Brighton - Post Match Thread - 0-0.

[Edingleyfox]

We looked nervy and worried about making mistakes.The slow build ups and lack of pace is a real concern. We have to take a few risks but when confidence is low it is difficult. Two defensive midfielders did not work and nor did Iheanacho up front although I thought it was a good idea against a big side like Brighton, I'm not sure where the next win is coming from.Starting to really miss Ricardo.Cannot say I'm surprised with this result we often struggle when there is no space against powerful well organised sides.We need a different approach against Chelsea just to try and turn things around - at least it will be a bit more open but not sure we will come out on top particularly with no atmosphere. Hoping West Ham hang on for a point against Spurs but I think looking over our shoulders is going to be the norm over the next 7 games.

 

 

[funkyrobot]

Just now, Gamble92 said:

I think everyone is overreacting.

 

I like the balance of Barnes, Maddison and Perez over the reliance on a 1 good game in 5 Mahrez, and Vardy being asked to play a completely different role. 

1 good game in 5 Mahrez wtf.😂 He was/is absolute class. We lack a player of his ability and influence simple as that. When it comes to games like this when we are trying to pass the ball into the net, you need a ‘Mahrez.’ 

[54 Silver Fox]

1 hour ago, Sampson said:

Didnt deserve to win it all. Brighton outclassed us first half.

 

We didn't turn up until 70mins and even then their keeper never had a save to make.

Without Kasper and Jamie we would be fighting relegation. We need another top striker to take the pressure off Jamie and give a bit of variation to our play. In our current form we have no chance of staying above Chelsea.

 

[Ian Nacho]

20 minutes ago, Beechey said:

 

 

The final pass? What about the passes before the final one?

[oxtonfox]

8 minutes ago, EastAnglianFox said:

If Man City are expelled from Euro competition next season, what is the lowest position that qualifies for European spot this season? 

 

Just wondering how many more points are likely to be needed for a Europa spot at least. 

Maybe 7th. But don’t bank on it as. City’s lawyers will make sure they win the case. 

[inckley fox]

16 minutes ago, jeffschlupp said:

I don't think many of the players were at fault, save a lack of intensity. Evans and Soyuncu must have took 6-7 touches at times before moving the ball - we just didn't move it quick enough to break them down, as has been usual for us since Christmas.

 

The game plan was horrendous, to put it simply. At the weekend he says the full backs were too high in the first half, so today he goes and plays Chilwell as essentially a winger. That pushed Gray inside where he couldn't get the ball, all he did was get in Maddison's way. Chilwell being so high meant Ndidi was constantly at left back, which meant we had no midfield. Just shocking decision making in terms of a shape.

 

Subs were too late and Brighton took the sting out of any concerted attempt we had to create chances.

 

Same issues as before lockdown, Villa game aside. It is Puel football because we aren't moving the ball quick enough and are positionally woeful in wide areas.

 

Positives? Thought Gray was decent. Ndidi better than Saturday. Kasper with a good save. Rest below average or worse

I agree with many of the points here.

 

The shape was a mess from the off, and it's crazy for a manager to take nearly 70 minutes to address it.

 

And, as others have said, we don't need to repeat past errors - Ndidi and Mendy as a midfield two, Maddison on the left etc. - while looking for the right blend.

 

That said, the fundamental problem, other than lacking a world-beater in this position or that, is the style of football we're playing. As you say, we're not moving the ball quickly enough. There's next-to-no purpose to the passing, and a lack of desire to move off the ball. The high press is increasingly infrequent.

 

The build-up is so predictable you could have watched any randomly selected three minute clip of that second half, and known everything you'd need to know about our build-up play over the past ten games.

[54 Silver Fox]

10 minutes ago, Edingleyfox said:

We looked nervy and worried about making mistakes.The slow build ups and lack of pace is a real concern. We have to take a few risks but when confidence is low it is difficult. Two defensive midfielders did not work and nor did Iheanacho up front although I thought it was a good idea against a big side like Brighton, I'm not sure where the next win is coming from.Starting to really miss Ricardo.Cannot say I'm surprised with this result we often struggle when there is no space against powerful well organised sides.We need a different approach against Chelsea just to try and turn things around - at least it will be a bit more open but not sure we will come out on top particularly with no atmosphere. Hoping West Ham hang on for a point against Spurs but I think looking over our shoulders is going to be the norm over the next 7 games.

 

 

I could not agree more. Spot on.

[Christoph]

Games like this is where I really wish we had mahrez. We're controlling the ball and doing OK but we don't have any players willing to take a man on so it's all shit sideways passes or forward passes that fail.

[fuchsntf]

Forget Rodgers and the Formation ...The players were lackadasical even Ndidi winning the ball looked only for the Really Safe ball.I

Nacho Made Good Run offs,but it seems nobody actually dared to make that pass..!!

 

Soyu..was our best player,Justin got better as the game went on..but That hunger,

the imagination and Yes that intensity has been missing for a few games now.

...Wolves,The new revitalised Manu ,as teams and individuals...Show they want it more...

 

Even our first selection today,should have held and driven forward,but we played too safe...Chils tried ,then Gray tried,then After 20 minutes played .too safe.

Late 2nd half we pushed,but Too static and obvious....Inspiration and bog standard imagination failed.Tielemans & Barnes introduction showed a better commitment....but we actually were dire for Top 6 aspirations...

The players more than Rodgers,must Take alot of the blame....That Today was a crap individual presentation...

 

Maddison could of stayed at home..!! Whats happened to this dynamic, rightly well thought of England aspiring player....

He aint playing his game( position irrelevant) he has a Creative Player is Not demanding the ball....

He needs Tielemans...!!!  If These 2 players Dont refind their mojo....We are in shit street...Top 10 Yes but Not Top 6...!!!

This is where with only 8 games to go..Rodgers has to go for broke and Now , so select  & play his best team in all of those games.

 

Rodgers should Stop playing clever buggers with rotation!!!

Rotation we can make with our subs,but always start with our best team...( Injuries permitting)..

The players have had their unplanned Corona rest...Now after this 10 games season  they can go again on their hols...

so Now if we are a Top team,we should be playing out of our skins...if we then Drop points....fair enough,but Not like this....!

 

Other Posters know I am a Happy clapper,Easily entertained, defend the players & Team in their worst moments...

But today "The Team" was miserable.    It seems we are going out with a wimper...

 

NDidi won the ball,but a Brighton Player picked up the Loose ball 95% of the time.

I actually thought Justin played well,but often was let down,by the more Experienced players..The penalty wasnt his fault,and he Jumped in 

a few times to save us from some loose midfield defending...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 23 June 2020 by fuchsntf

[Eskay]

Given madders long enough. He can't dictate a game and is so weak physically still despite having plenty of time to adapt to this level. 

 

So over rated. Tilemans was better at moving the ball when he came on. We were so brittle in attack that all we did was pass backwards. 

[RowlattsFox]

Worth noting that the lack of crowd does make a difference to the intensity, especially when the game is so flat. Must've been so dull to play in. Still should be much better though and it was hardly inspiring from the touch line. 

 

 

 

 

[Ricey]

Worse performance under Rodgers. It was more Claude Puel than even Claude Puel. Terrible.

 

This isn’t a blip either. It’s the same deficiencies, same weaknesses since before Christmas.

 

The biggest frustration today is the tactical setup and team selection. 4-4-2 with two defensive midfielders and Maddison out wide, against Brighton, is utterly bizarre. The fact it took 65 minutes to change is even more bizarre.

 

Looking at our form and fixture list it’s going to be a battle to hold on to his position.

Won’t happen but I’d ring the changes on Sunday and rest players for the Premier League games. Champions League has to be the priority.

[Hales]

Chilly's face pretty much sums up my thoughts on this match!

[hejammy]

5 minutes ago, fuchsntf said:

Forget Rodgers and the Formation ...The players were lackadasical even Ndidi winning the ball looked only for the Really Safe ball.I

Nacho Made Good Run offs,but it seems nobody actually dared to make that pass..!!

 

Soyu..was our best player,Justin got better as the game went on..but That hunger,

the imagination and Yes that intensity has been missing for a few games now.

...Wolves,The new revitalised Manu ,as teams and individuals...Show they want it more...

 

Even our first selection today,should have held and driven forward,but we played too safe...Chils tried ,then Gray tried,then After 20 minutes played .too safe.

Late 2nd half we pushed,but Too static and obvious....Inspiration and bog standard imagination failed.Tielemans & Barnes introduction showed a better commitment....but we actually were dire for Top 6 aspirations...

The players more than Rodgers,must Take alot of the blame....That Today was a crap individual presentation...

 

Maddison could of stayed at home..!! Whats happened to this dynamic, rightly well thought of England aspiring player....

He aint playing his game( position irrelevant) he has a Creative Player is Not demanding the ball....

He needs Tielemans...!!!  If These 2 players Dont refind their mojo....We are in shit street...Top 10 Yes but Not Top 6...!!!

This is where with only 8 games to go..Rodgers has to go for broke and Now , so select  & Ppay his best team in all of those games.

 

Rodgers should Stop playing clever buggers with rotation!!!

Rotation we can make with our subs,but always start with our best team...( Injuries permitting)..

The players have had their unplanned Corona rest...Now after this 10 games season  they can go again on their hols...

so Now if we are a Top team,we should be playing out of our skins...if we then Drop points....fair enough,but Not like this....!

 

Other Posters know I am a Happy clapper,Easily entertained, defend the players & Team in their worst moments...

But today "The Team" was miserable.    It seems we are going out with a wimper...

 

NDidi won the ball,but a Brighton Player picked up the Loose ball 95% of the time.

I actually thought Justin played well,but often was let down,by the more Experienced players..The penalty wasnt his fault,and he Jumped in 

a few times to save us from some loose midfield defending...

 

 

 

 

 

Well that's an easy read... 

[Twitcher]

I thought our fake crowd didn't really get behind the boys. Last night you could here "Blue Moon" throughout, "Everton, Everton" the day before, and Spurs loud now with "When the Spurs"...at times I thought they'd switched ours off. Poor game all round . 

[EastAnglianFox]

Telling that  Brendan said "We tried something different tonight".....I think thats about as close as we are going to get as to him admitting he got it massively wrong.

 

Hopefully that is lesson learnt.

[Steve Earle]

So, to save me an hour or two, the consensus on here is that we’re abject, with poor players and a hopeless manager and have no chance of staying in third (or even fourth) place?

And can’t help but lose to Chelsea at the weekend?

Just checking...

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

Form in the last 13 games puts us 15th. We’re blowing this! 🤬

[LestaAl]

Mr Rodgers

...please Could you sort it out... we are still playing like before the lockdown ... you do want CL don’t you?

[LCCFox96]

3 minutes ago, Christoph said:

Games like this is where I really wish we had mahrez. We're controlling the ball and doing OK but we don't have any players willing to take a man on so it's all shit sideways passes or forward passes that fail.

 

That's the frustrating thing! We have players who are more the capable of doing exactly that and it's precisely what we're missing. Maddison is able to glide past people with ease. Chilwell is athletic and powerful enough to get to the by line time and time again. Perez has got some tidy footwork. Barnes and Gray are both pacey, direct players capable of attacking their fullbacks and driving us forwards.

 

Yet we slow it down and come inside when our two strikers need the exact opposite. Vardy is lethal with balls in behind and also when we transition it forwards quickly to allow him to exploit the space in the defence before they reset their shape. Iheanacho has some nice link-up play in his locker and is superb at arriving in the box with darting runs and being picked out early. Neither of them will thrive if we deliver turgid, slow and shit in our build up like we were tonight.

[Gamble92]

19 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

1 good game in 5 Mahrez wtf.😂 He was/is absolute class. We lack a player of his ability and influence simple as that. When it comes to games like this when we are trying to pass the ball into the net, you need a ‘Mahrez.’ 

In that season i was talking about, yeah 1 in 5 is generous. 

When we get in our stride again, Maddison, Barnes and Perez along with Tielmans in the centre will be more than good enough to unlock defences. 

[Gamble92]

2 minutes ago, Twitcher said:

I thought our fake crowd didn't really get behind the boys. Last night you could here "Blue Moon" throughout, "Everton, Everton" the day before, and Spurs loud now with "When the Spurs"...at times I thought they'd switched ours off. Poor game all round . 

Must have used a sample of our crowd this season. 

[StriderHiryu]

Awful game to watch. I'm hoping a combination of poor fitness, high temperatures and no crowd are to blame though I fear it could be more than that. There was one passage in the second half where we finally started getting something together but couldn't sustain it.

 

Our best three were Kasper, Soyuncu and Evans, which says it all.

 

Performance levels need to increase 50% across the board, it was such a lethargic tiresome display throughout.

[TWUKO]

I'm getting so annoyed with the lackluster performances, Watford and Brighton are garbage teams and we should have enough quality to sweep them aside, yet we barley register a meaningful shot!

 

Forget lockdown, these performances have been like this since December, can't breakdown the poorer sides and barley apply any pressure, get rolled over by the bigget sides. We only seem to win if a team turns up and can't be bothered.

 

If we hadn't won 8 or 9 in a row we'd be struggling for a top half finish, teams in and around the top 6 have show much more quality in recent months than us, fact!

 

You wouldn't mind if we'd had a bucket load of chances and just couldn't finish but we haven't, it's just poor, no plan b, pass the ball around well and retain possession but do nothing with it, no game changers on the bench, we need some quality signings to change games. Especially in the final 3rd out build up play is not penetrating and easy to defend, our movement going forward is very slow and static, not much movement off the ball or on it, players receive the ball and wait 5 seconds to see what they can do, by then the space is gone and they pass it sideways or backwards!

 

At the moment Brendan seems to think any result is acceptable regardless of what we created or who it was against as long as we've had a minimum of 60% possession!

 

Needs to improve, in a week or so we could be out of the FA cup and out of the top 4, with tough opposition still to play!

[Manini]

Teams must be absolutely rubbing their hands together at the prospect of playing us at the minute. Anybody who wants to remotely have a go will have us on the ropes.