Brighton & Hove Albion (H) 19:45 Wed 13th December 2017

[Dorset]

Here we go with another one of them weird midweek match week doodahs, not keen myself.

We have never been beaten by Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League! Ok, so we've never played them in the Premiership, the last time we played them was a League Cup game in 2014, the score was Tottenham Hotspur 2 Brighton and Hove Albion 0.

Let's get all 3 points while the Caravan Club beat the Wanderers, restoring the natural order of the universe and the gap, I really miss the gap.

 

[Glenjamin]

2 easy ones on the bounce now to bring in 6 points!

 

[skiathospurs]

pre match presser
http://www.football.london/tottenha...ttino-alderweireld-levy-lamela-press-14028283

 

[birdonaball]

Not sure about this being an easy game. I think Brighton will give us a bit more fight than Stoke did at the weekend. I've been reading around on other forums and we really feel like a club with polar opposite opinions regarding Man City and this game. I've seen people suggest a 2nd string against City as we can't get anything out of the game. Dear lord, to already accept defeat before we've even stepped onto the pitch boogles my brain. Why stop there? Just chuck it in now and wait for the next season.

Also read that others want a 2nd string against Brighton. Why? Play the game in front of you, get 3 points in the bank first then freak out (if you choose to) about City.

I'm going to this tomorrow so hoping we pick up from where we left off at on Saturday.

3 points and I'll be a happy bunny..

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

The two scenarios that I can see playing out:

1) we score early and run away with it 3 or 4 zip.
2) they score first and park the bus making for a torrid evening.

 

[Finchbee]

Surely Chris “Tottenham fan and ex player/manager/coach” wont allow his team to park the bus....i am sure they will have strict instructions

 

[Don Diaz]

Well who knows.....not me that's for sure. I expect a counter attacking display by Brighton and a 2-0 win for us. Maybe we'll concede a silly goal which seems to be a trait this season so we'll win by 2 and it will be 3-1 with Chris Hughton cheered on his return. Comfortable win, we're always comfortable at Christmas, like a big armchair. We'll cruise up the M6 and beat City and then Burnley. We're good at ending other peoples runs, ask Chelsea.

 

[skiathospurs]

@birdonaball anyone looking ahead to the weekend is mistaken,always win the next game infront of you,unless ofc cup finals are in play.Win tonight is most important,then move on to the city game.I dont care what competition and what stage,always put a team out capable of winning the match,terms like 2nd string,play the stiffs,B team are so wrong,its a team sport 25 or so players,Poch will decide not some spanner on a forum,and certainly we dont go to city fearing anything or anyone.

Brighton will come to play,yes they will defend but we have enough to do a stoke result allover again.

 

[Dorset]

Not sure about this being an easy game. I think Brighton will give us a bit more fight than Stoke did at the weekend. I've been reading around on other forums and we really feel like a club with polar opposite opinions regarding Man City and this game. I've seen people suggest a 2nd string against City as we can't get anything out of the game. Dear lord, to already accept defeat before we've even stepped onto the pitch boogles my brain. Why stop there? Just chuck it in now and wait for the next season.

Also read that others want a 2nd string against Brighton. Why? Play the game in front of you, get 3 points in the bank first then freak out (if you choose to) about City.

I'm going to this tomorrow so hoping we pick up from where we left off at on Saturday.

3 points and I'll be a happy bunny..

It boggles the mind innit Birdie? It reminds me of the other place where they wanted us to surrender in the tinpot cups (in their minds) and only focus on getting top four, so we could qualify for the Champions League, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them suggest that we play 'the kids' against Juventus so we don't upset our campaign to qualify for next year!

I agree with you and Bubbleboy @skiathospurs, I always have and always will think that the next game we play is the most important, all this so-called tactical doodahs leads to misery, we ain't a snooker team where you can plan 4 or 5 shots ahead, even a point against City could be vital at the end of the season - and we know we have a team that can beat them, we have thumped Real Madrid so beating City is of course possible. Every game should be played with the best team available, the game is about glory and there is no glory in waving a white flag and hoping we win the next game.

The gonads about Brighton being easy is also gonads, there ain't not never no easy games, never, no way, no how in the Premier League. The even more ridiculous gonads about surrendering to City makes me even more grumpy than I usually am, and at the moment my Grumpyometer is at maximum, anymore and I go into overload then the voices take over and bad things happen. I am waiting for the numpties to start gobbing off about the FA Cup next, the voices are getting louder, can you hear them? Probably not because apparently they don't exist are just in my brain.

 

[Motspur Hotspur]

The two scenarios that I can see playing out:

1) we score early and run away with it 3 or 4 zip.
2) they score first and park the bus making for a torrid evening.

More likely they park the bus and we struggle until 65th minute, then they come out and we get a bit wobbly but finish it off in 85th minute.

 

[skiathospurs]

More likely they park the bus and we struggle until 65th minute, then they come out and we get a bit wobbly but finish it off in 85th minute.

I think they will be pragmatic certainly,but not bus style.Trouble with bus is one goal and the ruse is pretty much up.

 

[skiathospurs]

 

[Don Diaz]

I think they will be pragmatic certainly,but not bus style.Trouble with bus is one goal and the ruse is pretty much up.

That's true but it was quite refreshing to see how hard City struggled against West Ham at home and Arsenal against Southampton. Some prats think we should just be marching through these defensive walls.....well it ain't very easy, even for some of the best players in the world. There is no obvious solution.

 

[skiathospurs]

 

[Style And Glory]

Lamela starts 1st time in over 400 days

 

[skiathospurs]

 

[Motspur Hotspur]

Fortuitous but I'll take it!

 

[Don Diaz]

Difficult night 2-0 win, Lamela back, back up to 4th.....what's not to like?

Bring on City.

 

[Liam]

Difficult night 2-0 win, Lamela back, back up to 4th.....what's not to like?

Bring on City.

Thats about right, was a tough game and Brighton made it hard for us but we got over the line. Will need to up our game for City though.

 

[Finchbee]

Thats about right, was a tough game and Brighton made it hard for us but we got over the line. Will need to up our game for City though.

Thats an understatement, cant see city getting too worried if they watched the highlights of that game

 

[Finchbee]

But will take 3 points

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Thats an understatement, cant see city getting too worried if they watched the highlights of that game

I think the decision to play as we did, particularly after the first goal was quite deliberate. With the City game in mind, I think Pochettino would be quite happy that we expelled as little energy as possible during this game. Hence we played keep ball for most of it and rarely broke out of a canter.

Today's game will bear no relation to what happens on Saturday.

 

[Don Diaz]

Thats an understatement, cant see city getting too worried if they watched the highlights of that game

Mate whilst we go to Wembley regularly and see as many frustrating games as good ones, you'll notice it's the same across the league, even for the likes of free scoring City and Liverpool. I don't know if you saw City struggle against Saints and West Ham recently, both at home. Same for Liverpool tonight against WBA. It's not just not that easy to break Premier League teams down.

 

[Liam]

I think the decision to play as we did, particularly after the first goal was quite deliberate. With the City game in mind, I think Pochettino would be quite happy that we expelled as little energy as possible during this game. Hence we played keep ball for most of it and rarely broke out of a canter.

Today's game will bear no relation to what happens on Saturday.

I'm hope so! It's my birthday on Sunday and I'm going Saturday so the points are in the bag!

 

[Don Diaz]

I think Poch will be brave at City. He and the team thrive on these big challenges, he mentions it several times in his book.

We may not win, but we won't be short of research, effort, desire and talent. Son is on fire and I think will start, not sure if it will be Lamela or Dele...I also expect Winks and Moussa, rest of the team picks itself.

 

[Finchbee]

Mate whilst we go to Wembley regularly and see as many frustrating games as good ones, you'll notice it's the same across the league, even for the likes of free scoring City and Liverpool. I don't know if you saw City struggle against Saints and West Ham recently, both at home. Same for Liverpool tonight against WBA. It's not just not that easy to break Premier League teams down.

Dont get me wrong wasnt saying that negatively, i didnt think tonight was that bad! Saturday will be different and at least jan hasnt picked up another yellow

 

[Yid]

Much better performance from the team. Created a lot, didn't concede although I expect the weekend may throw a few more problems their way.

Well done lads, pleased with the effort and Son is in a real strek6of form.

COYS

 

[Style And Glory]

As others have said, the City match will be much different.
Pep's not an idiot. He knows how dangerous we can be.

I don't think either club wants to sit back.
But I believe we would be more comfortable & effective doing so all the while countering as we did in Madrid.

 

[deejbah]

Haven't watched the game yet, only bits, as I had to get to work and do a presentation to some researchers. Not surprised by Brighton's approach, they are the deepest defending team in the league. Will be interesting to see how we set up in midfield on the weekend and if we move Sonny over to the right and target Delph on the weekend, or set up Alli to run on to diagonals behind him.

 

[Dorset]

Seems like there's a bit of apathy about winning 2-0 when 2 of our rivals for top 4 drop 2 points, I don't get it. Brilliant result really, I'm having a celebratory breakfast this morning, no porridge today! I'm looking forward to us breaking City's record breaking run, just like we did to the chavs lasts season.

Wenger was hilarious on MOTD, he blamed West Ham for the scum not winning because they "didn't come forward" - dirty, cheating batsrads, how dare they not play to his plan?