[Albion] This Is The Best Albion Side I have Ever Watched . . . & yet????

[Nicks]

Problem yesterday was we defended as badly as we have for a good few seasons. We should've won that 3, 4, 5 to maybe 1. Raya is an outstanding GK and their CBs are excellent and played well. Frank also got a lot of things right.
Initially yesterday I was frustrated because we should've scored more goals, but we did score 3 and had Dunk not had the worst game he has In as long as I can remember it would've been a stroll.

Dunk missed a sitter with his head in the second half

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Dunk missed a sitter with his head in the second half

At least there was some venom in Dunk's traditional header over the bar. Unlike Gross's gently headed backpass to the Brentford keeper

 

[Robinjakarta]

The OP here and @Kalimantan Gull on another thread have come up with somewhat similar threads that seem to boil down to frustration. Both contribute a lot to this forum and I think deserve a lot more slack than is the case from a few who contribute way less. I don't particularly agree with the OPs in these two threads but sure can see where they're coming from. Things are really frustrating sometimes even though we have the best side we've ever had. Strange times.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Sorry, but the longer the second half went on, the more difficult it got to break them down. Solly was doing his damnest to try and carve an opening, but for long periods it really really wasn't happening. Took some really hard graft and a penalty to salvage a point in the end. Nothing wrong with that of course, Brentford are fully worthy of their league position, same as we are

Mitoma/Dunk/Solly/Gross all had chances they should have buried in the second half.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

At least there was some venom in Dunk's traditional header over the bar. Unlike Gross's gently headed backpass to the Brentford keeper

Why he didn't let that drop and smashed it, was beyond me.
I was so relieved to see him in that position rather than anyone else....
and then a backpass header Dunk would have been proud of.

 

[Invicta]

Certainly a season we'll all remember ! Mad game yesterday. 10.3 wouldn't have been unfair!!

 

[Triggaaar]

What was it they said on MOTD last night every outfield player on the Brighton team had two shots on target and that’s a first in the history of the premiership

2 shots, not 2 on target

Edit - answered already I see

 

[Triggaaar]

At least there was some venom in Dunk's traditional header over the bar. Unlike Gross's gently headed backpass to the Brentford keeper

I think Gross thought the keeper was coming for it, and wanted to lob him. With hindsight, he could have waited for the ball to drop and volleyed it. But at the time I imagine he thought the keeper would get there if he waited that long.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I really thought we might be getting close to the stage where the occasional points dropped to teams we should of beaten would be taken in our stride, rather than held up as exemplars of how we are really just little old Brighton after all.

Could it be that we are enjoying a period in the top ten, where we win more than we lose, and no opponent can simply expect to snatch three points "standing on their 'eads"? Could it be that we have a bit more idea about expectations, ambition, succession plans and general all round know how than we have hitherto regarded as our DNA?

So, for me, I expect us to lose occasionally, but I don't expect us to be exposed again and again in the same way, fundamentally lacking in top quality players, coaching and tactics. We now appear to have our best manager ever.

So, please, let's not get like ManUre 'fans' on football phone ins who, every time they lose, demand the club sell Rashford, buy that English bloke playing for whatsisname in Germany, and replace the manager with, you know, that De Zerbi at Brighton.

It is what it is.
And qué será, será.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Has everyone forgotten that Brentford won AWAY at City? Why are people beating themselves up about not winning every game we deserve to? We’d be challenging for the title if we had, did anyone really expect that?

Yes, best ever side and I am bloody loving it, win, draw or very very occasionally lose. Yesterday was so entertaining, thrilling and frustrating with a get out of jail card late in the game. What’s not to like…unless you are getting a tad entitled?

Nailed it. A bit ruder than my post, perhaps, but another verse of the same song in the same song book

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Fourth highest scorers in the Premier League. Never thought I would say that.

Something in my eye....

 

[Oh_aye]

In the near on 40 years that l have been supporting the Albion, Roberto De Zerbi's side is by far and away the best and most exciting team that l have ever watched, and yet . . .

Despite all of our impressive possession stats and magnificent build up play we can still have problems breaking teams down, and converting the many chances that we make. When it comes to defending set pieces too, oh dear oh dear, we certainly have difficulties in that department.

Maybe it seems churlish to moan on about it, bearing in mind what an amazing season we are having, but yesterday in particular, l became so frustrated at our inablity to put the game to bed. The very same thing happened in our home games against Fulham and Aston Villa too, and probably others.

Perhaps watching an RDZ side it will always be thus, bearing in mind his total belief and reliance on attack at all costs, and not easily accepting a draw. It isn't helping my blood pressure though!


Y

I'm always like this straight after the game. I was full of under my breath 'fùcksakes' walking away yesterday but usually in the cold light of the following day I realise its not healthy. Just a nerve system based responses to not getting the win.

It's tragic though really because once I got up this morning I can remember so many genuinely lean back in your seat moments from yesterday where you just go 'wow'. And I get annoyed with myself for not appreciating it properly in the moment because of nerves.

I have to remind myself it'll all be gone one day. No more Mitoma sitting defenders down, no more Macallister Pirouetting out of impossible gaps and spreading play, no more panic looks in the eyes of left backs as Solly bears down on the penalty box with the ball glued to the outside of his left foot.

I'd say making chances wasn't our problem yesterday, taking them was and concentration at the back. Brentford deserve credit too. They were dominated in possession but we do that to everyone but apparently have only lost once in 16 games. You can see why. Durable and organised and withstood the pressure well and carry a sharp threat up front.

It may be a bit Narcississtic but I do like to go and look on other teams message boards to see how we are perceived. It helps me with my own perception sometimes when my logic systems are failing. My favourite was an old boy on the west ham site who amongst all the 'we are rubbish and Moyes needs to go' messages said 'I've been watching West Hame for 60 years but sitting behind that goal watching the speed that that they attacked us was absolutely terrifying'.

I thought then, that I need to try and appreciate what I'm seeing at least as much as a septegenarian from Basildon....but it's currently a work in progress.

 

[chickens]

When I see threads like this, I think people are misinterpreting not having the league’s most clinical strikers, as struggling to break teams down.

The players who convert every chance exist in Roy of the Rovers, and our imaginations, nowhere else.

Everyone wants the best attacking players. We can’t offer the best wages or guarantee European competition. Our scouting staff are performing miracles.

We score goals, we break teams down. We miss more than we score, but so does everybody else.

 

[Right Back]

Our goals tally would say we are the 4th best attacking team in the country. We are doing better converting chances than people think.

 

[Icy Gull]

Nailed it. A bit ruder than my post, perhaps, but another verse of the same song in the same song book

Ruder? The OP is coming across as very entitled, just calling it out

This upward trajectory is unlikely to carry on imo, let’s just enjoy it

 

[nwgull]

Scored 3 goals, missed plenty of good chances and their keeper was their MotM. Odd thread.

 

[Seagull58]

Yesterday our defence which has been outstanding all season had an off day an letting in more goals than usual, while at the other end we scored three plus their keeper possibly had his best game of the season it really could have ended 7-3.

What was it they said on MOTD last night every outfield player on the Brighton team had two shots on target and that’s a first in the history of the premiership

From what I can see the team doesn’t suffer any lack in belief regarding the scoring of goals

Two shots, not two on target. We "only" had 15 on target out of 33 attempts.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Scored 3 goals, missed plenty of good chances and their keeper was their MotM. Odd thread.

Quite an odd kind of game really, like 3-3 games tend to be. Reckon Brentford shaded it on the day tho. Too many Albion errors at both ends of the pitch to warrant anything other than a slightly jammy draw. IMHO, like

 

[Farehamseagull]

Yep. They defended in numbers and we still broke them down and create a lot of chances. Could have scored more, should have had another penalty, and still score 3.

Defensive mistakes, good finishing from them, and a bit of poor refereeing cost us the win (refereeing: that should have been a second penalty, and Tony completely dived for the free-kick that got them their third).

Yep.

I think yesterday was one of the games that has shown the biggest difference between us under Potter and De Zerbi. Under Potter we get even more frustrated and lose that game 1.0.

I know which one I prefer and I say that as someone who’s moved on from being a big Potter fan to full RDZ convert in the last couple of months.