Brighton away Saturday 21st March at 1230pm

[Exiled_red]

When ekitike went off injured, what was the thinking with bringing on Jones??

He started with only 2 natural attackers (if we count Wirtz as a midfielder). Then one goes off injured after 5 min, so he decides to replace him with another midfielder, leaving just one attacker on the pitch. Not only that, but it’s one who’s only managed 6 goals in 29 games!

He had Ngumoha and Chiesa on the bench. I get that they’re not his ideal choice, but if he was gonna shoe horn 2 midfielders into their positions, rather than playing them, then why bother even having them in the squad- and if he’s not willing to use them in situations like this, then he needed to replace Nunez/Diaz/Jota. Ngumoha has been great recently when given the chance. I get that he’s young and Slot wants to manage his minutes with longer term development in mind, but needs must, we’re missing 3 strikers and the kid looks good enough to play, so put him in.

Also once he brought jones on, he had no senior midfield options left on the bench for the next 85+ minutes.

I am assuming that he doesn't think either Ngumoha or Chiesa can or should play 85 mins. If you look at the bench I think there was only Jones and Robbo who were starting options, Gomez would have been too but is probably in red zone for fitness or injury.

Think of the likely role of players on bench yesterday for me it's this:
Jones and Robbo - potential starters would play either for 90mins
Gomez- having his minutes managed for fitness reasons probably could play 30mins 45 at a push.
Ngumoha- only going to be brought on for a max of 30 mins given how his mins are being managed
Woodman - reserve GK hope we don't have to use
Chiesa - would be used for upto last 15mins if we need a goal
Nyoni - could get 10 mins if needed perhaps up to 30 if we are comfortable in the gsme
Morrison - only coming on for experience if we are a few goals ahead and comfortable
Ramsay - only coming on in an emergency where there is no one else available to play RB (I.e. Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Jones and Gomez have all either been taken off or injured)

Bench is shocking to be honest

[Kenneth]

They're all starting options, the only reason they're not starting is because of Slot's judgement throughout the season. Take Nyoni, he's a quality young player that has more than proven himself at youth level and it waiting for the chance to step up. He's not getting much of a shot in an underperforming midfield. Whether he is a poor option from that bench is kind of impossible to know, it's influenced by whether you trust Slot's judgement of him so far. Based on the fact that the players who he does constantly choose in that position are not playing well and keep dropping points left right and centre, I do not. The same kind of logic applies to chiesa and rio; if you don't give players a fair crack, you can't say they're shocking options.

[Cerbie]

He could have brought Chiesa on for Ekitike and then replaced him with Rio on 60-70 minutes - or vice versa. It’s not rocket science and he could have explained that to the sub if they were concerned about his fitness.

Instead he made a tactical change to play 451 after 8 mins and we had one big chance all game according to the stats. We needed a mistake from Dunk and quick thinking from Kerkez to score.

The ref didn’t help, he was card happy yesterday but bottled giving Minteh a second yellow twice.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Went to a serial killer exhibition instead, seen 10 mins of game in a pub beforehand. Was a good choice to skip, so predictable.

At the RDS? Was at that a few weeks ago.

Enjoy it? Mentioned it in another thread at the time, maybe the things I like thread. Found some of it cheap and tacky and some of it to be quite cool.

[BG1973]

I'm obv missing something but why is second Brighton goal not offside?

Past last defender.
Was forward pass.

What am I missing?

[Slinky Skills]

Exactly, he wasn't offside from the first phase of play.

[BG1973]

???

[danperkins]

At the RDS? Was at that a few weeks ago.

Enjoy it? Mentioned it in another thread at the time, maybe the things I like thread. Found some of it cheap and tacky and some of it to be quite cool.

was a bit gimmicky imo, was ok. Fascinating that's actually real, makes you realise that there's some ****ing headbangers out there.

[Doc_Piptorious]

was a bit gimmicky imo, was ok. Fascinating that's actually real, makes you realise that there's some ****ing headbangers out there.

Did you go in the regular line or do the "VIP" where you get the posters etc?

The GF wanted the poster soe we had to do that way.

Yeah agree on the headbangers bit. Was like walking through a display about EST posters. Makes one glad to be a perfectly stable model citizen like you and I

[Exiled_red]

They're all starting options, the only reason they're not starting is because of Slot's judgement throughout the season. Take Nyoni, he's a quality young player that has more than proven himself at youth level and it waiting for the chance to step up. He's not getting much of a shot in an underperforming midfield. Whether he is a poor option from that bench is kind of impossible to know, it's influenced by whether you trust Slot's judgement of him so far. Based on the fact that the players who he does constantly choose in that position are not playing well and keep dropping points left right and centre, I do not. The same kind of logic applies to chiesa and rio; if you don't give players a fair crack, you can't say they're shocking options.

I wasn't so much stating that as a judgement on the players ability, more the reality of the situation in the squad at present.

I would dispute that they are all starters. Ngumoha and Nyoni should have had more minutes and been closer to starting options than they are. I agree with managing minutes but IMO it could have been done differently and better. Morrison is a youngster who is on the bench for experience. But that's OK we want a pathway for youngsters so having at leas5 a couple on the bench every game is good.

Ramsay just isn't good enough for me. The likes of Chiesa and Endo (I know he's injured and wasn't on the bench) but they should have been getting minutes if nothing else to let other guys have a break.

Problem is when you look at that bench there is no one you look at and think they will come on and change things other than Ngumoha, the others are just fresh legs, again that is important but we need more, we need real options.

[danperkins]

Did you go in the regular line or do the "VIP" where you get the posters etc?

The GF wanted the poster soe we had to do that way.

Yeah agree on the headbangers bit. Was like walking through a display about EST posters. Makes one glad to be a perfectly stable model citizen like you and I

Vip of course

There's 100% a serial killer or potential serial killer on here

[Doc_Piptorious]

Vip of course

There's 100% a serial killer or potential serial killer on here

Only one?


Reckon we ought to to go kill off five or six suspects, just to be sure. Might need a few practise kills too just to get up to speed.

[danperkins]

Only one?


Reckon we ought to to go kill off five or six suspects, just to be sure. Might need a few practise kills too just to get up to speed.

Hey we now know in great detail, how to avoid capture from the authorities. All these amateurs got caught, lame.

[S-RED]

attended yesterday, shocking, no team sprit or desire; 1st time i have been at the Amex & liverpool did not sell out the away end & after 70mins those attending were headifng for the bar....

all on slot & whilst its unlikley he will go in the summer, no way he is our manager next season (obvs statement i know)

[peterbread]

attended yesterday, shocking, no team sprit or desire; 1st time i have been at the Amex & liverpool did not sell out the away end & after 70mins those attending were headifng for the bar....

all on slot & whilst its unlikley he will go in the summer, no way he is our manager next season (obvs statement i know)

That was very noticeable to me yesterday. They didn’t look like they showed any real fight or desire to get an equaliser late in the game.

VVD made a comment about the Ekitike Jones sub and how it changed the shape and left no one to run in behind Brighton.

This is it.

When Hugo comes off and you look at the team, there was not a lot of runs in behind. There is not a lot on that side. That wasn't the issue why we lost but it changed a bit of our game. When he made changes, the formation changed and the positions changed and then you're asking different things.

It’s easy to take it as a dig but who knows what he means but in the end it’s true. It probably wasn’t the right change. And while Chiesa and Rio can’t play a full 90 could you have swapped one for the other later and taken the risk knowing we need to win games rather than the safer option. The lack of any pace in the attack yesterday was a massive problem.