Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Team vs Brentford ?



sir albion

New member
Jan 6, 2007
13,055
SWINDON
Skalak isn't ready to start, he's just moved country to a new division, I think he'll need at least a few weeks to bed in.
Must remember that if I take a job abroad :clap2:
Funny as don't recall any players who moved abroad in the prem etc getting a cushty 3 weeks off...We pay him and he will be ready within a week.
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,613
Chandlers Ford
Must remember that if I take a job abroad :clap2:
Funny as don't recall any players who moved abroad in the prem etc getting a cushty 3 weeks off...We pay him and he will be ready within a week.

The Czech league finished for winter break on the 6th December. He hasn't played competitive football for 8 weeks.

Bench at best.
 


Perkino

Well-known member
Dec 11, 2009
5,993
Stockdale
Bruno
Goldson
Dunk
Ridgewell
Knockart
Stephens
Kayal
Lualua
Wilson
Hemed

Manepaa, Calderon, Bong, Sidwell, Skalak, Murphy, Zamora
 


Sweeney Todd

New member
Apr 24, 2008
1,636
Oxford/Lancing
Sidwell will start, probably in place of Stephens, who needs a rest.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,459
Sūþseaxna
The Czech league finished for winter break on the 6th December. He hasn't played competitive football for 8 weeks.

Bench at best.

Good point. Is the Czech League the standard of the Belgium League (Standard Liege etc) or more like the Scottish League (Kayal etc.)?

I would give him time to acclimatise. Perhaps, unleash him at Hull.
 








Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,944
Brighton
I do not see that he does unless he hasnt recovered from his slight injury. Of late I think that he has been better than Kayal.

Stephens played possibly his worst game to date vs Hudds before being taken off at half time. It may be that part of the reason for the poor performance was a knock he took, but he looked very lethargic throughout and lost the ball for their goal.
 




Chinman3000

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
1,267
I still don’t agree with the whole ‘Hemed gets into good positions’ argument. The league is won on goals and points I’m afraid, not who had the best stats.

I hope to see both Sidwell and Skalak Friday though, if for nothing more than a bit of exciting ‘let’s see how they do’.
 
Last edited:


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,722
Cowfold
The Czech league finished for winter break on the 6th December. He hasn't played competitive football for 8 weeks.

Bench at best.

Absolutely this. The guy doesn't even know how to pronounce his team mates names yet. Playing him now would be a totally retrograde step, we would'nt be seeing the best of the player at all.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,459
Sūþseaxna
Stephens and Kayal are doing the job of three midfielders. It is no wonder that the edge has gone off their game as they are allocated too much work to do by 4-2-4 (called 4-4-2),
Sidwell in addition to Stephens and Kayal, especially against a midfield heavy team like Brentford. Drop one of the forwards (I'd drop Jamie Murphy) and push Stephens and Kayal into more advanced areas.

Brentford have now lost all of their best players except Judge.
Enough to make their fans despondent http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/spor...brentford-transfers-bees-strong-areas-9623664

I hope they finish above QPR though.
 




clippedgull

Hotdogs, extra onions
Aug 11, 2003
20,789
Near Ducks, Geese, and Seagulls
Absolutely this. The guy doesn't even know how to pronounce his team mates names yet. Playing him now would be a totally retrograde step, we would'nt be seeing the best of the player at all.

Even a slightly less fit Skalak would be a better starting option than Murphy right now!

Or of course, Murphy (seeing proper competition for his place) might up his game. so I guess and hope its a win/win for Hughton and us!
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,459
Sūþseaxna
I still don’t agree with the whole ‘Hemed gets into good positions’ argument. The league is won on goals and points I’m afraid, not who had the best stats.

I hope to see both Sidwell and Skalak Friday though, if for nothing more than a bit of exciting ‘let’s see how they do’.

Well there is no point at crossing the ball at head height unless we have Hemed, Zamora or Wilson on from the start. If think Baldock has missed goals cause of his poor shot record (missed goodish chances), but Hemed has not got the breaks. It is not as though he has missed sitters like Barnes and CMS or missed the ball completely like Vokes did for us.

Still my patience with Hemed is running a bit thin as he does not seem to lose his marker, take the ball on the half turn and get a shot off like Bobby Zamora. Our crosses this season have been generally poor so he has not had that may chances to convert.
 


Dec 29, 2011
8,037
Must remember that if I take a job abroad :clap2:
Funny as don't recall any players who moved abroad in the prem etc getting a cushty 3 weeks off...We pay him and he will be ready within a week.

You sound like you've never even played football. Players can't just walk into a team and play their best infront of 25,000 people. He doesn't know any of the players names, what they're good and bad at, what the opposition will be like, what his expected role in the team is. Football isn't a game for individuals, he can't just come over here and perform like he did with his old team he will need time to learn about how Brighton play. On top of that his English isn't great and he may struggle to communicate with the manager and the other players.
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
You sound like you've never even played football. Players can't just walk into a team and play their best infront of 25,000 people. He doesn't know any of the players names, what they're good and bad at, what the opposition will be like, what his expected role in the team is. Football isn't a game for individuals, he can't just come over here and perform like he did with his old team he will need time to learn about how Brighton play. On top of that his English isn't great and he may struggle to communicate with the manager and the other players.

Could employ Peter Brezovan as a translator
 




sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
3,780
Still my patience with Hemed is running a bit thin as he does not seem to lose his marker, take the ball on the half turn and get a shot off like Bobby Zamora. Our crosses this season have been generally poor so he has not had that may chances to convert.

Most "good" crosses are made as such by the movement of the striker into space to allow said striker to get the chance. Very rarely does a cross itself make the chance.

And therein lies my biggest issue with Hemed - his movement is diabolical. He rarely pulls away from his man and he's the type of striker that makes crosses look "bad". If you want an example of what I mean, look at Wilson's last goal. Knockaert's cross was into a decent area, it was neither "good" nor "bad". But Wilson made it look good because of his movement. That's the type of thing Hemed doesn't do nearly enough considering the players we have creating for him.
 






Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,772
Fiveways
Sidwell will start, probably in place of Stephens, who needs a rest.

They've all just had two weeks off. Stephens has had a rest and recuperated. The question is whether he's got over that knock he picked up against Hudds. If Stephens is not fit, I'm not entirely convinced that Sidwell will start, because he hasn't played for ages, with Crofts the more likely replacement.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,459
Sūþseaxna
Most "good" crosses are made as such by the movement of the striker into space to allow said striker to get the chance. Very rarely does a cross itself make the chance.

And therein lies my biggest issue with Hemed - his movement is diabolical. He rarely pulls away from his man and he's the type of striker that makes crosses look "bad". If you want an example of what I mean, look at Wilson's last goal. Knockaert's cross was into a decent area, it was neither "good" nor "bad". But Wilson made it look good because of his movement. That's the type of thing Hemed doesn't do nearly enough considering the players we have creating for him.

If we have a goalkeeping coach, I always thought we should have a specialised attacking coach. Practice moves and set pieces. Mostly I would like to see Lualua playing more centrally, running into space, running the channels and getting into the penalty area. Not so many hoofs to Hemed in the air as a target man. It is like giving the ball away. Better to pass it wide and having Wilson running into space.
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here