Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018-2019

[BacheLot]

I’m not able to watch the game but have read on the BBC report that Brighton are sitting so far back their making Newcastle look like Barcelona.

nearly 40min in and according to announcer BHA have had just 1 touch so far inside NCastle's box..!!
and they nearly conceded the 2nd a while earlier, shoulda been a PK to NC..!

[TM4LIFE]

NBCSN commentator basically blames locadia and ARJ in part for BHAFC failures this year. Dutch players not up to EPL standards and this story has played out repeatedly.

Thats a pretty shortsighted narrative. Having practically watched every brighton game, I can say their problems run deeper than simply not having forward players that are goal machines.
I've said it a couple of times before but i'll say it again. There's three core issues with Brighton.

1) An antiquated central midfield.
Brighton managed to pull themselves up and stay up with an anchored 4-4-1-1 that still relied almost entirely on set pieces. The story didn't change last season and it sure as hell didn't this season, and the reason is because the central midfield (especially Stephens and Propper) are of poor fitness, speed, and vision. They are used to a system that allows them to sit in the deep pocket in front of the back four, and when either of them take even a slight risk to step forward they cannot close the gaps, they are not comfortable in possession, cannot do quick one-touch passes, and cannot dribble. Their only real strength comes from hoofing useless outlet passes to the wings and then leaving them for dead. The only time Brighton can have any semblance of possession or impact on a game is against sides with even worse technique and fitness (aka Milwall, Huddersfield, Burnley). In these games, Stephens and Propper are hardly put under any pressure and so they're able to at least step into the oppositions half. But, in 99% of matchups, Brighton's only forward movements rely on a maximum of 3 players: A winger, lone striker, and either the opposite winger or the CAM (if they even bother venturing forward). There is no other team in the league that is as conservative as Brighton in the middle of the park, and time and time again no matter who is in rotation on the wings it makes 0 difference because the central midfield always stays the same.

2) Poor team culture
I mentioned this in another post but the players are very nasty towards one another. Every errant dribble is punished by another teammate with complaints. Players are so self conscious about the mistakes they make that they would rather just play a back pass than to even attempt good linkup play or take a gamble at a dribble. To add to it, Hughton is incessantly trying or organize the defensive positioning of his forwards.

3) Lack of team identity
This is something that many teams struggle with. Man U has had a big problem with this all season and it's one of the many criticisms thrown at them. Brighton particularly has struggled with this. The team has attempted a change in formation many times but none of it has seemed to click. The team rotation is bizarre at times and there's no semblance of any team 'style' that is recognizable. Many mid and top table teams at least have a sort of recognizability about their play that you can pick up, and having this is critical to the culture of a football club and the ability to become more of an established side.

[KasraKhan]

Seems like CH has lost the locker room. The team looks extremely disjointed.

[ehsan_REAL1]

Delusional if you think this is ARJ fault. Guy is an idiot for joining this garbage team tho

[Ghormesabzi]

This is the worst PL performance I have ever seen. Brighton are absolutely horrible.

They are sitting back defending as if they are playing away from home with 10 men while being 1-0 up...

Pathetic.

[perspolis#1]

If Bong deserves to be in the Premier League......
Nosrati deserved to play on Chelsea

[Bladsville]

Hughton likes JB guys, trust me he will start (and get subbed off probably around the 70-75 mark dependent on score).

Lol... dude isn’t even a sub today.

[Bladsville]

There is no way you go from top scorer of your league to a loser who can’t score.

I take back anything negative I said about ARJ. BHA is absolute trash. I guess the glamour of playing in the PL overshadows the fact of joining a team that sucks.

[perspolis#1]

There is no way you go from top scorer of your league to a loser who can’t score.

I take back anything negative I said about ARJ. BHA is absolute trash. I guess the glamour of playing in the PL overshadows the fact of joining a team that sucks.

If ARJ went to a team like Leverkusen right now he would be thriving.

[rjafari]

^ Hell even if he had gone to leicester with all the extra pressure we discussed last summer - he'd have had a better season than here with this ultra defensive shit.

[BacheLot]

Seems like CH has lost the locker room. The team looks extremely disjointed.

This really...!
CH gotta go regardless of them staying up, for BHA and Ali to have any chance of redeeming themselves..!!

lol ps

March on for Andone start of 2nd half..!! whatta fking joke ..... he takes out the One player who was lively and playing with passion ..!!

he may be a classy guy or like and get along with ARJ .... or what not .... but Hughton gotta go for either to have a chance of progress..!! he has clearly lost the plot and respect of his players and their performances in the last 4-6 months or so is very much indicative of that..!!

[KasraKhan]

When your center backs are your biggest scoring threat, you know your team has offensive woes.

[fairplay]

1 to 1 now

[naderb94]

GOALLLl Brighton!!!!!

[BacheLot]

1-1 pascal gross equalize and that could well save their EPL status.
tbf theyve been playing much better and finally with some intend in the last 15 min or so