Brighton pre match chat
A vital and needed win on Friday gave us some necessary points before a very tough run of fixtures.
A very assured 1st half full of energy and slick football followed by a more nervy 2nd half was enough to earn the points vs struggling West Ham.
Saturday the start of our tricky run begins with a visit to bogey club Brighton.
Not a happy place for us with 1 win in the last 13 and 9 defeats. Unsurprisingly away is just as bad with 6 defeats from 7 and no wins since the league 1 days.
Not a place we have enjoyed much success and Brighton are also unbeaten in the league at home this season and count a victory vs Man City in that run.
However inconsistency is an issue for Brighton as whilst they hold wins vs Man City and Chelsea this season, Fulham and the appalling Wolves have both taken points off them as well.
Tactically under talented German coach Fabian Hürzeler Brighton have moved a bit away from the possession style of De Zerbi and Graham Potter into a more direct and purposeful system.
They rank under 50% for possession and prefer to use counter pressing and attacking overloads combined with slick short narrow passing moves to get at the opposition.
They are the best pressing team in the league.
It's closer to a Jesse Marsch tactic now than a Pep (obviously far far superior coaching to Marsch).
This has however lead to a leakier defence with 15 goals conceded as when you are overloading the opposition defence to create chances you are obviously leaving massive gaps to be exploited.
But 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats in 9 games isn't awful and a change in style takes time I suppose.
In terms of key players.
Veteran striker Danny Welbeck is for the time being remaining fit and scoring goals (5 in 9 games). He is a tall, strong, hard working pacey striker whose only real weakness has been his own dodgy fitness.
Talented winger Yankuba Minteh has a couple of assists and a goal this season. He ranks in the top 90% percentile for success dribbles and 70 percentile for chances created and is one of the most successful wingers defensively in the league standing our for duels, tackles, blocks and pressing.
Finally former LUFC star Georginio Rutter is the 10 in this Brighton side who has a few assists this season. He also ranks really high in the Premier League for pressing and tackles won. And is in the top 90 percentile for success dribbles and the top 94 percentile for chances created in the league this season. He is strong, quick, skillful and direct.
So a tricky opponent with good players but one in a bit of a transitional period which is making them slightly vulnerable.
In terms of ourselves
Our away form is bad, we've lost 3 of 4 with our only points coming against the appalling Wolves.
Will Gudmonssen make it? If not is it a simple case of James Justin in? Or perhaps Struijk at left back?
DF tends to be more cautious away from home, could we see Tanaka dropped again or maybe even Jack Harrison come in for Okafor?
A very assured 1st half full of energy and slick football followed by a more nervy 2nd half was enough to earn the points vs struggling West Ham.
Saturday the start of our tricky run begins with a visit to bogey club Brighton.
Not a happy place for us with 1 win in the last 13 and 9 defeats. Unsurprisingly away is just as bad with 6 defeats from 7 and no wins since the league 1 days.
Not a place we have enjoyed much success and Brighton are also unbeaten in the league at home this season and count a victory vs Man City in that run.
However inconsistency is an issue for Brighton as whilst they hold wins vs Man City and Chelsea this season, Fulham and the appalling Wolves have both taken points off them as well.
Tactically under talented German coach Fabian Hürzeler Brighton have moved a bit away from the possession style of De Zerbi and Graham Potter into a more direct and purposeful system.
They rank under 50% for possession and prefer to use counter pressing and attacking overloads combined with slick short narrow passing moves to get at the opposition.
They are the best pressing team in the league.
It's closer to a Jesse Marsch tactic now than a Pep (obviously far far superior coaching to Marsch).
This has however lead to a leakier defence with 15 goals conceded as when you are overloading the opposition defence to create chances you are obviously leaving massive gaps to be exploited.
But 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats in 9 games isn't awful and a change in style takes time I suppose.
In terms of key players.
Veteran striker Danny Welbeck is for the time being remaining fit and scoring goals (5 in 9 games). He is a tall, strong, hard working pacey striker whose only real weakness has been his own dodgy fitness.
Talented winger Yankuba Minteh has a couple of assists and a goal this season. He ranks in the top 90% percentile for success dribbles and 70 percentile for chances created and is one of the most successful wingers defensively in the league standing our for duels, tackles, blocks and pressing.
Finally former LUFC star Georginio Rutter is the 10 in this Brighton side who has a few assists this season. He also ranks really high in the Premier League for pressing and tackles won. And is in the top 90 percentile for success dribbles and the top 94 percentile for chances created in the league this season. He is strong, quick, skillful and direct.
So a tricky opponent with good players but one in a bit of a transitional period which is making them slightly vulnerable.
In terms of ourselves
Our away form is bad, we've lost 3 of 4 with our only points coming against the appalling Wolves.
Will Gudmonssen make it? If not is it a simple case of James Justin in? Or perhaps Struijk at left back?
DF tends to be more cautious away from home, could we see Tanaka dropped again or maybe even Jack Harrison come in for Okafor?