Seagulls 2 Rovers 0

[Rockford's Love Child]

The defeat today sounded unfortunate, as we seemed pretty comfortable up until the penalty. The match stats state that Brighton only had 3 shots on target, and Poyet has admitted it was a tough game. It would be interesting to hear from anybody who went.

We still have a three point gap to the bottom four, but Colchester next week really is must win now. We know we can battle away from home and put in decent performances, but the huge question mark about our home form remains, and we need at least 3 more home wins (possibly 4) if we are going to stay up.

 

[Ian]

I know it's doesn't help at the end of the day, but we all expected a tough game. At least they sounded more competitive. I'm assuming we were playing for a draw here, always tough to do.

But like you say, the key to this run in now is our home form. If we can notch a few wins at home, we should be OK.

I won't lie to you though, I'm nervous. We never make it easy for ourselves.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I went today and it turned out much as I expected. The biggest surprise was the size of the SWA (126). But there were almost as many stewards and police at the away end!

Despite what the OS report says, we played 4-5-1, with Enoch on his own except on rare occasions. Brighton played 4-4-2, so whenever they attacked, they were outnumbered 9 to 6.

It was a much improved display. We played as a unit, kept our shape and showed good spirit. We were not outclassed. The defence was solid with Warner looking very comfortable. I had not seen Weir before. He looks skilful and inventive and could develop into a useful player with more experience. Let’s face it, we are a little short on creativity in midfield. But he looks so light I can’t believe he could ever play at full back.

Our formation was the right one for the occasion, although I was disappointed in Akins and Zoum, who never did anything positive. Just after the penalty, Zoum missed a great chance to equalise.

We did very well for over an hour until Goodi allegedly handled in the area. I was too far away to see but it could have been ball-to-hand. After that, we actually played better and became more creative. We moved the ball well in midfield but the final pass never came.

Just how threadbare our squad is became obvious to everyone when we had to move Goodi upfront to beef up the attack.

In a game of few chances, we could actually have won if our free kicks had been half decent and Zoum had taken his chance. Glenn Murray’s goal was good enough to win any game and was probably the difference between the two sides.

That’s two points out of the last 21. We are still three points above the drop zone with games in hand. Surely we can’t continue to defy gravity if we keep losing.

What worries me is that we keep playing well against good teams and losing and keep playing badly against poor teams and losing. If we could just play like this against our fellow strugglers, we might get out of this mess.

 

[roverstillidie]

Predictable result. So much for Les making any number of changes.

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

I didn't go but it sounded like a bit better performance. Lets not forget that Brighton haven't lost at home all season and are 7 points clear at the top of the division. Had we got something from the game, it would have been highly unexpected.

The Colchester game is a HUGE one. I feel we have to terminate this winless run fast so a 3 pointer at home is a MUST in my eyes, else we'll be dragged in and will struggle to get our heads above the drop zone again.

 

[roverstillidie]

Les, "Our game planned work to a tee" erm, we lost 2-0.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Les, "Our game planned work to a tee" erm, we lost 2-0.

We could go to Brighton with everyone firing at 110% and we'd still need them to play below par for us to get anything from the game. Sounded like an ok performance, I'll settle for that.

 

[roverstillidie]

I wasn't expecting us to get anything from the game it's just saying the game went to plan when you lost seems to a bit stupid/defeatist.

 

[DIW]

I wasn't expecting us to get anything from the game it's just saying the game went to plan when you lost seems to a bit stupid/defeatist.

Correct.

 

[Boz]

BBTC, thanks for the report. You say Akins did very little, which wouldn't be out of character, but I read elsewhere that he had the best of our 3 efforts, bringing a decent save out of the keeper?

I wasn't expecting too much change for Les after the Bristol debacle, especially when he thought that Welsh had been one of our better players. However, aside from McGurk and Labadie, there weren't many potential game-changers on the bench. Time to give some of the more promising reserves an outing?

Tend to agree with RLC that Colchester is a 'must win' game, especially as there's talk the Sheffield Wednesday game will be called off due to international call-ups. I hope that the manager picks a team to attack and win that one, rather than settling for the same side that had a futile bid to take a point off Brighton, regardless of how heroic that was.

 

[SonkORLY?]

I wasn't expecting us to get anything from the game it's just saying the game went to plan when you lost seems to a bit stupid/defeatist.

I think you're misinterpreting what he means tbh. His "game plan" was probably to shut them out, look to counter attack, close down space quickly, etc. We can execute that well, and it can be the "perfect" tactical approach on the day, and yet we can still lose. Clearly the result itself was not perfect, even though our general tactics may have been. If we'd played 4-4-2 and tried to play football, that would not have been the right "game plan".

 

[Ian]

I agree. Can't knock Les for having a game plan, which did seem to be going well until the penalty decision, which looked a little bit harsh.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

BBTC, thanks for the report. You say Akins did very little, which wouldn't be out of character, but I read elsewhere that he had the best of our 3 efforts, bringing a decent save out of the keeper?

Yes, he did shoot but his left footed effort was easily saved by Ankergren. It was low and not very powerful. (In my report I thought it was Bakayogo.)

For the record, it was the only save he had to make all game. I think our other shots "on target" were Robbo's free kicks which were blasted against the defensive wall. A complete waste.

Les could have worded his post-match comments better. We held them for over an hour, but a plan which only works for 62 minutes does not work at all. It was still the best plan, in my view. It might have worked, but we were only ever going to score from a set piece or a defensive howler.

 

[Ian]

The problem Les has is there is no plan B. When they scored the penalty, it was all over for Les' tactical plan, which then usually results in Goodison being moved into a forward role in the hope of scraping something from the game.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

The problem Les has is there is no plan B. When they scored the penalty, it was all over for Les' tactical plan, which then usually results in Goodison being moved into a forward role in the hope of scraping something from the game.

To be fair, Ian, the Plan B was to bring on McGurk after the first goal and then move Goodi up as a third striker after the second goal. As I said in my report, they did put some good moves together in the last twenty minutes.

The real problem is the lack of any decent strikers to support Enoch. We also lack creativity in the final third. You can blame Les to some extent, but a lot of it is down to his limited budget.

There is hope. Dale should be back before long, as will LEA. And I feel that once McGurk gets a goal, his confidence will rise and we should see the best of him.

 

[Ian]

And I feel that once McGurk gets a goal, his confidence will rise and we should see the best of him.

Will that be this century? Only kidding, but I understand what you're saying.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thanks to BBTC for the info. on the game.

Most sources tend to agree that we did well on Saturday, and still posed a threat even at two down, but our problems lie elsewhere this season.

Apparently (I haven't checked the stats but they seem plausible) we have only won one game at home against a bottom six side while Les has been in charge (Brighton eighteen months ago), and with Swindon and Dagenham still to play at home, and Exeter and Notts County also still to come, that is a statistic that frightens me.

We haven't worked out a style or system to play against bottom half of the table sides at PP, but we have to between now and the end of the season or we will be sucked into the bottom four (unless we win three away games, which is highly unlikely).

 

[Ian]

Hate to be he harbinger of doom, but with those worrying stats, I can see us getting sucked back into the relegation battle just like we did last season. Well, at least is was an exciting end to last season, if for the wrong reasons.

 

[Boz]

I do get worried about Les' reported comments on Sky that we're doing better than he expected, his aspirations must have been very low.

Having seen the highlights of the Brighton game, the penalty award against Goodi seemed very harsh, hits him initially on chest, then bounces onto his arm.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I do get worried about Les' reported comments on Sky that we're doing better than he expected, his aspirations must have been very low.

Given that we only picked up 2 points from 21 in March, I don't see how Les could be anything other than disapppointed with our performance.

Yes, we are still out of the bottom four, but Walsall and Dagenham who at one stage were miles behind us, are now within touching distance.

Anyway, here's hoping for better against Colchester who have little to play for now, and a poor away record.