Saints Vs Brighton - Post Match Discussion

[Greenridge]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We should have realised we were in for a hard game and YES started with 4-5-1. We didn't, We've learnt, we move on.

 

The next game is vital and a win against Norwich will put us back on track with lessons learnt.

 

It seems Lambert was under the weather yesterday so I doubt we could have played 4-5-1 with Connolly up front especially with the defence insisting on missing out the midfield.

[Window Cleaner]

Why are we not using Mellis at all? Anyone know that.

I mean the lad must be really hacked off, he was in the England U21s last time but didn't get called up this time,not surprising really because we don't play him, might as well send him back to Chelsea.Is it because he's on probation ? Is that right? Never heard that before.

Edited 16 November, 2009 by Window Cleaner

[Scummer]

Why are we not using Mellis at all? Anyone know that.

I mean the lad must be really hacked off, he was in the England U21s last time but didn't get called up this time,not surprising really because we don't play him, might as well send him back to Chelsea.Is it because he's on probation ? Is that right? Never heard that before.

 

England U19 wasn't it?

[Window Cleaner]

England U19 wasn't it?

 

Probably explains why he didn't get called up for the U21s then.

[Saint_clark]

Why are we not using Mellis at all? Anyone know that.

I mean the lad must be really hacked off, he was in the England U21s last time but didn't get called up this time,not surprising really because we don't play him, might as well send him back to Chelsea.Is it because he's on probation ? Is that right? Never heard that before.

 

Because we started winning without him in the side?

[krissyboy31]

Because we started winning without him in the side?

 

Actually, we started winning with him in the team.

[Window Cleaner]

Because we started winning without him in the side?

 

Not saying we should start him but he seems to be really really out of favour. On the bench yesterday but unused. Mind you when you have to change one of your central defenders at half time because he is having a really bad game I suppose it limits your attacking options later on.

[Leicestersaint]

Lloyd James did very little wrong yesterday as far as i could see. Harding was worse and more culperable than James

 

 

I agree.

[Saint 76er]

Some positives to come out of the game (or should that be shame?)...

 

Any L1 opponents watching will have scaled back their assessment of us, thinking we are not as good as they thought we were. We may have lulled them into a false sense of security!

 

Any watching managers from higher league teams who had designs on some of our better players may now be reassessing any prospective bids, thinking those players are not as good as they thought they were!

 

Also Pardew may (and indeed should) have seen areas for improvement that may require Mr Liebherr's cheque book to be pressed into action in January!

 

Now, who says only bad things happen to us when Sky cameras are around... ?

[S-Clarke]

Some positives to come out of the game (or should that be shame?)...

 

Any L1 opponents watching will have scaled back their assessment of us, thinking we are not as good as they thought we were. We may have lulled them into a false sense of security!

 

Any watching managers from higher league teams who had designs on some of our better players may now be reassessing any prospective bids, thinking those players are not as good as they thought they were!

 

Also Pardew may (and indeed should) have seen areas for improvement that may require Mr Liebherr's cheque book to be pressed into action in January!

 

Now, who says only bad things happen to us when Sky cameras are around... ?

 

 

What worreis me is teams will see how Brighton setup against us, and do the same. Ok, they may not have the threat brighton did - but it's an interesting thought.

 

Brighton played and attacked us with the same purpose as Bristol Rovers, and got the result at the end of it. That's why we're not quite there as a team yet...we need to learn how to deal with ''skillfull'' pacey forward/wing play - luckily there isn't much of that in this league.

[Saint_clark]

Actually, we started winning with him in the team.

 

Last time he played for us was Rovers at home.

[S-Clarke]

Last time he played for us was Rovers at home.

 

I think he played for us against Gillingham, i think he poss hit the bar/post or something?

[St Marco]

Not really much to say, just one of those games. Can't win them all can you. Credit to Brighton they played well and took their chances when they came, we didn't, and that was the difference. Always next week. Listening to some people moan you would think we had lost the last 10 or something!

[SNSUN]

Why are we not using Mellis at all? Anyone know that.

I mean the lad must be really hacked off, he was in the England U21s last time but didn't get called up this time,not surprising really because we don't play him, might as well send him back to Chelsea.Is it because he's on probation ? Is that right? Never heard that before.

 

Ithink it must be down to form. Mellis's dipped, Antonios rocketed. I would start Mellis against Norwich in place of Morgan (in fact after yesterday's performance, I would start anyone in Morgan's place.)

[SNSUN]

Lloyd James did very little wrong yesterday as far as i could see. Harding was worse and more culperable than James

 

I saw it the opposite. Harding was working so gard for the team last night, you could see it in his little red face, the sweat dropping off him. I wasn't suprised when he was subbed, not because he was poor but because he had no energy left trying to play as a left back AND a centre back.

 

James didn't do badly, he was quite good going forward, but there are still questions over his defensive play. It's not suprising really, when he's a midfielder, but to be fair to him, Gary Neville in his prime could've been our right back last night and would've had a poor game - that's the Centre backs fault.

[derry]

I saw it the opposite. Harding was working so gard for the team last night, you could see it in his little red face, the sweat dropping off him. I wasn't suprised when he was subbed, not because he was poor but because he had no energy left trying to play as a left back AND a centre back.

 

James didn't do badly, he was quite good going forward, but there are still questions over his defensive play. It's not suprising really, when he's a midfielder, but to be fair to him, Gary Neville in his prime could've been our right back last night and would've had a poor game - that's the Centre backs fault.

 

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

[Whitey Grandad]

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

Spot on, as usual.

[SNSUN]

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

 

I agree but not Lallana. We need a left footer in the left midfield spot. Harding and Mills are both good defenders and competent going forwards - I don't see why they can't work together. I'd move Lallana elsewhere and try Mills and Harding on the left, I'm almost certain Mills would track back.

[S-Clarke]

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

 

completley spot on - it was identical to the rovers game in that sense, where harding was up against it as Lallana wasn't ''glued'' to the left.

 

Playing 4-4-2 needs 2 out and out wingers, who are disciplined enough to hold their positions. If they go walk abouts then that's when the space opens up.

[derry]

I agree but not Lallana. We need a left footer in the left midfield spot. Harding and Mills are both good defenders and competent going forwards - I don't see why they can't work together. I'd move Lallana elsewhere and try Mills and Harding on the left, I'm almost certain Mills would track back.

 

I think we have a problem with Lallana, we want to play him but have to fit him in warts and all hoping that the positives outweigh the negatives. Mills doesn't have the touch to play wide midfield his belted crosses are too difficult to get on the end of. There is no doubt he will track back but two full backs down the left isn't the answer either.

 

The only place left to try Lallana is alongside Hammond in centre midfield he has tried everywhere else. If I was the opposition I would be delighted to exploit the hole down our left.

[skintsaint]

Lallanas missed sitter cost us at 2-1. Should of buried that and it was that point I realised we wasnt going to get anything from the game.

 

Performance reminded me of an England game from the Sven era...lots of fanny passing about keeping possesion but not actually creating anything.

 

First 20mins was shocking in the first half...was embarrasing.

[Smirking_Saint]

Lloyd James did very little wrong yesterday as far as i could see. Harding was worse and more culperable than James

 

True,

 

Harding looked lost and at times bloody aweful, IMO James was the best player in our back four and actually played a few decent final balls which is more than anyone else on the pitch did

[CanadaSaint]

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

 

I'm with you, as usual, Dave.

 

Harding got roasted on the first goal but he had a ton of real estate to cover because Lallana was I'm not sure where. We started chasing the game very early.

 

Papa and then Antonio have saved James from a lot of dreadful roastings down our right side because they've kept opposing left-sided midfielders and overlappers very occupied. We desperately need Murty back. Desperately.

 

We are slow and ponderous in the middle at the back, and that really shows up when James and Harding struggle. Jaidi needs some speed and decisiveness alongside him or he will really start to struggle - especially against two central strikers.

 

I really like Lallana but he needs to stop being such a f*rt in a thunderstorm out there. He can create some great things but his lack of positional discipline really messes up our shape on a frequent basis.

 

We'll never know our best formation for a given situation until he sorts that out.

[Red&White]

I'm with you, as usual, Dave.

 

Harding got roasted on the first goal but he had a ton of real estate to cover because Lallana was I'm not sure where. We started chasing the game very early.

 

Papa and then Antonio have saved James from a lot of dreadful roastings down our right side because they've kept opposing left-sided midfielders and overlappers very occupied. We desperately need Murty back. Desperately.

 

We are slow and ponderous in the middle at the back, and that really shows up when James and Harding struggle. Jaidi needs some speed and decisiveness alongside him or he will really start to struggle - especially against two central strikers.

 

I really like Lallana but he needs to stop being such a f*rt in a thunderstorm out there. He can create some great things but his lack of positional discipline really messes up our shape on a frequent basis.

 

We'll never know our best formation for a given situation until he sorts that out.

 

In a nutshell

COYR

[The Cat]

Left winger is the most important position to fill at the moment. We need to stretch the midfield out more to create gaps for the strikers to play in. It's also vitally important to buy one who tracks back as a lot of the goals we concede come down our left because of the huge gaps.

 

Lallana should either play next to Hammond, or just off Lambert in a 4-4-2.

 

I think Lallana could do a decent job in a 2 man CM partnership with Hammond. He does get stuck in and at one point yesterday was our most active player when Brighton had the ball.

[derry]

I'm with you, as usual, Dave.

 

Harding got roasted on the first goal but he had a ton of real estate to cover because Lallana was I'm not sure where. We started chasing the game very early.

 

Papa and then Antonio have saved James from a lot of dreadful roastings down our right side because they've kept opposing left-sided midfielders and overlappers very occupied. We desperately need Murty back. Desperately.

 

We are slow and ponderous in the middle at the back, and that really shows up when James and Harding struggle. Jaidi needs some speed and decisiveness alongside him or he will really start to struggle - especially against two central strikers.

 

I really like Lallana but he needs to stop being such a f*rt in a thunderstorm out there. He can create some great things but his lack of positional discipline really messes up our shape on a frequent basis.

 

We'll never know our best formation for a given situation until he sorts that out.

 

Exactly where I'm coming from Bill. I watched the game live then came home and watched a recording from the opposite side. Knowing what I was looking for and being able to stop the game and look at multiple replays and stills really just reinforced that view.

[skintsaint]

Talking of left wingers whats happened to Holmes?

[derry]

Talking of left wingers whats happened to Holmes?

 

I think it's a case of the manager not rating him. He's playing tonight for the reserves.

[bpsaint]

Christ knows what game the Echo were watching yesterday,their player ratings are...

 

Davis 7 - Unlucky with Brightons second goal

James 6 - Always a threat going forward

Trotamn 4 - Hauled off after a disastrous first halk

Jaidi 5 - Not his best afternoon

Harding 5 - Booed throughout by Brighton fans

Antonio 6 - Flashes of his recent form

Hammond 6 - Not as his best against former club

Schneiderlin 7 - Showed glimpses of real quality

Lallanna 6 - Had chances to score

Connolly - His 2 years without a game maybe catching up with him

Lambert - At least he got on the scoresheet.

 

Brighton...

 

Kuipers 6

Whing 6

Elphick 5

Tunicliffe 5

E-Abd 5

Bennett 6

Dicker 6

Crofts 6

Cox 7

Forster 6

Murray 5

 

Now I know you expect a local paper to be a bit biased but thats taking the ****! Would love to know where Morgans 'glimpses of real quality' were,as I thought he was complete gash, and how did they decide that a poor performance by Lambert and an Ormerod-esque performance from Connolly was worthy of a 6,yet 2 goal Glenn Murray who looked a threat throughout was only worth a 5!?

 

Also in the bookings section they have the only yellow card going to Dailly for Brighton. Have they just cut and pasted the details from the Charlton match?

[a1ex2001]

the gap to saftey is on the increase again, 4 points now and other teams are pulling away quite quickly we are looking at a lot longer fighting relegation than i hoped a week ago.

[shurlock]

Don't think the problem was necessarily at the back, though the lack of pace at CB and poor distribution are worrying. A bigger problem is our predictability and lack of movement in the middle: both Hammond and Schneiderlin are too defensively-minded while 4-4-2 forces Lallana to stay on the left when he's more effective moving around - and when he does move around, he pulls the rest of the team out of shape.

 

Of course, yesterday was only one result but I would be tempted to bring in Mellis and drop Connolly (and possibly Papa for Antonio) and return to 4-5-1.

[scotty]

No it isn't. There is absolutely zero chance of us being relegated. Zero chance.

 

It's whether or not we make the play offs, and to be honest it's a long old slog but still possible.

 

 

Sh*t, now I'm really worried.

[derry]

Don't think the problem was necessarily at the back, though the lack of pace at CB and poor distribution are worrying. A bigger problem is our predictability and lack of movement in the middle: both Hammond and Schneiderlin are too defensively-minded while 4-4-2 forces Lallana to stay on the left when he's more effective moving around - and when he does move around, he pulls the rest of the team out of shape.

 

Of course, yesterday was only one result but I would be tempted to bring in Mellis and drop Connolly (and possibly Papa for Antonio) and return to 4-5-1.

 

The 4-4-2 certainly didn't force Lallana to stay wide left, he was hardly ever wide left and played all over the place. Mellis for Connolly you have got to be joking. Leaving Connolly out I can understand for 4-5-1 but Mellis is an unproductive tyro lightweight.

[shurlock]

The 4-4-2 certainly didn't force Lallana to stay wide left, he was hardly ever wide left and played all over the place. Mellis for Connolly you have got to be joking. Leaving Connolly out I can understand for 4-5-1 but Mellis is an unproductive tyro lightweight.

 

AL is playing much more on the left in the last few games (since Bristol when we went 4-4-2). Yes he will always stray -as he did yesterday- but that's part of the problem, especially when we go 4-4-2.

 

Re. Mellis - he was unlucky to go on international duty when he did (though he did score 3 in 3 while he was away). He was beginning to develop a good understanding with AL and RL. At times, we still rely too much on the long-ball, not least because the likes of Hammond nor Schneiderlin are too happy to stay back rather than look to create space.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back.

 

James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in.

 

The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals.

 

We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

 

Agree 100%. James was very poor defensively and one dimensional going forward. Wouldn't just single him out though - no one played well.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Christ knows what game the Echo were watching yesterday,their player ratings are...

 

Davis 7 - Unlucky with Brightons second goal

James 6 - Always a threat going forward

Trotamn 4 - Hauled off after a disastrous first halk

Jaidi 5 - Not his best afternoon

Harding 5 - Booed throughout by Brighton fans

Antonio 6 - Flashes of his recent form

Hammond 6 - Not as his best against former club

Schneiderlin 7 - Showed glimpses of real quality

Lallanna 6 - Had chances to score

Connolly - His 2 years without a game maybe catching up with him

Lambert - At least he got on the scoresheet.

 

Brighton...

 

Kuipers 6

Whing 6

Elphick 5

Tunicliffe 5

E-Abd 5

Bennett 6

Dicker 6

Crofts 6

Cox 7

Forster 6

Murray 5

 

Now I know you expect a local paper to be a bit biased but thats taking the ****! Would love to know where Morgans 'glimpses of real quality' were,as I thought he was complete gash, and how did they decide that a poor performance by Lambert and an Ormerod-esque performance from Connolly was worthy of a 6,yet 2 goal Glenn Murray who looked a threat throughout was only worth a 5!?

 

Also in the bookings section they have the only yellow card going to Dailly for Brighton. Have they just cut and pasted the details from the Charlton match?

 

Have started a thread on this because the Echo reporter needs a wake up call. People who can't get to watch the game need an accurate report back and Simon Walter's marking is rubbish. Was he there?

[alpine_saint]

Have started a thread on this because the Echo reporter needs a wake up call. People who can't get to watch the game need an accurate report back and Simon Walter's marking is rubbish. Was he there?

 

Were the Brighton goals his fault then ? I didnt know he was playing..

[sfc6mufc3]

Lets face it we were never going to go the rest of the season unbeaten but I expected our next defeat to be away to Leeds not at home to Brighton - this is the worst result since losing to Swindon 1-0 imo.

 

I hope they bounce back and start another run but Norwich will be tough.

[VectisSaint]

Agree 100%. James was very poor defensively and one dimensional going forward. Wouldn't just single him out though - no one played well.

I really don't get the James bashing that is going on. James was poor defensively for the 3rd goal when we were playing 3 at the back and pushing for an equaliser. He also was certainly not one-dimesnional going forward. I know you get a different view at the game (I was not able to be there yesterday) but I sometimes wonder if some people watched the same match as me. Some other posters are slating Harding. Personally I would say that together with Antonio they were our 3 best players yesterday (not saying a great deal I agree but its difficult to pick anyone else out as having had a good game). We really need to forget about the 3rd goal yesterday, we were chasing the game and taking a risk. The concern is with goals 1 and 2.

[latter day saint]

thought James played ok,just wish he would try something different than crossing it from just inside the oposisitions half! a lot of the time he had loads of space in front of him as Brighton dropped back,comfortable in dealing with the usualy lofted balls in.

[Greenridge]

....He also was certainly not one-dimesnional going forward... .

 

I beg to differ, I think you'll find he carried the ball to just over the half-way line and then hit a 30 yard diagonal ball into the box virtually every single time. That is pretty one-dimensional.

 

He wasn't the only one who struggled, let's be fair. I just hope it was a one-off game for whatever reason.

[captainchris]

Christ knows what game the Echo were watching yesterday,their player ratings are...

 

Davis 7 - Unlucky with Brightons second goal

James 6 - Always a threat going forward

Trotamn 4 - Hauled off after a disastrous first halk

Jaidi 5 - Not his best afternoon

Harding 5 - Booed throughout by Brighton fans

Antonio 6 - Flashes of his recent form

Hammond 6 - Not as his best against former club

Schneiderlin 7 - Showed glimpses of real quality

Lallanna 6 - Had chances to score

Connolly - His 2 years without a game maybe catching up with him

Lambert - At least he got on the scoresheet.

 

Brighton...

 

Kuipers 6

Whing 6

Elphick 5

Tunicliffe 5

E-Abd 5

Bennett 6

Dicker 6

Crofts 6

Cox 7

Forster 6

Murray 5

 

Now I know you expect a local paper to be a bit biased but thats taking the ****! Would love to know where Morgans 'glimpses of real quality' were,as I thought he was complete gash, and how did they decide that a poor performance by Lambert and an Ormerod-esque performance from Connolly was worthy of a 6,yet 2 goal Glenn Murray who looked a threat throughout was only worth a 5!?

 

Also in the bookings section they have the only yellow card going to Dailly for Brighton. Have they just cut and pasted the details from the Charlton match?

 

The Echo were at a different match. KD as man of the match! I know we were poor but he didn't have that much to do. A couple of saves - one very good save. BUT he is not as good as he's made out to be by a lot of our fans and the Echo. That is almost hysteria on here about KD which has no real foundation this year. He often concedes reletively soft goals and Brighton's third yesterday was fairly typical going into the middle half of the goal. Apparently (according to the hapless Echo he has kept two clean sheets in sixteen league games and I think we conceded in most cup games too. I't not all the fault of the defense. After all this is almost an entire new defense.

I just think less hype and more analysis of his performance and less blame on the back four who don't always have a bad game like yesterday.....

[pimpin4rizeal]

id like to see wayne thomas back in the side for saturday

much quicker that the other 2 cbs. commands the defense and really looks like he gives a ****.

i think it might have been a diffrent result had he started instead of trotters

[Kingsland Red]

I'm surprised so many people think James puts in a good cross when they are so often from the half way line.

Maybe they have never played up front.

A forward cannot attack a ball sent in from behind them at 45 degrees and get any power on it, you can only flick it on.

Simple maths really, crosses are best from the line of the penalty box onwards and ideally from near the by-line. Then you can see them and meet them.

QED

Edited 16 November, 2009 by Kingsland Red

[joffystevens]

Have you played upfront mate?, I scored half my goals from crosses and free kicks hit from deep last year. He put pace on the cross it just doesnt help when none of the strikers attack it, if Lambert played at the standard he has been this season he could have had a hat full.

[Lazlo78]

I really don't get the James bashing that is going on. James was poor defensively for the 3rd goal when we were playing 3 at the back and pushing for an equaliser. He also was certainly not one-dimesnional going forward. I know you get a different view at the game (I was not able to be there yesterday) but I sometimes wonder if some people watched the same match as me. Some other posters are slating Harding. Personally I would say that together with Antonio they were our 3 best players yesterday (not saying a great deal I agree but its difficult to pick anyone else out as having had a good game). We really need to forget about the 3rd goal yesterday, we were chasing the game and taking a risk. The concern is with goals 1 and 2.

 

Totally agree.

 

Their 1st was due to a misunderstanding between Harding and Lallana (and Trotman or Jaidi). The defense was stretched (and the central defenders + James should have pushed to the left quicker as a unit to close the gap) and Harding came forward. He and Lallana both went for the winger, Cox, and left their central midfielder unmarked. When Cox played the 1-2 with the midfielder, he exposed Harding for pace and took advantage of the fact that no central defender was backing up Harding. Small individual mistakes led to the goal...

 

2nd was a lapse of concentration by Trotman. What on earth was he thinking about staying on the wrong side of his man casually strolling behind him?

 

3rd goal was a result of us trying to push forward in a 3-4-1-2. Brighton kept their cool and exposed our defense. Much as we can criticise the team for conceding we can applaud Pardew for switching to a hitherto unknown Plan C. I hate it when managers don't try their hardest to avoid a defeat...

 

Maybe I'm too easily impressed, but as I wrote earlier I think James' delivery was excellent. Kingsland Red: Deep crosses swinging away from the keeper may be a tad more difficult for the striker but they're also much more difficult to defend as you often can't get behind the ball. Brighton were sitting a bit too deep for this to really show, but if he had hit those early crosses on a defense trying to get back, he would have caused all sorts of problems for them. So I'd say not so QED on the crossing issue.

 

Oh and while I'm at it - what is the issue with sideways passing on this board? I've seen it mentioned numerous times after a game that "we did too much of that useless sideways passing". But if we can't hoof the ball forwards and we can't pass it sideways - what's left? Watch a Barcelona match and make a derogatory comment about sideways passes again... When a team is expected to be in possession and dominate the match (as we often are) I would be very disappointed if the players were unable to shift the ball sideways - either by short or long passes - keep patience, and wait for the opportune moment to set the strikers up...

[joffystevens]

Totally agree.

 

Their 1st was due to a misunderstanding between Harding and Lallana (and Trotman or Jaidi). The defense was stretched (and the central defenders + James should have pushed to the left quicker as a unit to close the gap) and Harding came forward. He and Lallana both went for the winger, Cox, and left their central midfielder unmarked. When Cox played the 1-2 with the midfielder, he exposed Harding for pace and took advantage of the fact that no central defender was backing up Harding. Small individual mistakes led to the goal...

 

2nd was a lapse of concentration by Trotman. What on earth was he thinking about staying on the wrong side of his man casually strolling behind him?

 

3rd goal was a result of us trying to push forward in a 3-4-1-2. Brighton kept their cool and exposed our defense. Much as we can criticise the team for conceding we can applaud Pardew for switching to a hitherto unknown Plan C. I hate it when managers don't try their hardest to avoid a defeat...

 

Maybe I'm too easily impressed, but as I wrote earlier I think James' delivery was excellent. Kingsland Red: Deep crosses swinging away from the keeper may be a tad more difficult for the striker but they're also much more difficult to defend as you often can't get behind the ball. Brighton were sitting a bit too deep for this to really show, but if he had hit those early crosses on a defense trying to get back, he would have caused all sorts of problems for them. So I'd say not so QED on the crossing issue.

 

Oh and while I'm at it - what is the issue with sideways passing on this board? I've seen it mentioned numerous times after a game that "we did too much of that useless sideways passing". But if we can't hoof the ball forwards and we can't pass it sideways - what's left? Watch a Barcelona match and make a derogatory comment about sideways passes again... When a team is expected to be in possession and dominate the match (as we often are) I would be very disappointed if the players were unable to shift the ball sideways - either by short or long passes - keep patience, and wait for the opportune moment to set the strikers up...

 

Someone is finally talking sense in here!!

[Whitey Grandad]

3rd goal was a result of us trying to push forward in a 3-4-1-2. Brighton kept their cool and exposed our defense. Much as we can criticise the team for conceding we can applaud Pardew for switching to a hitherto unknown Plan C. I hate it when managers don't try their hardest to avoid a defeat...

3rd goal was awful (non-existent) defending by James and a failure to track back by Lallana.

[Legod Third Coming]

I really don't get the James bashing that is going on. James was poor defensively for the 3rd goal when we were playing 3 at the back and pushing for an equaliser. He also was certainly not one-dimesnional going forward. I know you get a different view at the game (I was not able to be there yesterday) but I sometimes wonder if some people watched the same match as me. Some other posters are slating Harding. Personally I would say that together with Antonio they were our 3 best players yesterday (not saying a great deal I agree but its difficult to pick anyone else out as having had a good game). We really need to forget about the 3rd goal yesterday, we were chasing the game and taking a risk. The concern is with goals 1 and 2.

 

Both of which can be lain at Trottman's door. For it was he who failed to stay goal-side and was stood so far off his man he might as well have been in Ocean Village.

 

He had a mare.

 

BUT he can have one a season.

 

Move on.

 

As for Lloyd James he put in two scoring crosses which we failed to convert. He did ok.

[Lazlo78]

3rd goal was awful (non-existent) defending by James and a failure to track back by Lallana.

 

James was out of position because we were 3 at the back and stretched. However, when he got back and challenged the winger, he did awful - that much I'll grant you

 

Tbh I don't know who was supposed to be marking their scorer - but I did notice Lallana desperately trying to catch him...