A disappointing day after enjoying a string of superb wins over the past few weeks, but just like we didn’t get carried away after three straight wins, we won’t overreact to a closely contested defeat here.
We huffed and puffed, but a second half striker from Tomer Hemed was enough to hand Brighton all three points in a closely contested affair at the Amex this afternoon.
It puts an end to our three game winning streak however, despite our lack of conviction in front of goal, it was a game we could’ve got something out of on another day.
We had 17 shots to their 7, shaded possession and applied decent pressure at times, but just fell short too often with our final pass or effort on goal. This is our second defeat now to a newly promoted side and blanking in both of those has perhaps highlighted our limitations in attack – something we knew could come back to bite us after failing to sign a proven striker and new number 10.
From the off we didn’t look quite as sharp as we have in previous weeks. Brighton got in behind our midfield a little too easily in the opening stages, leaving us a little more exposed than we have been in previous week. Given we pride our game on staying compact and affording teams little space or time on the ball, Benitez won’t have enjoyed how open we allowed the game to be early on.
A mini-storm was weathered and we ended the half the strongly, but could and should’ve taken the lead on 22 minutes. Joselu’s hatful of misses against Stoke were not punished, however he dragged a BIG chance wide in the first half. A miss that has proved costly today and will no doubt be one he’s sat regretting as we speak.
Their second half opener was a well worked set piece, looking to be something Hughton’s had them working on in training. We responded with inevitable late pressure, but it was one of those afternoons where I was never quite convinced we were going to find a way. We haven’t had to chase games recently, having not been behind in our last three, and you could tell.
It’s not been our style to come onto teams this season and that showed after going behind in a game for the first time since Huddersfield last month. We’ve tended to absorb pressure and hit teams on the counter, however Brighton’s opener allowed them to sit in, giving us a different predicament to what we’ve faced in our last three games and one that doesn’t seem to suit us too well.
Ritchie tried his best and Merino put in another classy display and kept things moving forward, but we just lacked that little something to break down a pretty stern Brighton back four. Shelvey gave us something Hayden couldn’t when he came on in the second half. I’d like to see him start alongside Merino in the near future.
By no means a disastrous display, but it wasn’t quite good enough and that, as Brighton and Huddersfield have already proved, will see you punished in this league – even against newly promoted opposition.
Onto Liverpool at home next week – a tough test, but a defence that can be got at and a fixture that’s sure to whip up a good atmosphere at St. James’!
HWTL.
Ollie, I think Liverpool is home not away mate.
The better team won on the day I think. Some disappointing performances today. Merino again was excellent but not enough to overcome the other team deficiencies. Ref didn’t have a good day either, and gave us nothing at all.
Oh well, still in the top 10. Regroup and get ready for Liverpool.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
You’re right mate – dunno why I put that given I say it’s at St. James’ straight after!
Aye, I agree mate. They edged it and these are the fine lines we have to deal with at the top.
Merino looks a top top player but as you say, not enough to carry us.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Aye Pool is a home game,Perez needs to be dropped,Atsu was vey poor,Joselu will never score enough goals to make a differences thats where will struggle all season lack of goals and could come back to haunt us,don’t know how Rafa is going to overcome that problem
Icedog(Quote)
Thanks for the thread so quick mate
Icedog(Quote)
I think Mitro is back next week. I would give him a game and see what he has for us. I was hopeful for Joselu and he may still come good but we need a reliable goal scorer now not later.
Agree re Perez. Did nowt today. Atsu was canny first half but went missing in second half.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
we were lack lustre today. Rafa is setting us up to try to hit on the counter which is all well and good away to top teams but no offence to Brighton but we should of been putting pressure on all game . We started off having a good go then seem to drop off letting them have far too much time on the ball. They had some good chances, Elliot had a good day aside from the goal . The more adventurous side won imo. There was a point to be snatched there if not all 3 and I’m puzzled why he didn’t leave Joselu on with Gayle as well and hoy off the ineffective Perez .
KIMTOON(Quote)
One things for sure Gayle looks proper out of sorts 🙁 Lord knows what’s up with the lad, he’s turned into a ghost.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Your dead right mate,makes you think if it would have been better to have kept Murphy he’s still knocking them in the ccc,think he would have knocked a couple in with the chances Joselu has had
Icedog(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/2017/09/highest-paid-player-belgium-now-cant-even-get-game-matz-sels-newcastle-united/
Is Selz the new Xisco?
shamrock(Quote)
Who the hell gave Rafa the word to go for him in the first place?surely Rafa didn’t see him play
Icedog(Quote)
I liked Murphy Ice, no nonsense player. Talking of Murphy’s, why did we pay so much for young Murphy if we don’t play him.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Or Aaron’s come to that
Icedog(Quote)
I was a bit worried about today but didn’t say anything because there are enough pundits moaning without me adding to it. Plus, Paul Merson’s Giant Balloon Head predicted a draw so that set alarm bells off – I instinctively go against whatever that idiot says – so it was obviously a loss or win.
We all know what we lack. Firepower. Created plenty of chances to at least get a draw.
Is this the end of the Joselu experiment?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And if we are going to play Shelvey lets vary his passing and not have every one of them be a quarterback “hail Mary” from our 18 yard box. That is not Rafa football, he usually plays the percentages. I am not criticizing Shelvey just saying not so much of the Hollywood balls.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And this is where we thought we would be, right? 9 points from 6 games is perhaps even ahead of what we thought? I was thinking 47-42 points at the end of the season which should get us about 13th.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I reckon realiatically it is going to look more like 9 points from 8 games, which will leave us about on par for assured survival. But by then we will likely be in a 3 game losing streak, so will need to dig deep and pull ourselves out of a losing habit.
Shelvey’s first contribution today was a wayward crossfield long ball, that totally missed its target. You can try them out every now and then in an effort to catch the opposition out, but every other pass and you are just giving the opposition free reign to put together another attack. It is painfully obvious that Merino is far better suited to the team as an attack minded CM than he is. And shelvey is not a DM, so the bench it is. We need a proper striker and ideally a proper DM as well. Hayden is not the finished article and he needs some experience to learn from and compete against. I think he will do well for us, particularly in the long run but we need more depth there asap.
shamrock(Quote)
Eric I think that is spot on. I’m hoping for 45 points.
shamrock(Quote)
We can’t really get too downhearted. We could easily have won that game today. We have been in every game so far, even Spurs. I may be an idiot, but I am not too concerned about Liverpool. They have weaknesses. The only team I worry about is Man City but we only play them twice so we should be OK.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shamrock: Liverpool don’t really do draws and neither do we so I am going early, totally contrarian and going for a 2-2 draw. I could go full-on contrarian and say Perez to get a brace but nah, I am not that deluded. Ritchie and Mitro.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Disapointing result.
Not sure how Perez keeps getting a start. Atsu showed why he has been a bit part player for so long.
We played ok and you can see the effort is there but with our squad we can’t afford to have anyone playing poorly. We don’t have the players that can dominate and cover for players going missing. We need everyone contributing.
I would have ripped off Perez and put Murphy or Gayle on.
Aussie(Quote)
Sham: you are probably right about 9 points from 8. We never seem to do well against Liverpool or Southampton. So I am going to double down on my contrarianism and go for a draw and a win and then a home defeat to Mr. Roy giving him his first win and first goal 🙂
I am only going with the home defeat to Palace because after more than 40 years of supporting NUFC I have become totally fatalistic about us. I usually think of what would be the likely outcome and then think the opposite will happen 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There is a precedent for the way I have begun to think about NUFC. It is the Costanza doctrine. Where George in Seinfeld does the opposite to what his instincts tell him and he gets the girl and the job. So on that basis I will do a little history lesson:
* sacking Allardyce. I thought it was a good idea but who knew what was to come.
* the second coming. But Keegan had only been partially successful at Citeh, did another walkout at England and had been out of football for 3 years. I thought why not at least it will be fun. And I was wrong again as Ashley sabotaged it from the get-go by also appointing the little c@nt Dennis Wise. Do you know he once punched a sleeping team mate who he was having trouble with and broke his jaw?
*Joe fckin Kinnear. The outlier in this theory because I had really no clue who he was and had no opinion.
* Shearer. I thought legend. It might work. How was I to know he would bring in Iain Dowie as coach?
* So after basically saying Shearer had the job and would get funds to get us promoted, Ashley ignored him for 2 months, like it was some bad internet date. Nobody knew what the hell was going on and then Ashley appoints Chris Hughton who was passed over by Shearer as head coach in favour of Dowie and had been a coach for 14 years at Spurs and never a manager…
* I thought this will never work. Especially when Fat Man started selling our best players. Wrong again.
* Chris gets us promoted with the then highest points total in Championship history. Coming up to Christmas and I think everything is going well and this Hughton guy seems to know what he is doing. Fatty sacks him and brings in an out of work Cockney chancer.
* Now Pards was best know for almost getting West Ham relegated and keeping Tevez and Mascherao on the bench when doing so. And what happens? The opposite to what I thought – he gets us into Europe.
* But then he goes on one of the patented Pardew death spirals and I think for months that Ashley will sack him and that Troy will see sense and say Pardew is not average, that he is ****. But no, it takes an act of kindness from Palace to get rid.
* Enter Ugly John. I have to say I did predict his failure but I didn’t see 187 losses out of 14, with no goals and him wanting to have a fight with a fan.
* And now the takeover where the 2 stooges, Carr and Charnley, decide they can do better. After being sacked by Derby they appoint a manager who has been sacked by Derby. Sacked by Derby, that should give you a clue. But no, I am like he wants 10 games, let’s see, it can’t be that bad. He gives a snail-slow Coloccini a new contract.
* the stooges keep the dead man walking on even when the have the perfect opportunity to sack him, during the international break. I was thinking they have to sack him, surely. They knew what happened with Pardew and Carver. But no, he stayed, until
* Rafa called them and offered his services. Charnley did not seek out Rafa, he called him and Lee knew it was the only way to save his bacon. By some amazing confluence of events I thought we would be saved. I thought that even with so few matches to go that Rafa would keep us up. But no. We were relegated and had to suffer the indignity of the team that should have gone down – Mackems – flying stupid banners over SJP.
So that’s it. From now on when I think of anything Ashley does I will just assume the opposite is correct. Instead of the Costanza Doctrine it shall be known as the Ashley Principle.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
MOTD a Brighton love in. Nevertheless Brighton deserved the win —- just. I would try Mbemba as DM. He has already shown he links well with Merino.
Groucho(Quote)
Decent idea Groucho and one I’ve advocated for ages. The lad has all the attributes. Mind you Joselu has for a centre forward and he’s pants. Perez has for a playmaker and he plainly isn’t. Only Merino and Elliott did themselves justice yesterday, the rest were below par. Very disappointing like the Huddersfield game. Points dropped.
georgio(Quote)
Managed to watch the game. Good to see the team playing with passion, energy and teamwork. Very important!
Quite clear what we’re lacking for me. It’s not a top goalkeeper or a backup LB, it’s a number 9. Joselu gets in some good positions but he’s not clinical enough from what I’ve seen so far, Perez isn’t it, Benitez doesn’t seem to fancy Gayle (although he looked lively when he came on). My only hope until January is that Mitrovic can sort his head out and come good for us. I think he provides a threat on goal that defences are worried about.
Was a pretty even game I thought though. Draw would have been the fair result, but Brighton knicked a goal. C’est la vie…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS: my cathartic outpouring above was mainly about Ashley not giving the funds to Rafa to buy a striker. I have mad peace with what he has done in the past (although it might not seem like it 🙂 ) but the fcker keeps on repeating his mistakes.
Icedog says there are people looking to buy NUFC. Good!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric
Yeah, I’ve heard the same that there are potential buyers looking again and that Ashley is willing to deal. Starting price was £400m, but it seems he’s willing to take less. Makes perfect sense.
I really think that some money was there to buy a striker, but who could we really have bought in the end? The Arsenal lad was dead set on going back to Deportivo and there were some £20m deals for strikers that don’t seem better than Mitrovic in my view. Did anyone move that you think was worth us splashing out on?
I am pissed off that they didn’t get a really good striker though. I imagine there was someone lined up when Gayle was also going to be shipped out. I think it was bloody tough to get the right one in, but that doesn’t disguise the fact that they failed.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I’m not saying it necessarily would have changed the outcome, but Hemed 100% deserved a red card for that stamp and 100% deserves a 3-match ban. It was so clearly intentional, and Hughton can do one for claiming otherwise. I know he has to defend his players to a degree, but he could have said nothing. Maybe I missed it, but I don’t remember Benitez or Shelvey offering up lame excuses after the Spurs match.
The double standard is getting more tiring by the minute. We beat West Ham 3-0, but who cares – Mitrovic elbowed Lanzini while looking the other way. Brighton beat us 1-0 – what a performance! Oh, that clear stamp by their goalscorer? Nothing to see here.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
There is definitely a prejudice against us by c@nt pundits and media. I have no idea why, but it exists.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is really odd. Almost as odd as the fact we never get penalties. I can think of a dozen in the last year alone, stone wall clear cut penalties that weren’t given. None of this disguises the fact that we are well short of a goal threat and none of it would be mentioned if we had a 20 goal striker.
georgio(Quote)
Mitro was a blatant and nasty elbow. Besides, Ritchie got away with a high kick that could have got him sent off too.
Hemed “stamp” isn’t clear from what I’ve seen. Might be banned, but it’s not as blatant.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Groucho mentioned Mbemba at DM. How about trying Aarons instead of Perez. He’s got pace, skill and a goal threat.
georgio(Quote)
I suspect Aarons isn’t as good at tracking back and putting the energy into things as Perez. I think he will just hug the wing and look to cross the ball into the box. Hopefully he’s an option against certain opponents though.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
NOT a new thread folks but thought you might find this interesting – https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/09/25/steve-sidwell-shares-fascinating-insight-into-joselu-from-his-time-with-the-nufc-striker-at-stoke/
Joselu’s former team mate Steve Sidwell speaking very very highly of him. Reassuring, but he does need to find the net soon for his confidence. Good to hear nonetheless mind!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
The Chronic are talking about possibly playing with two “quaterbacks” – Mereno and Shelvey. I would suggest we play with NO quarterbacks and stop talking about quarterbacks. If someone is open then maybe try that Hollywood ball but that is often not the case. It usually results in gifting the ball back to the opposition. The Liverpool fans loved Steven Gerrard but their one complaint was he tried the Hollywood pass too often. Shelvey does the same, he should stop listening to the hype.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have been watching Spanish football a bit and Iniesta, who is twice the player Shelvey is, never goes for the Hollywood ball from his own half. He will try the audacious when he is in the opposition half but he never does the hit and hope.
It is a very low percentage game as is the goalkeeper hoof, unless they are under pressure. I would have thought that Rafa would have reigned this in by now.
And if you are going to play with relative midgets up front – Atsu, Ritchie, Gayle even Perez (when did he last win a header?) – then more often than not the long high ball is gifting the ball back to the other team.
I am not really mad about yesterday as I think we played OK and probably deserved something out of the game, but until we get a 25 year old Andrea Pirlo or Xabi Alonso I just think we should stop the quarterbacking.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And since I am on a rant… the word quarterback should never be used in front of Shelvey. I think it puts the notion into his head that that is what he should be, should be doing. I am not trying to be an amateur psychiatrist but if you keep repeating quarterback, quarterback you are the quarterback he is going to try to be the quarterback!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is like the Tiote thing. He scores one goal from outside the box in 4 years and everytime he gets close the crowd yell “shooooot”. I always yelled DON’T SHOOT because he scored 1 fcking goal in 4 years so the percentages were against him.
They should have been yelling paaaasss.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
To Tiote’s great credit he usually ignored the crowd and didn’t shoot.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And… remember when Patrick Viera put a big dollop of vaseline on his shirt in the middle of his chest? Then about half the players in the PL started to do it. Now none of them do it. Has there been a chronic vaseline shortage in Britain that I am not aware of?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric , I always thought it was vicks vapour rub, to help with breathing ? Fowler used to use the strips across his nose to keep his nasal passages open. Obviously helps when sniffing them white lines on the pitch 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
NUFC fans are not delusional. Whilst I totally agree with that the follow up is quite often that we do not demand success we demand effort from the players. Actually, I demand a bit more than that. I expect our strikers to score the odd goal, otherwise we are going down. I haven’t given up on them yet but I am close with Perez because we need goals from a number 10 and not just great effort.
And I do think there is a conspiracy against NUFC in the punditocracy. And can we have one bloody decision go our way? I don’t even know who our designated penalty taker is – Ritchie? – since we have not been given one since April of 1946.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Has everybody seen that Harry Enfield skit where he is making fun of players committing bad fouls and then pretending it was nothing? What, me Ref? I done nothing! He ends up with a player with a bazooka blowing up one of the opposition players. That, literally, could be what it takes for us to get a penalty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Found the Harry Enfield clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgQld_0vyEU&index=3&list=PLjIMXHpEVr30rDE5JdDRl8_XN-Pdrfkcq
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gayle,Aaron’s,Colback plus a couple of other first team played at home and got beat 1 nowt by Wolves,only good thing to come out of the game was Rafa stating that there’s no way back to the first team for Colback yippee
Icedog(Quote)
You’re obsessed man 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Very true,but with good cause
Icedog(Quote)
I made a call about Aarons not being good enough before the season started. Looks like Raffa agrees. Smart man ?. He is a fair weather player that won’t work hard enough when things get tough. I suspect Raffa knows this and is not giving him a run.
Aussie(Quote)
Aussie: have we really seen enough of Aarons to judge? he has been injured for most of his NUFC career. I think that above all else he has to prove his fitness for Rafa to give him a run in the team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Aarons did his ACL. from what I have seen that takes a long time to recover from. Even when the physios say he is healthy it still seems to take players a bit longer to recover from that injury.
But, what do I know. I am not sure I have ever agreed with AMF on anything 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, I have seen enough to recognise his type as a player. We have had a **** load of players over the years that flatter to deceive with moments of skill or flair. He is just another gifted player that wants to play the game his way, which means he spends a lot of time on a wing waiting for the ball to be given to him.
I made the call on him and have yet to be proved wrong. So while I am right and you seemingly disagreeing with me always, that makes you wrong! ?
Aussie(Quote)
Under 23s. Saivet looked the best player. Perhaps he should replace Diame. Colback got a yellow. No surprise there then.
Groucho(Quote)
Aussie – we haven’t seen enough of Aarons yet and when we have he’s made a very positive contribution. What I’d like to see is him in the middle, whenever he’s turned up there in games he’s done very well. 2 goals I can remember. But, hey, you may be right 🙂
You can’t measure everything on effort alone and Perez’s efforts lead us nowhere.
georgio(Quote)
thats his famous trade mark mate 😆
icedog(Quote)
so Jabba has invited Rafa to dinner to talk about giving him a longer contract!!,he the best asset the club have got if hes trying to sell the club,its a bit of cash Rafa needs to get some decent players not a bloody meal doe-heed
icedog(Quote)
dont forget five yellows he gets three weeks out,good plan
icedog(Quote)
Georgio,
I know what you are saying but Aarons has been fit for some time now and he hasn’t featured at all.
Aussie(Quote)
Is that the type of dinner where fat man has 12 pints of lager and 12 vodka chasers and throws up in the fireplace?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AMF: we can’t be putting all of our eggs in the 21 year old who has played like 5 games in 3 years Aarons basket, can we! Even if you are right and he is ***** that wouldn’t be the greatest call ever because he is a 21 year old who has played about 5 games for NUFC.
Those ACLs take a while to heal and some never recover. So you might be right if that happens. As far as passing summary judgement on a 21 year old kid I am not so sure.
See, I think we have a 100% record of disagreeing 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Based on the news I’ve seen today…
YES, Joselu should be benched, but only IF Benitez is confident that Mitrovic (my first choice) or Gayle have their heads in the right place.
New deal for Benitez? Likely to be tied into the sale talk. NUFC has a higher value associated with it if its best assets are on long-term contracts. But this is basically what caused Keegan to walk the first time I believe? Any potential buyer would value our club higher with Benitez on a 5 year deal than with Benitez’s contract expiring at the end of next season.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Getting back to Aarons. He is a kid who has had the worst luck with injuries.
We didn’t loan him out, unlike Armstrong and Toney so Rafa might see something in him. How are they doing btw?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Calling for the inclusion of a 21 year old with limited experience and who has suffered with injuries is a bit hopeful for me. I get the fact that he has pace and some skills so he’s an exciting player to have in the team, but the other players in his position have a lot more experience and offer a lot more to the team and tactics on the day. I’d like to see him get a few minutes when we need a goal mind you, but maybe he’s just not training well at the moment.
Gotta trust Rafa at the end of the day.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Eric, I have no fear of being wrong about Aarons. We can agree on that surely ??
Aussie(Quote)
TDS: what I am saying is that it is hard to judge a 21 year old who has been out with bad injuries. I can’t judge him because I haven’t seen enough of him, although he has shown promise. That’s what I am saying!!! It is not like Amdy Faye when you know he is *****. Or Diame when you get the feeling his legs have gone, but maybe one last chance if it comes down to him or IceDog’s Colback.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Have we seen enough to judge?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am not going to champion Aarons because I have not seen enough to judge and he is recovering from serious injuries. That is my point. Why judge him and why think he is the future of NUFC (or not) when he is a periphery player at the moment anyway. Give him 20 minutes against Watford and West Brom and see what he does.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jesus Christ Almighty. Ruling out a kid who has played in his whole NUFC career a total of about 500 minutes and has suffered serious injuries. FFS. That’s a good call.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And to say Aarons has been proved to be **** when he hasn’t even been on the pitch is??? Bright, insightful, just Aussie? He was in a reserve game yesterday that nobody on here even saw so he is ****, is he?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Thought Merino was a class act after 5 minutes. . Said as much after our defeat to Huddersfield. Read back if you wish to confirm..
I will put my hand up and say I have made a bad call if I’m proven to be wrong.
It doesn’t take long to pick up on what a player is made of!
Aussie(Quote)
I’ve been away for a few days so just catching up what’s happened. Managed to catch the game in an Irish bar in Munich and thankfully I can’t remember much. But as a recap;
– We lost
– Joselu is a **** (who knew!)
– Jabba wants to sell
– Jabba wants to talk to Rafa about a new contract
– Jamie Carragher thinks Rafa will be gone before too long
Basically just another week at NUFC
Stuart79(Quote)
Is Jabba selling or courting investors?
He may not be selling at all..
Aussie(Quote)
You have already answered your own question. He played a reserve game that no one watched..
End of story..
Aussie(Quote)
Freddy Shepherd has died.
Stuart79(Quote)
I’m sorry to hear about Freddy Shepherd passing away.
Terry(Quote)
AMF: Good to know you’re such a great judge of talent. Perhaps if we had you as a scout then we could have got Peter Beardsley before he went to the Vancouver Whitecaps, or Waddle before he was playing non-league, or Keegan before he was at Scunthorpe? I admire your prescience that you know everything about a player who has had a terrible time with injuries and is just getting back. Do you have any snake oil to sell me?
Eric Sykes(Quote)