[Albion] Stoke City vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not a scapegoat BUT he was pretty shit wasn’t he ?

Who is our scapegoat then? Van Hecke?

 

[Eric the meek]

I'm surprised at all the whinging on here. Yes, there were individual mistakes. Defensively from Dunk and van Hecke, and half-decent chances were not converted by Mitoma, Undav, Sarmiento, Welbeck and Buonanotte. But the key takeaway here is that we were making those chances. We consistently make lots of chances, often by passing through the opposition.

Overall, I thought we played well. After all, we won, scored a well-worked goal and dominated the play with 69% possession.
At one point in the first half, we were at 82% possession.

The opposition can't hurt us if they haven't got the ball.

 

[Bodian]

The opposition can't hurt us if they haven't got the ball.

Hmm - see Fulham / Palace!

 

[Eric the meek]

Hmm - see Fulham / Palace!

I prefer to forget those. I only select data that supports my argument. That way, I keep believing I'm always right.

 

[The Seagull]

I'm surprised at all the whinging on here. Yes, there were individual mistakes. Defensively from Dunk and van Hecke, and half-decent chances were not converted by Mitoma, Undav, Sarmiento, Welbeck and Buonanotte. But the key takeaway here is that we were making those chances. We consistently make lots of chances, often by passing through the opposition.

Overall, I thought we played well. After all, we won, scored a well-worked goal and dominated the play with 69% possession.
At one point in the first half, we were at 82% possession.

The opposition can't hurt us if they haven't got the ball.

It’s a forum. Do want us all to agree and hold hands ?

 

[jcdenton08]

Not a scapegoat BUT he was pretty shit wasn’t he ?

Had another poor turnout, yes. Looks overweight as he has done since he joined.

 

[Eric the meek]

It’s a forum. Do want us all to agree and hold hands ?

Eh? Of course not. I want people who disagree with me, to take a balanced view and look at the overall result and the overall performance and not focus on individual mistakes or individuals ! It's a team game. Collective responsibility and all that.

Everyone makes mistakes. If a series of mistakes translate into long-term ineffectiveness, then that is a different matter, and you will find that individual unlikely to feature in the regular starting eleven.

 

[jcdenton08]

This is really shaping up as the complete season. Pushing for Europe, in the last eight of the FA Cup, mostly playing thrilling football AND we’ve found a player people can slag off after every appearance. Everyone’s happy!

8th in the league, with 3 games in hand on some teams around us, Quarter finals of the FA Cup and still people bleat. Priceless

Sanctimonious bollocks.

We weren’t great last night, just as we weren’t against Fulham or Palace. Looking at xg and possession levels, it’s not been a great few games. Some very average performances from key individuals (MacAllister, Ferguson, despite the goal).

It’s okay for fans to recognise and discuss a mini dip in level of performance. We will improve again but IMHO we’ve looked a bit off it for a few games now.

 

[GT49er]

Just got back home from the match which was a terrible, terrible game. It was as bad as some of the worst in the early days at the Amex when Poyet was in charge. We just hung onto the ball for the sake of it. There was no imagination, no invention and we seem to be going backwards in style as well as in practice. Tonight we had three gears, slow, slower and backwards. What has happened to the slick interchanges out wide, do we miss Trossard that much that we have changed our style so much?
As for man of the match, it would be very difficult to pick one.
For me it was like watching the 5th form taking on the fourth form at school. Everyone posing around opting for the easy ball to feet, stop, look up, sideways, sideways, backwards and repeat.
God, it was crap.

This doesn't really relate to some of the comments from the other side. "f*** me, we've never felt further away from the PL. Brighton ping it around like Brazil!" was one of my favourites.

We pinged it around 69% of the match, scored a super goal (and were close to two or three more), we played a few youngsters and won the match! OK, we failed miserably to slaughter them 6-0 - but aren't some people now in danger of getting just a teeny-weeny bit too entitled..........

P.S. Oh, so there is a swear filter on here after all!

 

[Napper]

Should of been more comfortable but got the job done.

What struck me was the state of Stoke City these days. Atmosphere always used to be guarenteed there , instead , Empty seats , barely any noise until they had a bit of a go last 15. Team full of limited thugs. General doom surrounding the place.

They look in a bad place as a club

 

[sully]

Should of been more comfortable but got the job done.

What struck me was the state of Stoke City these days. Atmosphere always used to be guarenteed there , instead , Empty seats , barely any noise until they had a bit of a go last 15. Team full of limited thugs. General doom surrounding the place.

They look in a bad place as a club

From the chat we had in the pub with a local, the team and atmosphere is reflective of the city at the moment. Really suffering in the cost of living crisis.
I still expected more noise from those who were there, though.

 

[pb21]

Regarding our performance I think we really missed Estupiñán and March.

Estupiñán and Mitoma link up so well, it's like having three players on the left and March always gives 100% and creates a lot by being so active, coupled with being in prime form recently.

 

[Nobby]

It’s a forum. Do want us all to agree and hold hands ?

I think that would be fun

 

[Justice]

It

This doesn't really relate to some of the comments from the other side. "f*** me, we've never felt further away from the PL. Brighton ping it round like Brazil!" was one of my favourites.

We pinged it around 69% of the match, scored a super goal (and were close to two or three more), we played a few youngsters and won the match! OK, we failed miserably to slaughter them 6-0 - but aren't some people now in danger of getting just a teeny-weeny bit too entitled..........

P.S. Oh, so there is a swear filter on here after all!

I agree with this, it looked like a training match until the subs were made. What is a concern is that’s our bench in the PL Sarmiento is ok the other two South Americans need to bulk up and taken out of the lime light like Alexis had to and to an extent Trossard.
The only trouble with that is because of the blinkered transfer policy we are short on first team players.

 

[jcdenton08]

Regarding our performance I think we really missed Estupinan and March.

Estupinan and Mitoma link up so well, it's like having three players on the left and March always gives 100% and creates a lot by being so active, coupled with being in prime form recently.

When we were sub-par prior we missed Caicedo. Prior to that we missed Welbeck. We can’t keep worrying about this stuff, they gotta improve together as a squad. Our biggest problems tonight were very ineffective finishing and too many touches at centre back; especially from our captain. Plus our World Cup winner was bang average - again. Hard to legislate for that, we either drop him or hope he comes good again.

To push for Europe we must improve.

 

[drew]

Got back home around 1:30. Thought the game from us was poor, The first half reminded me of El Abd to Greer to El Abd to Greer etc etc. Thought it was our worst performance of the season but agree there were worse under Hughton. Most disappointing was finding the bloody M25 closed on the way back.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Sanctimonious bollocks.

We weren’t great last night, just as we weren’t against Fulham or Palace. Looking at xg and possession levels, it’s not been a great few games. Some very average performances from key individuals (MacAllister, Ferguson, despite the goal).

It’s okay for fans to recognise and discuss a mini dip in level of performance. We will improve again but IMHO we’ve looked a bit off it for a few games now.

It's not bollocks at all.

The last three games have all been fairly different. Played Palace off the park but were undone by an inexplicable VAR error and inexplicable keeper error, as well as Mac missing a free header from four yards. On another day we take our chances and beat Fulham too. Last night was the worst of the three performances but we got a result, despite missing March and Estupiñán, probably our two best players since the World Cup restart.

It's pretty much factual that we're in the 8 best sides in the whole country right now.

 

[Is it PotG?]

When we were sub-par prior we missed Caicedo. Prior to that we missed Welbeck. We can’t keep worrying about this stuff, they gotta improve together as a squad. Our biggest problems tonight were very ineffective finishing and too many touches at centre back; especially from our captain. Plus our World Cup winner was bang average - again. Hard to legislate for that, we either drop him or hope he comes good again.

To push for Europe we must improve.

Pretty much this, and don't even start me on Undav.

 

[Eric the meek]

When we were sub-par prior we missed Caicedo. Prior to that we missed Welbeck. We can’t keep worrying about this stuff, they gotta improve together as a squad. Our biggest problems tonight were very ineffective finishing and too many touches at centre back; especially from our captain. Plus our World Cup winner was bang average - again. Hard to legislate for that, we either drop him or hope he comes good again.

To push for Europe we must improve.

I've been wondering about our squad depth as we approach the business end of the season. I think @pb21 is absolutely spot on in that we missed Solly and Estupinan. They give us width and therefore stretch the opposition back line, creating space for others to make runs. With injuries, our diminishing options are becoming a problem, just when we need all guns blazing.

I disagree with your comment about Dunk having too many touches, for that is key to De Zerbi ball. Dunk gets it and is carrying out RDZ's instructions. Yes, it's high risk but it's also high reward. Throughout the game, Dunk was looking for the right pass to Mitoma; when it came, it worked like a dream, straight off the training ground.

 

[jcdenton08]

It's not bollocks at all.

The last three games have all been fairly different. Played Palace off the park but were undone by an inexplicable VAR error and inexplicable keeper error, as well as Mac missing a free header from four yards. On another day we take our chances and beat Fulham too. Last night was the worst of the three performances but we got a result, despite missing March and Estupiñán, probably our two best players since the World Cup restart.

It's pretty much factual that we're in the 8 best sides in the whole country right now.

What you’ve done there is you’ve tacked on an incontrovertible statement into a separate paragraph, at the end of the post. I disagree with points made in the bulk of your reply, but you’ll get “likes” because any disagreement will be seen as disputing your final sentence.

A sentence you gave it’s own paragraph to for effect - much like I’m doing now.