Sheff Weds and Leicester and draw all the rest of the games, we'd be safe. So, perhaps we should follow the Burnley method and just pack the midfield against Coventry on Saturday. Time for Mayo to reinforce it?

 

[Da Man Clay]

I'd be happy if we played like Burnley and got a point away from home like that.

We used to be seen as an easy three points ("we should be beating teams like Brighton") and now clubs are coming for the draw - that has to be an improvement.

If we beat Crewe, Sheff Weds and Leicester and draw all the rest of the games, we'd be safe. So, perhaps we should follow the Burnley method and just pack the midfield against Coventry on Saturday. Time for Mayo to reinforce it?

Err No, That was an wful game and i dont want to sit through anything like that again. Also when we play for a draw and lose a goal its always hard for us to come back. Id prefer us to actually try and win games than make a wall in front of goal.

 

[Gwylan]

Err No, That was an wful game and i dont want to sit through anything like that again. Also when we play for a draw and lose a goal its always hard for us to come back. Id prefer us to actually try and win games than make a wall in front of goal.

I wasn't saying we should play for a draw at home. I was making the point that if that's how other sides are going to play against us, it's not always such a bad thing.

There are a couple of winnable away games though: I'd be disappointed if we didn't try to get wins against Crewe and Millwall. But I'd be happy with a draw in any of the other games.

 

[El Turi]

I wasn't saying we should play for a draw at home. I was making the point that if that's how other sides are going to play against us, it's not always such a bad thing.

There are a couple of winnable away games though: I'd be disappointed if we didn't try to get wins against Crewe and Millwall. But I'd be happy with a draw in any of the other games.

The thing is most teams in this division have someone good enough to create something against stubborn teams. If we sit back and play for a draw on Saturday someone like McSheffery will produce a piece of magic and we'll lose.

Unfortuantely we don't have anyone that can create something out of nothing. If every team came to Withdean and played like Burnley did last night I couldn't see us scoring another goal all season.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I'd be happy if we played like Burnley and got a point away from home like that.

We used to be seen as an easy three points ("we should be beating teams like Brighton") and now clubs are coming for the draw - that has to be an improvement.

If we beat Crewe, Sheff Weds and Leicester and draw all the rest of the games, we'd be safe. So, perhaps we should follow the Burnley method and just pack the midfield against Coventry on Saturday. Time for Mayo to reinforce it?

Bit of a false analogy. We'd be happy now if we played like that and got a point. But if we were mid table like Burnley, we would be up in arms about going to the 4th bottom team and defending like we were playing Man U.

 

[Gwylan]

The thing is most teams in this division have someone good enough to create something against stubborn teams. If we sit back and play for a draw on Saturday someone like McSheffery will produce a piece of magic and we'll lose.

Unfortuantely we don't have anyone that can create something out of nothing. If every team came to Withdean and played like Burnley did last night I couldn't see us scoring another goal all season.

Of course; it is a risky approach, particularly if they score in the last minute as Southampton did.

But I don't think that many of the teams that we're due to play have got anyone that good. Aren't all but one of our away games against teams outside the top 10 of the division - if they had lots of creativity, they wouldn't be in md-table or worse. Packing a midfield and putting nine men behind the ball is really difficult to play against and is worth a try.

I'm more concerned about our ability to win games at home than about our ability to get draws away. I'm pinning my hopes on teams at the bottom being desperate for a win and not playing with so many players back.

 

[Gwylan]

Bit of a false analogy. We'd be happy now if we played like that and got a point. But if we were mid table like Burnley, we would be up in arms about going to the 4th bottom team and defending like we were playing Man U.

But we're not a mid-table team. That's precisely my point - we should play in the most pragmatic manner and, as you say, we'd be happy if we ground out a point away from home.

Burnley should look at themselves though, If I were a fan of theirs, I wouldn't be happy about going to the team that were 4th from bottom and playing for a draw.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

We were the home team its up to us to break burnley down. On the other hand I am happy that Burnley possessed no goal threat whatsoever. At least it means we didnt lose.

 

[southstandandy]

The guy next to me actually fell asleep 10 mins before half time - I think that aptly summed the game up.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

reading the reports before the game, especially on Burnleys site, they are a team in turmoil in that Akimbii has gone under the nose of Cotterilland their form had dipped dramatically since Christmas, therefore they were all suggesting a rearguard action to stem the flow. Which is just what they got.

I dont understand why some people on here seem to think teams should come here and "entertain"...that is up to us.

We have gone away with the express intention of not being beat..that is the name of the game.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Surely the point is not whether or not a draw is a good result - obviously sometimes it is. It's also how you tried to play.

I don't think I've ever seen less space on a football pitch than appeared to be the case last night, and there was no one with the wit to make some.

If every football match I saw was like last night I'd stop going, it was about as entertaining as Lee Evans. At least Brighton tried, they just weren't very good. Burnley were a disgrace.

 

[Infernal Optimist]

The fact is Burnley deserved to lose for the way they approached the game. We weren't good enough to ensure that they did.

Lets be honest, if we were still playing now we wouldn't have scored. Without a CF we are going to be relegated. If anyone needed a demonstration of that, last night's game was it.

Hart cannot score consistantly at this level. Carole is a winger, and is playing like one. CKR plays in fits and starts, as befits a player of his age and experience, McGammon isn't good enough, on what I've seen, the Argie never seems to be fit, Jake? Sorry I can't see what the fuss is about, good movement, but no pace, first touch or finishing ability at this level. He needs a spell on loan in Div1/2 to see if he can improve these qualities. Also he HAS to play off a big man to give him a chance.

The midfield also desperately needs a creative passer of the ball. Frutos and Carole are our only outlets and both of them want to get out wide and attack the space behind the full back.

Hammond did OK last night, but Reid is limited and on the last few performances I'm afraid Chippy's time has come...

Defensively, you can't have many complaints when the opposition doesn't have a shot on target and Lynch really looks like he has something. El Abd is looking the part too.

 

[Uncle C]

I think the reason for the empty seats last night was the lack of signings.
People were feeling a bit down and either didn't bother going or went and coudn't be bothered to produce an atmosphere.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

....are.

1. It's the middle of winter and it's freezing cold.

2. It was a Tuesday night and we were playing Burnley, who haven't been a BIG name in football for over 50 years.

3. Spurs were on the box.

 

[Gwylan]

3. Spurs were on the box.

That sounds like a pretty good reason to get out of the house.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

That sounds like a pretty good reason to get out of the house.

For you and me maybe, but there are plenty of closet spurs fans amongst the Albion faithful.

Or are you a closet Gooner?