Brentford (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[blue b4 the moon]

Grealish should’ve been brought on to kill that game at 2-1 get it up to him to draw fouls, on Pep that one with slow substitutions, after our second they got at us and we looked fucked, Gundogan is not the choice there.

It's not rocket science.

Pep just seems stubborn as fuck continually doing the same thing with Gundogan.

 

[supercity88]

I can't help but feel there's something going on. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. In previous seasons Pep has been so ruthless over minor errors. Someone failing to pass and shooting instead would see them hauled off or out of the team. Someone not doing their defensive work off the ball would be berated and out of the team. He seems completely fine with the fact the team are making basic mistakes. I can appreciate the injuries and lack of fitness with some, but at 2-0 surely he has noticed that's a lead we were lucky to have. Surely he would anticipate the fact we've been poor at holding onto leads and will come under increasing pressure? So surely he'd make changes to bring the required energy levels up or to help us retain the ball and pass it around until the game was over?!

I don't see any of our rumoured signings doing anything to address the issue we have in controlling games.

 

[shemnel]

Gutted to lose a two goal lead! I am also of the opinion that we didn't exactly have control prior to Gundogan coming on, the whole game was chaos. Admittedly there wasn't much change when he came on until Brentford's first, but that's different, I dont think he made it worse. Actually we were in complete control from their first to 90....

Gvardiol was exposed and therefore exploited. He was hung out to dry by the system. When Nunes went up, as he was instructed to, the back 3 moved more central and Brentford gambled with two wide on their right (our left). They overloaded that side time and again, getting both goals and numerous good chances from balls out to our left.

My personal choice would have been Grealish on for Savinho at some point late on, and Haaland off around 85.

We leaked another 18 shots to add to the masses leaked against Leicester and West Ham, but there was some better stuff from Foden, KdB, Ake and Savinho. Whatever is wrong with Akanji and Silva needs fixing.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

I can't help but feel there's something going on. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. In previous seasons Pep has been so ruthless over minor errors. Someone failing to pass and shooting instead would see them hauled off or out of the team. Someone not doing their defensive work off the ball would be berated and out of the team. He seems completely fine with the fact the team are making basic mistakes. I can appreciate the injuries and lack of fitness with some, but at 2-0 surely he has noticed that's a lead we were lucky to have. Surely he would anticipate the fact we've been poor at holding onto leads and will come under increasing pressure? So surely he'd make changes to bring the required energy levels up or to help us retain the ball and pass it around until the game was over?!

I don't see any of our rumoured signings doing anything to address the issue we have in controlling games.

Something going on? Like what?

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Wanted to sleep on it before I posted so here goes.

Firstly make no mistake about it, Brentford are a very very good team with some excellent players including Wissa and Mbuemo however at 2-0 up on 83 mins we should have seen that out. Would I have taken a point pre match, yes but not from 2-0 up.

Thoughts on the game. We played very well and looked a lot more fluid going forward. Savinio starting to look the player (despite his shit effort on the equaliser). Foden looked a lot better and KDB was very good. Don't ever underestimate how valuable player Ake is. Saved a certain winner on the line. Just wish we could keep him fit a bit more.

Negatives for me. Bernardo did the sum total of fuck all again apart from run around. He has been consistently poor all season and I fear he is another one we should have let go last summer. Why oh why are we not clinical when it comes to letting players go. No sentiment in football for me.
Akanji - I really worry how he has been playing. He literally got bullied for that header and he looks like he has lead in his boots. Gvardiol made some poor passes but overall he had a decent game. I just think he needs a break.

My final point is on Gundogan. As soon as he came on I knew we were doomed. (yes I did back Brentford on 83 to win or draw).
His legacy will always be there for me but he should never have been brought back to the club. His legs are not at it anymore. Surely the better option for taking Kova off was to bring energy into the middle. Rico, O'reilly, Grealish would have been much better options in my opinion. Pep needs to stop relying on Gundogan now because it really is worrying how the game changes when he comes on. It was made for young energetic legs in those last 10-15mins.
I was more frustrated than annoyed last night because even at 2-1 up we had chances to kill it. As Pep said we made poor decisions in the final 3rd.
Not a happy clapper but overall I thought we played really well but we need to kill games and be more pragmatic at 2-0 up.
No escaping the fact that the Rodri injury has killed us this season, but the club knew 1 major injury to him and we are fucked centrally. How true that has become. Oh well onto Ipswich now. Another tough game. Still plenty to play for. Just hope we get some bodies in the midfield in January.

 

[Craig]

Gutted to lose a two goal lead! I am also of the opinion that we didn't exactly have control prior to Gundogan coming on, the whole game was chaos. Admittedly there wasn't much change when he came on until Brentford's first, but that's different, I dont think he made it worse. Actually we were in complete control from their first to 90....

Gvardiol was exposed and therefore exploited. He was hung out to dry by the system. When Nunes went up, as he was instructed to, the back 3 moved more central and Brentford gambled with two wide on their right (our left). They overloaded that side time and again, getting both goals and numerous good chances from balls out to our left.

My personal choice would have been Grealish on for Savinho at some point late on, and Haaland off around 85.

We leaked another 18 shots to add to the masses leaked against Leicester and West Ham, but there was some better stuff from Foden, KdB, Ake and Savinho. Whatever is wrong with Akanji and Silva needs fixing.

Agree with pretty much everything there. Apart from i don’t think i’d have subbed Savinho. He had become such a threat 2nd half and looked like he could get us another goal. He would have done if he’d been a bit more unselfish. That’s obviously on him to work on but the improvement him in over the last month has been on a similar level to how much Sane started to improve after his first few months here. A real positive for us at the moment.

 

[madloaf]

Something going on? Like what?

Well he thinks we were in complete control from the 1st to the 90 so I'm not entirely sure he knows what's going on. Even for the happiest of clappers this is confused. We created chances, they created chances. If it ended 5-5 that would have been about right!

 

[Bluefen]

......and we couldve/shouldve had 4 or 5 before they scored.

Ditto v Sporting, Spurs, Neverton.

The whole team are responsible for the whole 95 minutes, back,front & centre.....and the coach is responsible for the whole team !!

He is hanging Gundo out to dry expecting him come on and run a game like that !!

He’s substitutes were telling… even at 1-0 the obvious sub was Grealish <> Savinho (as good as Savio was) we were totally exposed on the left. An in-form Grealish would have added stability and control and legs to the midfield but Pep clearly doesn’t trust he will get that currently

I think Gundo <> Kova was a straight swap but Gundos legs have clearly gone - so we have so few other options - interesting he still trusts Gundo when it’s plain to see he can’t operate in that role anymore yet he doesn’t trust Grealish one iota

 

[ysmsa]

14 points dropped from winning positions this season - See the games out and we would top.

7 points dropped carelessly over the last 3 weeks - That puts us second, 5 behind.

The consolation is the fact this season is on a par with Leicester's title win. Everybody dropped off and an average team looked head and shoulders above and won the title, this season it's the Dippers.

Bloody frustrating though!

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Why are the conspiracy theorists out in force. There is fuck all going on apart from it being a transitional season.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I can't help but feel there's something going on. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. In previous seasons Pep has been so ruthless over minor errors. Someone failing to pass and shooting instead would see them hauled off or out of the team. Someone not doing their defensive work off the ball would be berated and out of the team. He seems completely fine with the fact the team are making basic mistakes. I can appreciate the injuries and lack of fitness with some, but at 2-0 surely he has noticed that's a lead we were lucky to have. Surely he would anticipate the fact we've been poor at holding onto leads and will come under increasing pressure? So surely he'd make changes to bring the required energy levels up or to help us retain the ball and pass it around until the game was over?!

I don't see any of our rumoured signings doing anything to address the issue we have in controlling games.

Ha, I’ve used the insanity line a few times on here over the last couple of months, it’s mental, literally.

There’s so much wrong with us currently it’s hard to know where to even start, the post would be too long.

Awful defending, no proper full backs, geriatric midfield, slow players up front with Erling, players not tracking back as too lazy or too slow, no pressing from the front guys.

I mean, it can be summed up with Phil, yes he scores 2 goals but his general play and laziness was unbelievable.

The amount of times Brentford broke on us and our players were wither unable or couldn’t be arsed getting back to help was an absolute disgrace.

 

[Rammy Blue]

Shocking that Bernie has become a complete liability, his legs have gone as badly as Gundo’s, Pep’s over reliance on his favourites is costing us time and time again.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Why are the conspiracy theorists out in force. There is fuck all going on apart from it being a transitional season.

Exactly, and usually when a club goes through transition they are nowhere near where we are. There were flashes of prime City last night and if we can sort one or two niggles out we will be just fine.

I think because of the way we’ve played the last 6 or so years and what we’ve won, some just think nothing other than that is unacceptable, and that of course is just stupid to think like that.

 

[Mike S]

The morning after the night before……

Frustrating of course to only draw after being 2-0 up but looking back it could easily have been 4-4 or whatever ! Both teams missed a bucket load of chances. Don’t forget the Ake clearances, the block by Josko and a couple of smart saves by Ortega.

We would have lost this game if it had been played 5 or 6 weeks ago and I’d have snapped your hand off for a point.

5 games unbeaten now and signs of improvement with several new players on their way.

Things are slowly but surely improving. I’ll settle for a top 4 finish, and winning both the CL and FA Cup…. :-)

 

[ancoats]

Sometimes a good sleep and less stress after the lord mayor's show, The Point is a good point, Brentford away in midweek on a cold night down south is never going to be easy, I don't think we lost any ground on the top 4 teams really and we also kept our unbeaten run going.

Yes we blew a 2 goal lead but that score line flatted us because our midfield and defence were shocking and we could have ended up losing, The quicker this season is over the better for me

 

[peter.evans]

Well he thinks we were in complete control from the 1st to the 90 so I'm not entirely sure he knows what's going on. Even for the happiest of clappers this is confused. We created chances, they created chances. If it ended 5-5 that would have been about right!

Correct, we were never in control as with many games this season !

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Don't disrespect Brentford. They are a very very good team.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

The good news is that we are scoring and looking dangerous in attack, but there's no fixing the press and midfield with this combination of players. We looked vulnerable for the whole 90 minutes on transitions, not just Gundo when he came on. It just so happened he was at the scene of the crime when they finally did find their shooting boots. Not sure if I have the energy to get too upset about it all or analyse: it's the same problems. Held on to too many players, it's a natural cycle of football, we need a big window now and next summer, I trust Pep will be back, and every single player that has played for us for the last five years goes with my love and respect and a shaky run in their final season does zero to tarnish those memories.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Why are the conspiracy theorists out in force. There is fuck all going on apart from it being a transitional season.

No 'Conspiracy' just observations from plain sight.

Transitional doesnt have to mean unprofessional,complacent, mis management by a coach and players who've amassed 1000s of games and scores of trophies twixt them.

Bloody careless is a more accurate description, not withstanding an unprecedented injury blight !!

 

[IronsideKozuch]

Completely disagree with this.

Our form since November has been utterly horrendous. Relegation form.

We were looking at winning 4 in a row, despite being poor against West Ham and Leicester. You could make a case that our season was turning around but we’ve reverted back to this seasons type.

Three games (Feyernoord, United, Brentford) we’ve witnessed at utter late collapse. We’re talking about conceding multiple late goals to throw points away. We should have lost against Everton when they had a 4 on 2 break in the 94th minute.

Our form has never been utterly horrendous. Results been though. It happens in football. Yesterdays game been relatively good. We would take this result other seasons as well (and we did or even lost).

We conceded too many chances but we created even more. Many top teams suffers to create, thats the reality. Its Premier League and its hard. We done very well yesterday in attacking department. Another day Haaland has a hattrick, Nunes doing better in 1 vs 1 (it did not even count into XG as he somehow failed to take the shot), Savinho or KDB have some more luck with their shots.

We conceded final minutes yesterday, but I thought we were unlucky again. Before the goal, so like 5-6 minutes we been in the possession, Savinho been running circles around Brentfords penalty box, situation looked under control.

Recent years our crazy runs were basically unprecedented. This season we are short with numbers, lost Rodri and playing without Dias and Stones atm. It has taken its tool.

So Your take from my pov is a cheap criticism, lacks any perspective. You re taking world champions standards and give opinions how everybody is shit. Probably every three days. Thats simply lazy, unrealistic, emotional and intelectually primitive.