Brentford (H) | Post-Match Thread

[Millo]

The way we play leaves us wide open to counter attacks. This is why we never beat Liverpool, Spurs, or any other team that is fast and clinical on the break. Do we really need to have all our defenders so far up the field all the time? Just leave a couple of defenders in our own half for a start. We really need to play different tactics against these types of teams.

 

[argyle]

Shows to me why I don't see us winning the Champions League.

We look amazing when teams sit back but get at us, close us down and press and the midfield and defence fall apart too easily.

 

[Bluemoonadam]

Ok. Opinions. I maintain they weren’t the better team yesterday, and neither were we. It was shit from all which warranted a shit draw. They got lucky with the officiating. The ref killed any tempo we were trying to build and made a scrappy situation more scrappy. To get through a low block tempo is so important.

We dominated, but couldn’t unpick the lock. Their tactic - read Frank’s analysis on their website - was to hit a long ball, bypassing the midfield, on to Toney’s head. They wanted/needed the first goal. Not sure that made them the better team, given the way we were in control for most of the game (and I’m not on about the Possession Cup). An ultra low block with a ref turning a blind eye - it was shit and they got a win they didn’t expect.

Hindsight - we may not have prepared properly, possibly didn’t look at the way they got results against Brighton, United and Chelsea. We may not have taken note of how Arsenal got a result at their place. Yesterday probably wasn’t the game for Gundo & Akanji to play in. But who the fuck knows. Understandable given how many matches we’ve played and how many times we’ve had to break down a defensive team. Must be exhausting. But simply saying they were the better team on the day because we didn’t win a second ball masks any proper analysis of the match.

They were/are poor, we were poor, a poor game, it happens. Crap that it happened in our last game for ages, but it was always going to happen.

They could of been 3 nil up in the first 10 minutes if it wasn't for ederson,

we can dominate all we want if we don't create chances it's pointless which we created very few, they created atleast 4 or 5 good chances and scored 2.

We created sod all, The better team won yesterday and pep said that himself.

 

[Edghill OG]

One of the best things about getting beat is all the weird nostalgia that comes over people.

"We lack a real leader like Kompany"
"Never replaced Ferna"
Lads around me at the game were missing Sane of all people.

I just want to remind people that Ferna's record at Anfield was as bad as this season's. Every player you want back after a single performance also got beat (and usually a few more times than this current lot get beat).

I can understand the Sane shout to be honest mate. Electric pace and direct. Something different to what was on the pitch and not working.
Think everybody is probably a bit more miffed than they normally would be due to us not playing again now until the end of the year. I was hoping we'd limp to another 3 points as we haven't been playing particularly well as of late.
If we were playing again next week it could be argued it probably wasn't a bad think as it could have been a rocket up the backside we needed.

 

[Zinchilla]

They could of been 3 nil up in the first 10 minutes if it wasn't for ederson,

we can dominate all we want if we don't create chances it's pointless which we created very few, they created atleast 4 or 5 good chances and scored 2.

We created sod all, The better team won yesterday and pep said that himself.

Like I said opinions, I disagree. Fine margins. Yes they could have scored in the first 10 mins, just like we could’ve, should’ve had a pen and Gundo should’ve buried his chance to make it 2-1, which I don’t think they would’ve come back from with the way they play. All conjecture. I don’t buy the BBC mcnulty narrative that they were much the better side, deserved the 3 points, played without fear etc. It could have gone either way, should have played out as a draw.

 

[HelloCity]

The way we play leaves us wide open to counter attacks. This is why we never beat Liverpool, Spurs, or any other team that is fast and clinical on the break. Do we really need to have all our defenders so far up the field all the time? Just leave a couple of defenders in our own half for a start. We really need to play different tactics against these types of teams.

True. If we do this we might go from having 93, 98 or 100 points to having 114 points.

 

[simon23]

I can understand the Sane shout to be honest mate. Electric pace and direct. Something different to what was on the pitch and not working.
Think everybody is probably a bit more miffed than they normally would be due to us not playing again now until the end of the year. I was hoping we'd limp to another 3 points as we haven't been playing particularly well as of late.
If we were playing again next week it could be argued it probably wasn't a bad think as it could have been a rocket up the backside we needed.

Sane against an 11 man defence sat on the edge of their own area however does nothing....
And I was a fan of Sane....

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Pep had a disturbing obsession with playing all of Bernardo, Kev, Rodri and Gundo at the same time. You have to leave one out. It just doesnt work the team has no penetration, too many players wanting to fuck about passing it 2 yards between eachother.

 

[Edghill OG]

Sane against an 11 man defence sat on the edge of their own area however does nothing....
And I was a fan of Sane....

I was too as you could probably guess. I agree with your point to an extent. Having him on the pitch and that threat on the counter attack I'd assume would make us more inclined to get the ball forward quicker. (All hypothetical of course but so is most of the thread). He'd generally stay out wide as well and not constantly cut inside.

 

[CityDean]

Disappointing. I don't think we can have any complaints about the result. Referee was terrible as expected with his residence being "Merseyside" but effort levels were just not there. Defence and attack both rubbish.

I don't understand why Grealish and Mahrez didn't start this one. The latter is not going to the WC so would have been up for this while Jack played really well against Chelsea.

Is it coincidental that in both defeats and our crap draw at Villa that Grealish didn't play at all? Whilst he doesn't score, he does make a difference to the way we play and I felt yesterday we didn't have any one who could carry the ball a few yards. I don't remember us having any dangerous free kicks near the box either, something Jack is good at getting us (seems to be targeted alot). There was nothing down the flanks at all today.

Amazes me aswell that since slapping the rags - have we saw Grealish and Foden on the wings since? Very surprising - I just feel like Pep hasn't quite got the balance of the side right so far this season. For me its clear our front 6 is easily - Rodri, KDB, Bernardo, Jack, Haaland, Phil when all fit.

Clear to me aswell that Nathan Ake is our best defender. I know some on here will disagree with me but we don't concede that first goal with him in the side. He has been alot more consistent than our other defenders.

I'm actually glad the WC break has come for us. We are only 5pts behind and can regroup. Feels like if we carried on for a few more weeks we would be out of it all together, performances in the last 4 league matches have been below par and are getting worse by the week. Pep has got time to get the balance right not to mention we badly need Walker back - our defence doesn't half look rocky when he isn't there.

I'm still confident we will bounce back and win the title. We still have the best squad and best manager. Still alot of matches to be played (72pts). Id like to think this break will help us and possibly kill the momentum of Arsenal and also the likes of Newcastle and even the dippers who seem to be picking up (sigh).