Brighton ran 5km more than us but had 69% possession. That is pathetic and shows a lack of intensity in closing down and effort. Didn’t feel like they gave a t**s!

i saw a couple minutes of the Tottenham game today. Richarlison had the ball, 15 yards in front of goal. Took a shot. It bounced off a defender and sailed 20 yards toward mid-field.

it was that moment that Richarlison sprinted back to recoup. And i thought, why do we see that intensity so rarely ?

top players are always hungry. Never complacent. never fearful of messing it up. Even if it means picking up a few yellow cards.....play with your heart.

bad yellow cards.....gobby lippy mouthy at the ref, fights off the ball, impetuous kicking of the ball away...etc

good yellow cards......crunching tackles, brutal aggression, gamesmanship ....etc.

the OP has a point. Not enough heart in the team. There is no shame in losing at Arsenal, Anfield or other big stadia....but there is shame in lacking that fire in the belly. And in the manner of the losses.

i would rather us relegated with a ton of red and yellow cards than relegated without a fight.

Eze Peasy at Anfield....

I remember the game at the Amex 3 years ago under covid rules; Brighton were all over us for most of the match, but Benteke scored that half volley off a Townsend cross right at the end. In those days we had the resilience, showed up for 90 minutes, did not give away soft goals in the first 5 minutes and looked like we had a plan. Interestingly, Roy was the manager then! Like night and day now, completely outplayed by most clubs. Could barely get over the line against Sheffield, who got wacked today because they are really poor.

Something has to give, or it will go from misery to chaos and completely unravel in the next two weeks.

Edited by radicalsteve (03 Feb 2024 8.57pm)

I don't necessarily agree that there was no effort yesterday.

But I didn't see a coherent game plan or structure. Conceding so early in that environment probably undid that.

Brighton were everything we weren't. Tactically sound, moved the ball at pace, with a flow to their game. Quicker in mind and action.

There are so many negatives with this current group that it's hard to know where to start.

So I'll focus on one thing - on field leadership. Of which I see none. Our experienced players look clapped out. The younger players need a leader and we haven't got one.

Much as I don't like him, and as an example only, Jordan Henderson would have been a standard setting on field general. In the fashion of the experienced loans that Parish talked about pre transfer window. Instead we get a 19 year old with no Premier League experience. I think Wharton has a lot of promise, but is he what we needed for the now ?

Old, Ungifted and White

And what does Hodgson say, we showed heart in the 2nd half, what after not bothering for 45 mins and being 3 goals down. How has he not been sacked already.

My work colleague is a Luton fan & he's loving it because they are in the struggle together.
Fans being given something to cheer as even when losing there's hope.
Watched the Palace Vs Liverpool 3-3 game hi lights the other day as I was at the game with my son who was 10 then & the never give up attitude of the team against a star studded Liverpool team
Excuses about our squad now being second rate is only half the problem, no fight in them, no emotion!
He may not of been the best player but give me Damian Delaneys heart & emotional performance.
Yannick Bolasie belief in himself to just go for it