Brighton & Hove Albion v Wolves (A) 15/12/2021 7.30pm Build Up & Match Thread

[PuntsWolf]

As I put in City thread, 1 goal in 6 and we’ve had a pretty balanced run of fixtures in that time. Don’t see where we’re scoring in the next 2 barring a set piece so potentially 1 in 8 going into Watford, which falls into the “really could do with winning category”.

 

[big mean bunny]

This is summing up why I feel we need signings in January. Can't count on the injured players returning and no other set backs or new injuries to others. With the Raul suspension, Neves close to the threshold we are really starting to look far too small a squad.

 

[jd1981]

Said on a previous thread could really do with something from this. We all knew this month was going to be tough, I’ll be honest this season is no more enjoyable than last only difference is we can go to games now.
Could well be on 21 points from 18 come Boxing Day. Means we’d start to drift into look over your shoulders territory.

 

[Tony Towner]

Said on a previous thread could really do with something from this. We all knew this month was going to be tough, I’ll be honest this season is no more enjoyable than last only difference is we can go to games now.
Could well be on 21 points from 18 come Boxing Day. Means we’d start to drift into look over your shoulders territory.

I think it's better than last season, but the last 2 games and the approach weren't really any different to our first 2 in the PL. Well drilled, moving and defending well as a side and hoping for something on the break. The lack of a Jota means that's unlikely to lead to a goal. Bruno now is pretty much the same as the pre broken Nuno. That's more likely due to what he's got to work with, but anyone who has seen the last two games would struggle to find a difference

 

[The Bear]

Now Raul is suspended I'd definitely be going Podence - Hwang - Traore for this game.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Could well be on 21 points from 18 come Boxing Day. Means we’d start to drift into look over your shoulders territory.

This has always been a distinct possibility but when it has been bought up over the last month or so you just had people putting their fingers in their ears saying “we’re 6th FFS” when being objective about fixtures and performances told you that wasn’t accurate/sustainable.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

As I put in City thread, 1 goal in 6 and we’ve had a pretty balanced run of fixtures in that time. Don’t see where we’re scoring in the next 2 barring a set piece so potentially 1 in 8 going into Watford, which falls into the “really could do with winning category”.

Wouldn't entirely surprise me if the lack of Raul lead to more goals, or at least a few more chances, he's just not looked like getting into scoring positions very often in the last few games regardless of how he's performed in any of them. Having someone else in that centre forward position, whilst undoubtedly losing parts of what Raul is good at, might actually get someone into better goalscoring positions than we've seen recently.

 

[SSB]

Is Fabio starting this one then? Or Hwang through the middle?

Podence for me if he’s fully fit. I’m starting to think will we ever see Fabio again?

 

[PuntsWolf]

Wouldn't entirely surprise me if the lack of Raul lead to more goals, or at least a few more chances, he's just not looked like getting into scoring positions very often in the last few games regardless of how he's performed in any of them. Having someone else in that centre forward position, whilst undoubtedly losing parts of what Raul is good at, might actually get someone into better goalscoring positions than we've seen recently.

Well we will need to find a new way of getting the ball into the final third. We aren’t very good at it at the moment already.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Well we will need to find a new way of getting the ball into the final third. We aren’t very good at it at the moment already.

Adversity is the mother of invention.

Maybe those established international midfielders will finally grow some bollocks and take a game by the scruff of it's neck?

Think there's been a lot better distribution into the wide forwards at times this season, them dropping into the channels and receiving passes from the centre halves through the opposition midfield. Problem is that the Wolves midfield don't take advantage of their opposite numbers being turned around like that, they should be making forward runs when those passes are played so the second pass can be laid back into their paths. They're just always on their heels though looking to provide the safe option behind the play to recycle the ball back out to the opposite flank.

Against Burnley and Liverpool Traore got in to those pockets really well on several occasions but that was as far as it went, through no fault if his own. It's the same in nearly every position to be fair, they're all so risk averse, not making the run for the second pass until they've seen the first hit it's mark. No wonder teams find it so easy to get back into shape against Wolves, they're given so much time to do so.

 

[The Bear]

We aren't going to switch to 4 at the back any time soon, but if we did it would be:

Sa

Semedo - Kilman - Coady - RAN

Donk - Neves

Traore - Moutinho - Podence

Hwang​

It'll be our usual 3-4-3:

Sa

Kilman - Coady - Saiss

Semedo - Moutinho - Neves - RAN

Traore - Hwang - Podence​

 

[jd1981]

This has always been a distinct possibility but when it has been bought up over the last month or so you just had people putting their fingers in their ears saying “we’re 6th FFS” when being objective about fixtures and performances told you that wasn’t accurate/sustainable.

Oh I agree and 6th place was an incredibly false position for us I fully expect us to regress back to our natural position of between 11th-15th based on the current squad.
You can easily slip into a horrible run of form when you’re a club in our position, especially when goal scoring is so hard to come by.

 

[Throbber3]

time for the xmas tree for me.
Sa
Kilman Coady Saiss
Semedo Neves Dendoncker (for Height) RAN
Podence Traore
Hwang

Ball over the top is the way to go. There is decent pace down our flanks and with Hwang and Traore up top but there is little in hold up play so we have to pass for the front men to run onto. Brighton like a high line so who knows!

 

[Jinky]

Problem is, what happens if we look great and the front three click/play really well without Raul? You just know he will come back in regardless (and so he should, but he hasn't looked threatening at all for weeks).

I'd personally go 4 at the back and have the extra body in midfield -

Sa
Semedo Kilman Coady RAN
Moutinho Donk Neves
Podence Hwang Traore​

 

[WsWolf]

Brighton only have 2 senior centre halves available one is Dan Burn who is useless, the other is Veltman who is more of a fullback. Likely to play a kid on Debut if they are using a back 3 still. Realistically you need to be looking at 3 points from a game where the opposition have so many key players missing but it's never that easy with Wolves.

I'd play Fabio and if we don't then what's the point of him even being here, wasting everyone's time if he can't come in and do a job for one game.

 

[Deano]

Fabio isn't ready to play games at this level. He's here for now as we can't afford to make a small squad even smaller but we haven't seen him get any meaningful minutes for a while. I expect to see Hwang through the middle for this game

 

[The Bear]

Fabio isn't ready to play games at this level. He's here for now as we can't afford to make a small squad even smaller but we haven't seen him get any meaningful minutes for a while. I expect to see Hwang through the middle for this game

He managed fine when thrown in at the deep end last season. I have no problem him being played if that's what Bruno wants. Which it obviously isn't.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him play Traore through the middle and Pod/Hwang either side of him. We know it doesn't work because Traore can't score goals but he might try it.

 

[Paul]

Fabio isn't ready to play games at this level. He's here for now as we can't afford to make a small squad even smaller but we haven't seen him get any meaningful minutes for a while. I expect to see Hwang through the middle for this game

If Raul hadn't been injured we wouldn't have seen many minutes from him last season either

 

[prawnking]

This has always been a distinct possibility but when it has been bought up over the last month or so you just had people putting their fingers in their ears saying “we’re 6th FFS” when being objective about fixtures and performances told you that wasn’t accurate/sustainable.

Does this qualify as a 'dig'? Or has everyone forgotten about that now?

I don't think anyone thought we'd hold that position for long (I literally said we wouldn't) but we've hardly been a million miles away from getting points off Liverpool and City, and the predicted battering by West Ham didn't materialise either.

We all can see we're inconsistent and struggle to score, just cos people are glass half empty about every scenario now doesn't suddenly make them insightful seers after we've narrowly lost to the two best teams in the league!

Our factual position in the table is always of more importance than possible doomsday scenarios. It's literally the most important metric in football?

 

[WsWolf]

Fabio isn't ready to play games at this level. He's here for now as we can't afford to make a small squad even smaller but we haven't seen him get any meaningful minutes for a while. I expect to see Hwang through the middle for this game.

He probably isn't ready to play consistently but if you aren't willing to stick him in for a one off game against a severely depleted backline then you'll never ever play him. Hwang looks like a parks player half the time, especially when the ball is into feet which is likely how most of his service will be as a lone striker.

For all the often valid criticism aimed at Fabio, he had a decent return last year. He actually provided a very nice assist against Brighton for Adama and also got a man sent off.