[Albion] Warren Aspinall in the Argus

[LamieRobertson]

BG will be happy that he's mentioned the left back area ..but not so happy that he isent saying LR was no good there ...I think we all worked out that Calderon was only a temporary solution and that we've relied almost too much on Kayal and Stephens etc etc
I quite like WA ..but its all common sense stuff is it not?

 

[perseus]

Only need one winger

I think when it comes to the crunch 4-2-4 is completely wrong and 4-4-2 is flawed*. Both systems are easy to play, but they are also easy to counter.
(*Capello played a working variant which was unpopular, but I thought it was OK.)

4-3-3 (in whatever form it is played) requires a decent left back that can overlap so that option is out of the question at the moment. 4-3-3 is best if the team has the right players.

As we can only play on one wing at a time 4-2-4 means that the winger when the ball is played on the opposite side is out of the game and this is reflected in the reduced number of touches the winger gets unless he tucks into a midfield role which does not happen very well. So there is a case for Crofts this season if he can get up to match quality after being out for a long time. As well as Kayal and Stephens and instead of the second winger. Stephens and Kayal are overworked which cuts down on their creativity. This means Lualua would play a more central role (one winger only) as WA said before as well. As second striker or midfielder he would be allowed to venture out on the wing (going wide) to draw out the defence.

All told the 4-4-2 is very predictable.

Greer would be a shoe in, but he appears to be carrying an injury. I thought he might last the season?

The disadvantage of not having a proper left back is distribution from a right footer tends to be inside into the crowded midfield and the absence of overlapping requires a second winger. Also blocking crosses. One advantage though: a right footed left back can be better against an inverted left-footed right winger.

 

[Return of the Rev]

BG will be happy that he's mentioned the left back area ..but not so happy that he isent saying LR was no good there ...I think we all worked out that Calderon was only a temporary solution and that we've relied almost too much on Kayal and Stephens etc etc
I quite like WA ..but its all common sense stuff is it not?

Thousands is spent on pundits stating the bleeding obvious! The great modern day football swindle!

 

[Wilko]

I will be accused of Crofts bashing as usual...


But we cant improve our speed, tempo of play and passing if Crofts is replacing Kayal or Stephens !

That just goes against everything he is saying... our game slows up when Crofts plays thats been a big problem in the last month, on top of that im sure we are deeper than we were at the start of the season...

I agree. WA has said pick up the tempo and include Crofts. Hmmm.

 

[Notters]

Er, he seems to have repeated almost exactly what Hughton said after the match.

 

[Kosh]

I think when it comes to the crunch 4-2-4 is completely wrong and 4-4-2 is flawed*. Both systems are easy to play, but they are also easy to counter.
(*Capello played a working variant which was unpopular, but I thought it was OK.)

4-3-3 (in whatever form it is played) requires a decent left back that can overlap so that option is out of the question at the moment. 4-3-3 is best if the team has the right players.

As we can only play on one wing at a time 4-2-4 means that the winger when the ball is played on the opposite side is out of the game and this is reflected in the reduced number of touches the winger gets unless he tucks into a midfield role which does not happen very well. So there is a case for Crofts this season if he can get up to match quality after being out for a long time. As well as Kayal and Stephens and instead of the second winger. Stephens and Kayal are overworked which cuts down on their creativity. This means Lualua would play a more central role (one winger only) as WA said before as well. As second striker or midfielder he would be allowed to venture out on the wing (going wide) to draw out the defence.

All told the 4-4-2 is very predictable.

Greer would be a shoe in, but he appears to be carrying an injury. I thought he might last the season?

The disadvantage of not having a proper left back is distribution from a right footer tends to be inside into the crowded midfield and the absence of overlapping requires a second winger. Also blocking crosses. One advantage though: a right footed left back can be better against an inverted left-footed right winger.

You must be 'proper cush' at Football Manager.

Kosh

 

[stss30]

Why was Towell not even on the bench vs Rotherham? Stephens and Kayal need competition, Towell rated as a goal scoring high energy midfielder should be competing.

 

[Marshy]

Why was Towell not even on the bench vs Rotherham? Stephens and Kayal need competition, Towell rated as a goal scoring high energy midfielder should be competing.

Absolutely, Towell should be on the bench, not Crofts or Ince, I would always go with a player that can change a game/get us a goal off the bench.

 

[Kosh]

Poor Towell, hung out to dry already.

Linen let dry and all that.

 

[BensGrandad]

I do not agree entirely with his view of dropping either Kayal or Stephens for Crofts but I do agree that other teams have sussed us out as I said on here after the Rotherham debacle. I also agree about the left back, situation and have been saying it and getting slated from the day Bong got injured. Still we havent brought in an orthodox left back but tryjng to pigeon hole a man who has played there before on a few occassions a la Rosenior. Plesse do not try to tell me that there are none available do not insult mine or other supporters intelligence with that comment.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I agree with a lot of what he says. Tempo, particularly in the first half has been missing for a while now. The only thing i don't agree with is the Crofts thing. Love the way he pronounces "knock hard"

 

[Don Tmatter]

Er, he seems to have repeated almost exactly what Hughton said after the match.

He was saying what is quoted in article during the match.

 

[Ernest]

He's right about Kayal and Stephens, both have been off the pace recently hence why we are not attacking and scoring.

 

[perseus]

He's right about Kayal and Stephens, both have been off the pace recently hence why we are not attacking and scoring.

Playing two midfielders against three. Leaves them too much stopping and not enough creativity.

Against pressing sides like Rotherham, the passing went awry. However, the stats say that the midfield two did OK at passing

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/959526/Live/England-Championship-2015-2016-Rotherham-Brighton

The ones that didn't were Hemed (poor even for a forward) Greer, Dunk and Ridgewell and Stockdale.

Errors in the game down to Dunk, Bruno and Ridgewell.

CH is not fixed to 4-4-2: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/aug/22/chris-hughton-newcastle

CH knows how the opposition try and stop the Albion passing game: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/performa...pposition-play-long-ball-game#:az1UeZBSxHt4mA

I think we had a good run despite the 4-4-2 (more like 4-2-4) not because of it.

 

[perseus]

I agree with a lot of what he says. Tempo, particularly in the first half has been missing for a while now. The only thing i don't agree with is the Crofts thing. Love the way he pronounces "knock hard"

If the opposition play the pressing game, I think the idea is to pass them off the pitch and make them chase shadows. Tempo is diffiicult against pressing teams (causes too many mispalced passes especially if the striker(s) are not running off the ball = Hemed). Patience (Like OG) is often needed (We used to be good at that!) As expected against Rotherham we came on strong in the latter part of the game. Pity about the errros that had already lost us the game.

Hughton says (past). "When you play the top sides you cannot afford to be as open as 4-4-2 can leave you. Consequently teams adapt their formation."[/COLOR] NB; when we played the better sides with 4-4-2 we came unstuck (The problem).

 

[perseus]

I agree. WA has said pick up the tempo and include Crofts. Hmmm.

Crofts instead of a winger or a striker. Playmaker role? ie. not the Bridcutt role of short passes, but interspersed with accurate long balls (forward not just crossfield like Bridcutt). Crofts is not particularly good though (this season and it was too long ago to remember when he was any good?): Kayal and Stephens are better. Nobody excels at it. Dunk is as good as anyone (but this may be because he is forced to play long balls with the 4-2-4).

PS: When fit I would tempted to play Hünemeier at left back. Not adverse to "pinging" (WA terminology) long with his weaker left foot. Lacking of any pinging ball comments v Rotherham.

 

[surlyseagull]

Was it just my hearing or did I hear Mr Aspinall during the Rotherham match refer to Bong as Bonk ......

 

[CheeseRolls]

I suspect the answer is counter intuitive. We aren't scoring enough, but we had the same issue earlier in the season, when we were unbeatable.

Away from home we must stop playing 442 with two wingers. If we start 451 and I would bring in Towell. We can establish control in midfield, look for goals from out wide and throw on extra attackers for the last 20 minutes if we are chasing the game.

We do at least have the players now to execute this in the short term