saintant

Exactly right about Brighton. Their game is based on the two centre backs pinging low quick balls into their midfielders who take up intelligent positions, control with one touch, turn and set up attacks. They're superb at it but I'm surprised more teams don't try to stop them doing it.

The tea lady might have more idea.

So which position does suit Ankersen? My guess is there isn't one that suits him as he's a slick talker but a bit of a fraud.

How could anyone including Selles have thought that set up at Forest would work? He played AMN as the hybrid left back/midfield leaving Johnson with all the space in the world. Madness.

AMN is brainless.

Saved by VAR 🙂

How embarrassing is that 5th goal!

AMN again.

We didn't exactly make it difficult for them.

In down the right side for another goal. Clueless Selles.

Who told AMN he was a footballer?

It was irony!

Will Selles continue the crazy experiment of AMN in the hybrid left back/midfield role? Surely he couldn't possibly be that stupid....could he?

Are we down yet?

Who came up with the bright idea to play AMN left back but then have him wandering into central midfield leaving the fastest right winger in the league all the time and room in the world to do as he pleases? We've played some dodgy tactics but that's right up there. Laughable.

No

Sorry, no idea what that means.

I think it goes beyond the group of players Brighton have. Their success is largely built on having been well coached so that they have developed a pattern of play that they are all used to - like a Ralph playbook but a much more effective one. They are superbly drilled all over the pitch and all know which positions to take up at any given time. Dunk talked about this after the match saying that he knows the roles of their 6 and 8s so well he could probably play there himself. Yes, they have some good players but I believe it's the way they are trained that makes them what they are - I'm sure they play training matches to hone this whereas I imagine we just stick on bibs and have a kick about with little structure - at least that's what it looks like when we get to competitive games.

Brighton are everything we are not - we have been the team that is the best on the south coast but right now we are a million miles behind them. We need to look at a lot of things they do (not just on the field) and try to catch up but it's going to take time. Studying them recently they have a very clear pattern of play which is largely built on the way their centre backs bring the ball out then look for a fast, low pass into the midfield players who face them waiting for the ball. The midfielder controls the ball, spins and sets up the next attack. They do this move time and time again and it is very simple but also very effective and they are a great side to watch - the polar opposite to us.

In 60 years supporting this club the current set of players is far and away the weakest in terms of physical and mental strength. They are donkeys led by donkeys.

Hope someone on TV or radio is going to ask Selles to explain the logic of his substitutions - would love to hear what he has to say on that because he gave Newcastle complete control of the second half. Ok, they'd probably have gone on to win anyway but to hand the game to them without them having to break sweat was a disgrace.

Sulemana gets a good assist in the first half, his confidence is building...tell you what, let's take him off bring on all the weaklings and try to defend for 45 minutes. When did that ever work?

Leeds, Forest and us for the drop. Everton and Leicester are bound to escape.

Selles loves a false number nine.

Can we go back to the days of only one sub.