Reality from Brighton game

[joellufcprice]

I am a little surprised at how negative people were about our defeat against Brighton. The actual reality of it was we defended woefully for their goal because we've got a winger at left back, a winger at right back and a right back at centre back who was nowhere near his man.

If we just do that one bit better it would have been a 0-0 draw, they didn't create tonnes.

Attacking wise, we weren't necessarily on it but it was also against a team playing 3 centre backs, a centre back in midfield and two wing backs. They set themselves up so defensively and honestly, I'd be surprised if that does them well.

We miss Phillips far too much and I'll keep saying it until the club finally address it but we cannot continually gamble our form on Phillips being available. We need to sign someone who can slot into that position when he is not there. Struijk is a centre back and I think will be a good centre back but he is not a midfielder, his passing isn't good enough, he isn't mobile enough and he panics when in possession and doesn't position himself when we have the ball.

Honestly, I wasn't that disappointed with the game, to me I always just look at that line up and basically its a championship line up with Raphinha. We defended one moment badly and didn't get any luck going forward.

My only concern is we are half way into the season and I'm not seeing much from Rodrigo. It says a lot when Tyler Roberts comes on and looked livelier and more threatening than Rodrigo. I'm not one of these 'bin him off' people considering he has only been in the country 5 months but I did hope we'd see a bit more from him. Might be a case of him being out of position but again, we don't sign anyone to play that Pablo role.

Also worrying a little about Klich shooting at moment, he seems to be balloning every shot he gets these days 4-5 foot over the bar. His accuracy has deserted him.

To me it just sums up where I think we are, we've got a championship squad particularly defensively without Llorente and Koch fit thats aim is to comfortably remain in the division around 14th. Then next season really develop the squad to compete. We will be safe, though I do think we need to pick up these wins to get us to 35 points sooner rather than later as our end of season fixtures aren't the easiest in the world.

[Ozwhites]

Speaking of Llorente,... I reckon the last three games the match preview has said he is back available for selection. But then hasn't reappeared ! Wtf is happening with him?? With Koch absent long term, shouldn't this be a must?

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Good points Joel and I thought second half we were better - still can’t believe how bad the pitch is though - for our style of football it’s a shocker.

In games where we need to battle more in defense and either Klich or Phillips unavailable I wonder if we need someone more combative than Rodrigo in midfield.

Pablo looked decent when he came on.

The pitch reminded me a bit of the AC Milan pitch in the 1990s where they had to do temporary replacements and relay parts of it several times a season. Sure it’s not a coincidence that we played fluid football at WBA as their pitch is pristine.

[joellufcprice]

Speaking of Llorente,... I reckon the last three games the match preview has said he is back available for selection. But then hasn't reappeared ! Wtf is happening with him?? With Koch absent long term, shouldn't this be a must?

I think they want to give Llorente as much time as possible to recover, which is why the game against Saints being postponed could be a blessing in disguise as it may mean he is available for our next game vs Newcastle in 9 days which to me is crucial. A game against an out of form, confidence drained team who we battered before is one we need to pick up 3 points in as after that it is Leicester who unless Vardy is injured I really don't fancy us against.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Berra is back soon - Feb - too which should be good as he drives standards and can doesn’t back down.

[LeedsFTW]

I agree with all the points that have been made, except I would say the major disappointment in my view was how completely off the tempo we appeared to be.

As per other threads, we just seemed so bereft of ideas, energy, intensity whilst being disjointed in the way we played.

Its not so much that we were beaten, it was the way in which we were beaten especially against a side that you would be targeting to get 3 pts from.

Like a broken record, we desperately need that extra centre midfielder, as when Philips is out, the whole team seems to get rejigged and it never really works.

[pete1967b]

I am a little surprised at how negative people were about our defeat against Brighton. The actual reality of it was we defended woefully for their goal because we've got a winger at left back, a winger at right back and a right back at centre back who was nowhere near his man.

If we just do that one bit better it would have been a 0-0 draw, they didn't create tonnes.

Attacking wise, we weren't necessarily on it but it was also against a team playing 3 centre backs, a centre back in midfield and two wing backs. They set themselves up so defensively and honestly, I'd be surprised if that does them well.

We miss Phillips far too much and I'll keep saying it until the club finally address it but we cannot continually gamble our form on Phillips being available. We need to sign someone who can slot into that position when he is not there. Struijk is a centre back and I think will be a good centre back but he is not a midfielder, his passing isn't good enough, he isn't mobile enough and he panics when in possession and doesn't position himself when we have the ball.

Honestly, I wasn't that disappointed with the game, to me I always just look at that line up and basically its a championship line up with Raphinha. We defended one moment badly and didn't get any luck going forward.

My only concern is we are half way into the season and I'm not seeing much from Rodrigo. It says a lot when Tyler Roberts comes on and looked livelier and more threatening than Rodrigo. I'm not one of these 'bin him off' people considering he has only been in the country 5 months but I did hope we'd see a bit more from him. Might be a case of him being out of position but again, we don't sign anyone to play that Pablo role.

Also worrying a little about Klich shooting at moment, he seems to be balloning every shot he gets these days 4-5 foot over the bar. His accuracy has deserted him.

To me it just sums up where I think we are, we've got a championship squad particularly defensively without Llorente and Koch fit thats aim is to comfortably remain in the division around 14th. Then next season really develop the squad to compete. We will be safe, though I do think we need to pick up these wins to get us to 35 points sooner rather than later as our end of season fixtures aren't the easiest in the world.

Agree with every word, in my opinion spot on..

[joellufcprice]

Berra is back soon - Feb - too which should be good as he drives standards and can doesn’t back down.

If Berardi returns before Forshaw thats ridiculous

[joellufcprice]

I agree with all the points that have been made, except I would say the major disappointment in my view was how completely off the tempo we appeared to be.

As per other threads, we just seemed so bereft of ideas, energy, intensity whilst being disjointed in the way we played.

Its not so much that we were beaten, it was the way in which we were beaten especially against a side that you would be targeting to get 3 pts from.

Like a broken record, we desperately need that extra centre midfielder, as when Philips is out, the whole team seems to get rejigged and it never really works.

I think part of it is also not really having any options off the bench in central midfield. If Klich isn't having a good game there aren't any options and Struijk for me did very little yet we can't change him because there is nobody.

The only one is Pablo but he is better outwide and he is also 36! I wish we'd signed Rodrigo De Paul, he to me is what we need in that area.

[Billyni]

Berra is back soon - Feb - too which should be good as he drives standards and can doesn’t back down.

Sorry HO, love the player and his commitment, but prem league attackers will skin him every time.