Ugly performance but satisfying, great result - My thoughts on the Brighton game

I knew as soon as I saw Brighton play 3-5-1-1, so baiscally 6 midfielders, that our 3 man midfield would have a tough game, and I was right. In games like that, you need your forward 3 in your 4-3-3 to be clinical, and it just showed again we're simply lacking that little bit of quality up front.

Can't fault the lads for their effort, but there were some shakey performances there.

But never mind, the fact that we can play ugly and be over run in midfield and our back line and keeper can earn us points is promising.

I'd have taken 0-0 before the start of the game.

Ratings -

Pope - MOTM - 9 - Solid goal keeping. What a ****ing signing for 10m. Englands number 1.

Trippier - 5 - I would have given him 4 but he did clear off the line and save us from conceding. His worst performance so far. Hasn't started the season that well.

Botman - 7 - Good performance, nothing special but good.

Schar - 7

Burn - 8 - I thought he was solid, and that last ditch block was superb, he does that at least once a game. He is definitely our best defender of 2022. Decent LB option obviously. He's not as slow as some people think. Should have scored really.

Willock - 5 - Worked hard but didn't provide much.

Bruno - 3 - Poor. Over run by a thick midfield and they never let him play.

Joelinton - 6 - Decent shift.

Almiron - 7 - Good hard graft, but didn't really create anything. Still I think he was crucial in terms of the effort.

Wilson - 5.5 - Not much to do but great touches and hold up play at times.

ASM - 6.5 - Despite being frustrating, I thought he was our best chance of getting anything up front. Some ****, but some good crosses and passes. Stupid dive.

 

I was with @Ben 10 off West the coast of Africa.
Craic…10
Beers… 10
Anti Obi Banter… 10

cheers.
And I bought a BIG round.

 

Bruno got caught in possession a couple of times. Our midfield lost but our defence held out.
Let's take it and move on.

 

This game was the only game of the season where Shelvey is a **** would have been beneficial

 

like last time we played there?

 

Ok

 

I can't be the only one who thinks Tash watches a totally different game to what I've watched?

 

I was thinking more that there is no way Chippy has bought a round.

 

Which ratings did u disagree with?

 

I'm going to guess Burn, ASM and Bruno.

 

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I don't see why Pope got a 9 when it was the ball he missed that forced Tripps to clear off the line, You give him a 9 for the one good save he made yet give Tripps a 5 for a save equally as important.

So I disagree with Pope getting a 9 and Tripps getting a 5. We got a clean sheet so both would get a 7 in my book.

Burn wasn't better than Botman or Schar but again the defence got a clean sheet and did the job so 7's there. Burn's lack of forward runs hindered the midfield 3 as there wasn't the wide option Targett offers them or a natutral LWB offers them.

I'd have Bruno, Joelinton and Willock all on a par at 6.5's. I wouldn't even have given Clark as bad as a 3 against Norwich last season so to do that with Bruno is wayyy too harsh.

Thought ASM was utterly ****ing **** today - 5 for him, don't see how you possibly thought he was one of the better players. If I'd been manager he would have been hauled off for that dive that he got booked for. Wilson was quiet but held his position well and that is sometimes the life of a striker so a 6.5 and Miggy was well.......Miggy so a 6.5

It was all fart and no ****e.

Football's a game of opinions though. Just don't see why everyone gets hyped by Maxi. He is the most frustrating player we've had for decades. Learning to look up and make the correct decision is taught to kids as young as 7, yet he can't do it. He's a busted flush as far as I'm concerned. There is a reason why no one is dumb enough to fork out £40m for him. Unless Maxi starts a game well he gets ****ter and ****ter and ****ter and lazier and lazier and lazier as the clock ticks down.

 

ASM was so poor. I counted 4 passes to Brighton from good positions. Really awful. If they can upgrade him I'd take it. Miggy gives so much more, but the issue is neither give the important bit - an end product.

 

I don't understand the ASM hate here. I think his final balls have improved, and he's the only one in the front three that looks like creating anything.

Almiron creates **** all. Wilson has the ball played to his feet and doesn't do much else.

At least ASM went on some decent runs at times and put in a few decent balls.

 

Pope with one decent save?

That's some serious crack you're on man, I've got to hand it to ya. You've got some heisenberg **** in your area brah.

Pope made a number of good saves. Trippier got caught out quite a few times in this game.

Burn got an 8 because he barely put a foot wrong through the game, did a good job in a position he's not normally in, and made a fantastic block.

ASM has been the only real decent attacking option we've had the last couple of games. Almiron works his tits off but creates nothing.

Wilson receives the ball quite well, his ball control is great, but apart from that he goes awol and just waits for something to be played right to him. I suppose It's harsh on him because he were getting dominated in midfield and he had no service.

ASM has improved and I disagree with you all here.

P.S. - Pope made 5 saves.

 

I'm not convinced this 4-3-3 is the future. I wonder if a formation like Brighton's would suit us better?

 

It was simply a clash of styles. They flooded the midfield with 6 total midfielders to our 3, and we got swamped.

Reminds me when went on like an 8 match winning streak under Pardew in 4-3-3 then got hammered 4-0 of Wigan.

Without 4-3-3 Willock, Joelinton and ASM become less effective.

It's one bad game. I'd give it 10 more games before considering a change in formation.

We've gotten 4 points so far, that's a good return.

 

I said one decent save I never said one save. I thought he had a decent game. I just think your ratings and observations are off kilter. You criticise Trippier yet Burn was exactly the same, granted he got an important block in......and Burn has probably played way more games as a LB than a CB.......granted not for a while since he's been with us.

Now why don't you go type nufc into Youtube and see what everyone at the game has said about ASM's performance ....... to give you a hint words such as ****, ****, ****ing awful are being used....... ASM has been the only decent attacking threat? Yet we scored twice last week and he never came close???? He never got close today either.

How the **** does Wilson go awol? He stays in position, tries different things if one isn't working such as using the cahnnels, he's always in position though and it's not his fault if the service isn't there, that's not going awol.

If you mean he's possibly carrying a little extra timber and possibly lost a bit of pace and match sharpness I would have agreed but to say he goes missing is bonkers.

 

I felt Trippier was caught out a few times, Burn didn't really put a foot wrong besides that header he missed.

I think Trippier has looked quite weak the last two games to be honest.

In regards to Pope, maybe 9 is a bit over the top but not that much because the reality is he's the main reason we're got a clean sheet IMO. 5 saves, a few of them were great reaction saves.

 

I'm not disagreeing about Pope, I thought he was decent.

Just shows the differences in how people watch the game. As I say I'd say job done for all the defence, Clean sheet, Tripps got caught out and hasn't hit the heights of last year yet but its still early season. My view was Tripps offered more to the midfield than Burn did. One better offensively and one better defensively.