[Albion] Webster and Stephens

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

I wanted Duffy in for Webster because I was worried about Deeley. As it happened, Dunky was on Deeley, giving Duffy an easy ride.
I know Mooys pass led to Watfords goal, but Duffy backed off and backed off until it was too late to tackle and Doucoure was in the box and he showed him inside and onto his right foot.
He should of tackled him way before he got into the box cos Dunky was covering him.
Then the kick off, we knew from the line up, ball back to Duffy, he hits it down the left wing to Murray and two others, it goes straight over his head for a throw in to Watford. Talk about Deja-Vu, I thought Chris was back as manager again.
Duffy is poor at passing and the only good thing about him today was it stopped Ryan playing the silly goal kick across the box tactic that we have adopted when Webster and Dunky are playing.
To be fair he was better in the 2nd half, but its Webster in front of Duffy for me every time.

 

[Weststander]

I have no idea what Alzate has to do to get in this shitshow of a team. He absolutely ran the game against Spurs in central midfield. We’ve barely seen him there since. He’s potentially our best player. And he watches every bloody game from the bench or stuck at right back. Ridiculous.

Astonishing if Alzate does not start from now on.

 

[Marshy]

I think it’s fair to say we missed both Stephens and Webster today

However i am struggling to get my head around what Alzate In particular has to do to get a start in midfield
You can throw Ali J into that as well.

25 good mins for the greyhound and march at West Ham meant starts today for some reason

Also Bernado... I thought he had been playing pretty well ...

Some strange choices for me, although to be fair we sorted it 2nd half

 

[Wilko]

I have no idea what Alzate has to do to get in this shitshow of a team. He absolutely ran the game against Spurs in central midfield. We’ve barely seen him there since. He’s potentially our best player. And he watches every bloody game from the bench or stuck at right back. Ridiculous.

Yup. Looks like the only player we have that has quick feet and can turn into space. Get him in midfield asap.

 

[blockhseagull]

He should have been starting in central midfield for months though, I have no faith that he will now.

Alzate looked a superstar in that position and Bissouma had a couple of really strong games too. But we’ve seen neither for months, whereas we’ve had endless Stephens, Propper and Mooy to no great effect.

Agree with every word

Except ... Bissouma followed up two great games with two absolute s**t shows... including a performance against MASSIVE that probably pushed him to the back of the CM queue.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

It was so painfully obvious from the first goal how we missed Stephens. Firstly, the number of dribbles our central midfield have attempted this season can probably be counted on one hand, Mooy took way too much of a risk. But more than anything, earlier in the season if Mooy had lost the ball like that Stephens would just have picked the ball up, recycled possession and we go again. There was no one there today.

Perhaps the bigger error was picking Mooy there, especially when Bissouma has filled in so will in the past.

 

[Nixonator]

It was so painfully obvious from the first goal how we missed Stephens. Firstly, the number of dribbles our central midfield have attempted this season can probably be counted on one hand, Mooy took way too much of a risk. But more than anything, earlier in the season if Mooy had lost the ball like that Stephens would just have picked the ball up, recycled possession and we go again. There was no one there today.

Perhaps the bigger error was picking Mooy there, especially when Bissouma has filled in so will in the past.

People would prefer Propper and Mooy part like the red sea than Stephens concede a free kick.

 

[Albion100]

The biggest mistake is still playing Propper and Gross. The midfield was there for the taking today. They gave us so much time on the ball and all Propper snd Gross did was pass, pass, pass sideways or back. We needed someone to have a go and really dictate the play. Sadly propper and definitely gross are not up to that. Alzate should definitely have started and when he came on should have been CM.

 

[Weststander]

The biggest mistake is still playing Propper and Gross. The midfield was there for the taking today. They gave us so much time on the ball and all Propper snd Gross did was pass, pass, pass sideways or back. We needed someone to have a go and really dictate the play. Sadly propper and definitely gross are not up to that. Alzate should definitely have started and when he came on should have been CM.

They both have no pace as well, at PL level. Playing both allows opposition 2 banks of 4, or 4 and 5, all the time in the world to set up when facing Albion with the ball.

Alzate and Jahanbakhsh injected pace and directness.

 

[portlock seagull]

The biggest mistake is still playing Propper and Gross. The midfield was there for the taking today. They gave us so much time on the ball and all Propper snd Gross did was pass, pass, pass sideways or back. We needed someone to have a go and really dictate the play. Sadly propper and definitely gross are not up to that. Alzate should definitely have started and when he came on should have been CM.

100% this. By playing both Stephens and Propper, who couldn’t attack a buffet never mind a back four, we are effectively going for a nil nil or even just a one nil defeat given both are bloody liabilities for stupid passes that land us in the shite. Play Gross at the same time and might as well change the kit to grey we’re so dull.

 

[Weststander]

100% this. By playing both Stephens and Propper, who couldn’t attack a buffet never mind a back four, we are effectively going for a nil nil or even just a one nil defeat given both are bloody liabilities for stupid passes that land us in the shite. Play Gross at the same time and might as well change the kit to grey we’re so dull.

On this occasional many NSC’ers would’ve got rather excited pre match to see Stephens out, ready to watch Champagne football taking Watford apart.

The reality
a) No CM cover of Dunk and Duffy - Propper, Mooy and Gross all shocking again in that department, Watford obviously targeted it before their opener.
b) The CM show only came when Alzate came on. Hughes, Doucoure & mates outplaying our weak tortoises.

 

[portlock seagull]

On this occasional many NSC’ers would’ve got rather excited pre match to see Stephens out, ready to watch Champagne football taking Watford apart.

The reality
a) No CM cover of Dunk and Duffy - Propper, Mooy and Gross all shocking again in that department, Watford obviously targeted it before their opener.
b) The CM show only came when Alzate came on. Hughes, Doucoure & mates outplaying our weak tortoises.

I’m slowly accepting we can play either Stephens. Or Propper. But never both. We effectively throw the towel in by playing two tortoise neither of whom can shoot let alone score. Like to see both gone by next season as I really cannot see how we go forward with these two brakes on and been saying that for 3 seasons now. Hence why I was so disappointed to see Propper get a new contract.

 

[Weststander]

I’m slowly accepting we can play either Stephens. Or Propper. But never both. We effectively throw the towel in by playing two tortoise neither of whom can shoot let alone score. Like to see both gone by next season as I really cannot see how we go forward with these two brakes on and been saying that for 3 seasons now. Hence why I was so disappointed to see Propper get a new contract.

That assumes we’re staying up.

If we drop, Stephens would be fine for us, but Propper would believe his own publicity and leave for a huge club if he can.

If we stay up, definitely an area for upgrading.

 

[Beach Hut]

Mooy was not up to what Stephens does which anchors the Midfield, I think it was better playing Duffy albeit he cannot pass out from defence to stifle Deaney

 

[Weststander]

Mooy was not up to what Stephens does which anchors the Midfield, I think it was better playing Duffy albeit he cannot pass out from defence to stifle Deaney

This.

Watford smelt the weakness through the middle, it was so obvious.

 

[Frankie]

Hold on I thought they were shit

That was so last week

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

There's no getting away from the fact Webster was totally to blame for their goal.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Listening to the Watford manager on MOTD....not sure he has a clue. Sounds like an absolute clown. I think Watford are doomed, or will be once the players realise he has no idea whtsoever what he's going on about. The telly team were looking at their watches as he rambled on.

Still, GPott sounded little better. EL Wisty, methinks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avwgEyE8QCI

 

[Farehamseagull]

I have no idea what Alzate has to do to get in this shitshow of a team. He absolutely ran the game against Spurs in central midfield. We’ve barely seen him there since. He’s potentially our best player. And he watches every bloody game from the bench or stuck at right back. Ridiculous.

100%. It’a total mystery why Alzate is not starting every game in central midfield, it’s easily my biggest criticism of Potter.

He spotted the promise in Alzate that no one had seen before and brought him in to the side but now seems to be doubting himself.

The absolutely ideal opportunity today to play him in there with Propper and Mooy just ahead of them. To start with Propper, Mooy and Gross was just incompetent, we all knew it would never work.

As I said earlier, Alzate should be one of the first names on the teamsheet and he must be massively pissed off he’s not starting in his preferred postion each game with inferior players preferred to him like Stephens and Gross each week.