Brighton match thread

[Wellman]

for god sake, can we not hold on to a lead, nalis at fault , micky adams curse comes back to haunt us

90414[/snapback]

It wasn't that late and i think it is because we bring on nalis every time!

90547[/snapback]

He gave the ball away quite a lot when he did come on, couldn't pass either, he's got to go!

[Mark]

Players like Nalis are not only hindering are chances of holding onto a lead, but also holding players back like STEPHEN DAWSON who has deserved a chance for more than a year now. Both are out of contract this Summer, only one of them deserves a chance and a new contract

[C-man]

If Nalis stays i will actually cry, he is awful - he cant pass, tackle, defend, hes had a few lucky shots but for god sake CL, get rid of him!!

[Anish]

18 pages!!! Flipping heck! Oh well.

Just got in from the match today and all I can say is, that I'm pleased with the result in the end. Ref was awful and I haven't a clue what our penalty was for. Hughes did alright until he got sent off Connolly played his heart out today and MDV is still awful if you didn't realise!

All in all, a draw isn't really a bad result considering the circumstances.

90540[/snapback]

Dynamite Foxes - I hope you're noting that.

[filbertway]

At least its not just me who doesn't rate nalis.

This is a bit long aint it

[Anish]

I know a lot of people here are saying how poor Nalis is and how he should never come on etc. Well it's not Nalis who decides who is on the substitutes bench and which substitutes come on at what point in the game.

If you're gonna have a go at anybody, it should be Levein. After all, Levein is the one that keeps putting Nalis in the squad ahead of Dawson, and Levein is the one that keeps bringing Nalis on. What is Lilian meant to do - refuse to be a substitute or refuse to come on because he thinks he's off form and feels somebody else should come on instead?? All Nalis wants to do is play football, I'm sure he's not holding a gun to Levein's head forcing him to play every week.

The same applies to MDV. As much as I dislike the guy I'm not blaming him for starting every game recently and never being taken off despite looking poor. That's all about management.

[dynamite foxes]

Please anish, support the management he has brought the average age down and we appear to be well set for next season.

[Sparky]

Please anish, support the management he has brought the average age down and we appear to be well set for next season.

90613[/snapback]

and it is true nalis is shocking

[Cobbo]

Ah well, pretty crap game, worse ref!

And to top it off, prior to kick off me, Scowy, Lisa and Mr Lisa were nearly run over by Norman Cook

I said 'cheers for that Norman' and he said 'no problem' cheeky booger!

[Wellman]

I saw Des Lynam and Sir Chin too! Jimmy Hill!!!! :D

[Anish]

Please anish, support the management he has brought the average age down and we appear to be well set for next season.

90613[/snapback]

I recognise that Levein has done a lot of good work recently by clearing the deadwood and bringing in younger, better, hungrier players. We have improved our style of football and we can see that there is hope - we have the potential to do well with the players we have.

Levein talks a very good game - he makes sense, he is (usually) honest with the press about team performances, and he relates to the fans. However, I am not totally won over by people who can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk. Football is a game played on the pitch, not a game of words.

I am in no way saying that I don't support him or his management staff. However, I am expressing a tiny bit of doubt about his decision making and team selection. For instance, we have brought Stefan Moore on loan from Villa for the remainder of this season. We must surely be paying a percentage of his wages. But he has only made ONE, yes one, worthy appearance (1 or 2 mins vs Wolves doesn't count) since his move. That in my opinion is a complete waste of money that we are expending. If Moore isn't better than Mark De Vries or Connolly (and cannot provide adequate competition for places up front) then why did we waste our time in bringing him here?? De Vries has been a lump every time I've seen him (bar the Reading FAC away game) and Moore has genuinely deserved the chance to come on in place of him. Surely Levein must have seen Moore in action before we signed him - so he should really have known if he was any good or not.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Please anish, support the management he has brought the average age down and we appear to be well set for next season.

90613[/snapback]

I recognise that Levein has done a lot of good work recently by clearing the deadwood and bringing in younger, better, hungrier players. We have improved our style of football and we can see that there is hope - we have the potential to do well with the players we have.

Levein talks a very good game - he makes sense, he is (usually) honest with the press about team performances, and he relates to the fans. However, I am not totally won over by people who can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk. Football is a game played on the pitch, not a game of words.

I am in no way saying that I don't support him or his management staff. However, I am expressing a tiny bit of doubt about his decision making and team selection. For instance, we have brought Stefan Moore on loan from Villa for the remainder of this season. We must surely be paying a percentage of his wages. But he has only made ONE, yes one, worthy appearance (1 or 2 mins vs Wolves doesn't count) since his move. That in my opinion is a complete waste of money that we are expending. If Moore isn't better than Mark De Vries or Connolly (and cannot provide adequate competition for places up front) then why did we waste our time in bringing him here?? De Vries has been a lump every time I've seen him (bar the Reading FAC away game) and Moore has genuinely deserved the chance to come on in place of him. Surely Levein must have seen Moore in action before we signed him - so he should really have known if he was any good or not.

90642[/snapback]

Not meaning to gripe but wondering whether you meant Charlton FAC away RE: de Vries?

[Fez of Mahrez]

I know a lot of people here are saying how poor Nalis is and how he should never come on etc. Well it's not Nalis who decides who is on the substitutes bench and which substitutes come on at what point in the game.

If you're gonna have a go at anybody, it should be Levein. After all, Levein is the one that keeps putting Nalis in the squad ahead of Dawson, and Levein is the one that keeps bringing Nalis on. What is Lilian meant to do - refuse to be a substitute or refuse to come on because he thinks he's off form and feels somebody else should come on instead?? All Nalis wants to do is play football, I'm sure he's not holding a gun to Levein's head forcing him to play every week.

The same applies to MDV. As much as I dislike the guy I'm not blaming him for starting every game recently and never being taken off despite looking poor. That's all about management.

90576[/snapback]

You are actually having a laugh. We shouldn't criticise de Vries for being a useless lump of s**t who can't do anything? We shouldn't criticise Nalis for giving the ball away every time he gets it? Yes, Levein carries the can for starting de Vries and bringing on Nalis but for f**ks sake, if you blamed the manager for every single performance, none of the poor b**tards would last more than a couple of months bar Jose "Jesus" Mourinho.

[Anish]

Fez - I was referring to Mr Chainsaw's comments regarding Nalis holding back the likes of Dawson.

Of course we should criticise MDV and Nalis when they play shite, that's the nature of football. I'm not going absolve them of any of their responsibility when they wear the LCFC shirt.

But when they play awful week in week out as they have been doing for weeks, then you wonder why Levein is selecting them in the first place. When LEvein names his starting XI and subs, do you expect Nalis and MDV to voluntarily withdraw because they know they are off-form? No, because they want to play.

[Ricey]

The reason why De Vries gets in week in and week out is the same reason why Scowcroft did under Micky, they are both big target men and obviously both managers feel they need a big man up front.

I agree with this in one sense because I don't think a Connolly/Moore partnership would work.

[dynamite foxes]

De Vries is the only target man we have and I think that Connolly and Moore would get no service, but I am as always willing to be proved wrong

[Vo Rogue]

for god sake, can we not hold on to a lead, nalis at fault , micky adams curse comes back to haunt us

90414[/snapback]

I really don't think that this slovenian will come to much, but I am willing to be proved wrong

90559[/snapback]

Based on what?

90661[/snapback]

The second game in a row we bring Nalis on with minutes remaining and we throw a lead away What a master tactician Levein is.Micky was nmot that good with 1 player!!

[Craig]

for god sake, can we not hold on to a lead, nalis at fault , micky adams curse comes back to haunt us

90414[/snapback]

I really don't think that this slovenian will come to much, but I am willing to be proved wrong

90559[/snapback]

Based on what?

90661[/snapback]

The second game in a row we bring Nalis on with minutes remaining and we throw a lead away What a master tactician Levein is.Micky was nmot that good with 1 player!!

90860[/snapback]

There was 20 minutes remaining, that's hardly in the dying seconds like you seemed to be suggesting. Before the goal was scored, Hughes was sent off. Maybe that had something to do with it?

[breadandcheese]

I have said before, but it was the right decision to bring Nalis on.

We were down to 10 men, whilst Tiatto was on a yellow card and looking tired (the commentators said he looked like he had tired legs). We could not risk Tiatto putting in a late tired challenge and being down to nine men.

The only question mark is should Nalis have been on the bench? Well I agree with Levein that we do not want to throw our youngsters into a relegation battle. When we are safe, then no-more Nalis or Gemmil or some of the other cast-offs. Until then, unfortunately, we have to let the experienced players pull us through.

In a relegation battle, I would rather we didn't play boys against men.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I have said before, but it was the right decision to bring Nalis on.

We were down to 10 men, whilst Tiatto was on a yellow card and looking tired (the commentators said he looked like he had tired legs).  We could not risk Tiatto putting in a late tired challenge and being down to nine men.

The only question mark is should Nalis have been on the bench?  Well I agree with Levein that we do not want to throw our youngsters into a relegation battle.  When we are safe, then no-more Nalis or Gemmil or some of the other cast-offs.  Until then, unfortunately, we have to let the experienced players pull us through.

In a relegation battle, I would rather we didn't play boys against men.

90864[/snapback]

I appreciate where you're coming from but as soon as I heard the name Nalis I thought 1-1. Same last Tuesday. Four points thrown away to goals scored in the last ten minutes after he's come on. He's not a battler, he ponces around in midfield taking five minutes to compose himself before he passes it and when he gets round to actually kicking the damn thing its usually to an opposition player. I am biased though because I despise him. I could see it coming to be honest. That game against Leeds he managed to be utterly rubbish despite us winning 4-0 no matter about his wonder goal. These occasional long range shots have kept him in the team when we'd have been a lot better off with someone who actually resembles a decent midfielder. That is all!

[davieG]

before he passes it and when he gets round to actually kicking the damn thing its usually to an opposition player.

Do we actually possess one player who consistently passes to his team mates - I can't think of one

[Anish]

before he passes it and when he gets round to actually kicking the damn thing its usually to an opposition player.

Do we actually possess one player who consistently passes to his team mates - I can't think of one

90876[/snapback]

Nope neither can I. The only thing that makes Nalis stand out from the rest of the players who constistently give the ball away is that Nalis actually looks to receive the ball, and thus has more possession than either Williams or Joey when all 3 are in the team.

[Chimp]

I think the biggest tactical error CL made was to go down to a 4-3-2 formation once Hughes had been taken off. He should have reverted to a 4-4-1 formation by bringing Moore in on the right and taking either MDV or Connolly off.

I know this would have reduced our options up front and probably forced us to drop back a little into a more defensive position, but the biggest problem yesterday seemed to be handling Brighton down the wings, a 4 man midfield would have coped better imo.

In regard to Nalis, he seems the type of player that needs a good run in the first team before his qualities show, he has put in some good appearances for us while he's been here but he doesn't seem to be the type of player that will ever do well as a sub. The younger, more eager players would surely be a better option with 20 mins left on the clock?

[Scow]

I think the biggest tactical error CL made was to go down to a 4-3-2 formation once Hughes had been taken off. He should have reverted to a 4-4-1 formation by bringing Moore in on the right and taking either MDV or Connolly off.

I know this would have reduced our options up front and probably forced us to drop back a little into a more defensive position, but the biggest problem yesterday seemed to be handling Brighton down the wings, a 4 man midfield would have coped better imo.

In regard to Nalis, he seems the type of player that needs a good run in the first team before his qualities show, he has put in some good appearances for us while he's been here but he doesn't seem to be the type of player that will ever do well as a sub. The younger, more eager players would surely be a better option with 20 mins left on the clock?

90901[/snapback]

From what I could see, Connolly reverted to the right wing once we went down to 10 men. However, he was attempting to support de Vries when he could, which often left McCarthy exposed.