The old Chris Hughton discussion thread

[madras]

dunno like, i think the tactics tonight were pretty straightforward and poor, get it wide, get to 40yds and lump it for andy.

[Yorkie]

Don't think Hughton had many other options tbh. When you take into account how rigid Blackburn were, as well as being so deep and so pressing - our personnel had nothing to counter. Not forgetting a team that was clearly heavily fatigued from the Arsenal shift, a draw at best was all we could have got out of tonight. I still can't make heads nor tails of the winner - we were worth the draw.

 

I don't think he did owt wrong tonight tbh. Ranger in for Shola was a bold move but i thought we were better for it - Shola was garbage in the first half. Carroll was winning every header but Shola pre-empted nowt. In his case, being lazy is just a bi-product of the fatigue and he brought nowt to the team tonight. Ranger had a bit of zip and determination, and he complimented Carroll better. Didn't disagree with Hughton's decision there at all.

 

I wouldn't have bothered with Routledge either tbh. Their winner came out of nowhere. I expected a draw but if anyone was gonna win, it was us. I wouldn't have withdrawn the likes of Nolan or Barton cos we were doing okay.

[mrmojorisin75]

there not an argument for throwing Vuckic at these teams who come to SJP and shut up shop until HBA makes his return?

 

it really seems like what Hughton is trying doesn't work all that well against the Blackburn/Stoke gameplan so why not throw the lad in

[Shak]

dunno like, i think the tactics tonight were pretty straightforward and poor, get it wide, get to 40yds and lump it for andy.

 

Didn't see the match, but we're going to have to get used to being a pretty direct team in general given the nature of our squad. We've got a hardworking, energetic midfield but no real guile or player who can constantly get on the ball and dictate the tempo from deep and allow us to play an expansive passing game.

 

And up front it's not much better, nobody with the ability to come off the front and produce a bit of magic and open things up. Hard to blame Hughton for that, as he hasn't had the money to go and get a player like that and the one we did manage to bring in on loan, Ben Arfa, is sidelined.

 

What we do have though is a big bastard who'll get something on most balls that are launched in his general direction and a couple of players in Sholan who have a knack for getting on the end of chances. Much as I would love to see us play some prettier football, I have hard time blaming Hughton for going with such an approach at this time.

 

Blackburn are a terrible matchup for us in this regard, and yet it sounds like if it weren't for two individual blunders from our defense we'd still have gotten something from the game.

[Skirge]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

[Benwell Lad]

Think that's a pretty good post Beren, nothing Hughton can do about Tiote gifting them a goal right at the start of the game.

 

He does need to find a way to help the players break down these defensive teams though, that's a big part of the challenge this season. We probably don't benefit from teams being open against us as other "newly-promoted sides".

 

I would have liked to have seen him go with Routledge tonight, to stretch the game a bit and give their left side something to think about.

 

Can see why he went with the same team after a great performance at Arsenal, I'm not so sure why the players resorted to long balls and hopeful diagonal passes so often.

 

I think that goal has been waiting to happen. We do like to play short passes and over-elaborate in dangerous areas, we've got away with it so far but it has to go wrong some time.

Also can never understand, assuming that the purpose is to get crosses into the box, why when that opportunity arises we like to play another 6 passes before we get the cross in and often end up going backwards and losing possession in the meantime.

A basic in playing football is, when it opens up - do it - because that opportunity will very quickly be closed down if you don't.

[gray]

Oh wait I thought we were outsmarted by the greatest manager the world has seen?

[wormy]

there not an argument for throwing Vuckic at these teams who come to SJP and shut up shop until HBA makes his return?

 

it really seems like what Hughton is trying doesn't work all that well against the Blackburn/Stoke gameplan so why not throw the lad in

 

I see where you're coming from, we need a player that has a bit of skill, unpredictability, open teams up. Really can't see Vuckic being the one though, he hasn't impressed when I've seen him. Will he really be an improvement on what we're currently doing?

[mrmojorisin75]

there not an argument for throwing Vuckic at these teams who come to SJP and shut up shop until HBA makes his return?

 

it really seems like what Hughton is trying doesn't work all that well against the Blackburn/Stoke gameplan so why not throw the lad in

 

I see where you're coming from, we need a player that has a bit of skill, unpredictability, open teams up. Really can't see Vuckic being the one though, he hasn't impressed when I've seen him. Will he really be an improvement on what we're currently doing?

 

i really don't know, pretty isolated football-wise these days so was just wondering if he's that kind of player - presume not then?

[oldtype]

Vukcic looks a minimum of 2~3 years away from regular first-team Premiership football. I won't pretend to be qualified enough to assess whether he's showing promise or not, but in the here and now, he's not the answer.

[Ronaldo]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

[SGSC]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

Stoke did tbh.

[womblemaster]

ic ray wilkins is now free....

[Ginola]

We conceded from 2 defensive errors and our final ball let us down going forward against Blackburn. Can't really blame Hughton for that like. We have looked like a one trick pony though with no alternative game plan at times though in a few games this season. That needs to be addressed.

 

With regards to Vuckic, it might be worth giving him a try. He could rise to the occassion of playing in the PL and have a great game or he could flop and do nothing, only way to find out is by giving him a couple of games really.

[JH]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

It's such an excuse like. It stops people from acknowledging and saying 'we werent' good enough' by saying 'the opposition stopped us playing football - it was impossible'.

 

At the end of the day, Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn all got three points. We didn't - that's what the focus needs to be on.

[steve_69]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

It's such an excuse like. It stops people from acknowledging and saying 'we werent' good enough' by saying 'the opposition stopped us playing football - it was impossible'.

 

At the end of the day, Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn all got three points. We didn't - that's what the focus needs to be on.

 

But plenty of teams will go to Arsenal and come away with fuck all. We came away with 3 points

[JH]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

It's such an excuse like. It stops people from acknowledging and saying 'we werent' good enough' by saying 'the opposition stopped us playing football - it was impossible'.

 

At the end of the day, Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn all got three points. We didn't - that's what the focus needs to be on.

 

But plenty of teams will go to Arsenal and come away with f*** all. We came away with 3 points

 

Another excuse. 'We didn't win against Stoke, but we beat Arsenal so that's good' - except beating Arsenal has got absolutely nothing to do with performing poorly at home.

 

It seems most will do/say anything to ignore our woeful home form.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

But playing poorly at home doesn't detract from some brilliant performances away... I don't get it.

[JH]

If you're happy to rest our season on winning at Stamford Bridge, Anfield and White Hart Lane then by all means do.

 

Hughton and the players are really pulling some brilliant performances out of the bag away, but the home form is the 'spine' which needs to improve quickly, or we'll slowly drift down the table.

[steve_69]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

It's such an excuse like. It stops people from acknowledging and saying 'we werent' good enough' by saying 'the opposition stopped us playing football - it was impossible'.

 

At the end of the day, Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn all got three points. We didn't - that's what the focus needs to be on.

 

But plenty of teams will go to Arsenal and come away with f*** all. We came away with 3 points

 

Another excuse. 'We didn't win against Stoke, but we beat Arsenal so that's good' - except beating Arsenal has got absolutely nothing to do with performing poorly at home.

 

It seems most will do/say anything to ignore our woeful home form.

 

All I am saying is that although the home form is both worrying and frustrating, there are a lot of positives to be taken from other results.

It seems we play better football against teams that play proper football rather than anti-football.  Hughton and the players will have to learn a lot of lessons this season, like how to play against teams like Stoke and Blackburn, but we're on course to stay up and that's the most important thing.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

If you're happy to rest our season on winning at Stamford Bridge, Anfield and White Hart Lane then by all means do.

 

Hughton and the players are really pulling some brilliant performances out of the bag away, but the home form is the 'spine' which needs to improve quickly, or we'll slowly drift down the table.

 

Course I'm not, but I also don't mind where the points come from as long as we collect them.

 

Our home and away records aren't that different... we've struggled against a few ordinary teams but I wouldn't say it's time to panic.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

BTW, let's bear in mind that we expected to struggle in pretty much every game, home and away.

[madras]

Can understand why he went ubchanged.. they offered no threat but got two lucky goals.. not going to slate Hughton for the defeart.. we play football they ruin it.

 

Like Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan ruined it?

 

It's such an excuse like. It stops people from acknowledging and saying 'we werent' good enough' by saying 'the opposition stopped us playing football - it was impossible'.

 

At the end of the day, Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn all got three points. We didn't - that's what the focus needs to be on.

 

But plenty of teams will go to Arsenal and come away with f*** all. We came away with 3 points

 

Another excuse. 'We didn't win against Stoke, but we beat Arsenal so that's good' - except beating Arsenal has got absolutely nothing to do with performing poorly at home.

 

It seems most will do/say anything to ignore our woeful home form.

 

All I am saying is that although the home form is both worrying and frustrating, there are a lot of positives to be taken from other results.

It seems we play better football against teams that play proper football rather than anti-football.  Hughton and the players will have to learn a lot of lessons this season, like how to play against teams like Stoke and Blackburn, but we're on course to stay up and that's the most important thing.

 

this is getting tedious now. blackpool didn't play anti football and we played as much hoof it stylee against blackburn than i've seen anyone do this season. wigan were unlucky and played aswell as us. is the term anti football now going to be rolled out whenever a team defends strongly against us ?

[madras]

BTW, let's bear in mind that we expected to struggle in pretty much every game, home and away.

i didn't, i looked at most of the prem and thought we are as good as those (ie the boltons, wolves, west ham, birminghams, sunderlands etc.)

[JH]

this is getting tedious now. blackpool didn't play anti football and we played as much hoof it stylee against blackburn than i've seen anyone do this season. wigan were unlucky and played aswell as us. is the term anti football now going to be rolled out whenever a team defends strongly against us ?

 

 

Gives us an excuse for when we lose.

 

We're a Premier League football team man. We should know how to get past a defensive team - i mean it's not like Blackburn and Stoke go all season fucking unbeaten.