Player ratings v Brighton

[Outworlder47]

Pickford 7 - solid when he had to be.

Digne 7 - some lovely work with the ball at times

Keane 8 - he was imperious yesterday. Sweeping up all over and confident on the ball

Zouma 7 - out battled for the goal but very solid

Coleman 8 - drive to recover the ball and move forward like night and day compared to recent performances

Bernard 6 - not at his best but did provide a few moments of excitement

Gueye 9 - he was everywhere and he used the ball well.

Gomes 8 - ball sticks to him and he looks forward in that Arteta/Barry mould we have missed

Walcott 7 - a real threat for long periods and could have bagged a few

Sigurdsson 7 - missed a big chance but his play in the midfield and movement was excellent

Richarlison 8 - just when I was over him as a number 9 he bags 2 with grace and finesse

Subs

Lookman 6 - decent enough cameo

The rest n/a

No complaints here. For as much stick as Sigurdsson got for missing his two early chances, I look at that second one and think, had he taken a touch instead of shot first time, Dunk slides clear through him and it's a penalty and likely second yellow for the Brighton man. Game could have turned into a 5-0 type of battering at that point, but it was still a very solid performance up and down bar the one set piece.

[Macca77]

Pickford 7
Digne 8
Keane 8
Zouma 7
Coleman 8
Bernard 6
Gueye 9
Gomes 8
Walcott 7
Sigurdsson 8
Richarlison 9
Subs
Lookman 7
Mina 10

[School of Science]

Richarlison’ dink around Duffy for his second was an absolute piss take. Love the reply from behind the goal, Duffy knew he just got had off. 

Yes I really enjoyed that, dare I say Henry ( Thierry) like.

[sam of the south]

Yes I really enjoyed that, dare I say Henry ( Thierry) like.

It reminded me of Ronaldo R9, especially the way he rounded the ‘keeper

[Ramjam]

It reminded me of Ronaldo R9, especially the way he rounded the "keeper

Didn’t Pele do it in the 1970 World Cup?

[Jimmywhack]

Didn’t Pele do it in the 1970 World Cup?

didn't he miss tho?

[Bluedylan]

didn't he miss tho?

He did, and Pele's bit of skill was much better than Richarlison's imo.

Richarlison's skill was lovely, don't get me wrong, but the best part of it was Shane Duffy's clear realisation than he was done, and there was no way back.

[brap2]

Richarlison is just so clearly superstar potential it’s really exciting. Something we’ve missed for a while and so far we’re definitely getting our money’s worth. Superb work by the club to get him.

Hard to grade everyone I think, because we were by far the better team across the park, nobody had a bad game really.

Coleman was better, more positive and driving forward with the ball, but maybe too many lofted balls in to Dunks fod.

Sigurdsson - wouldn’t slate his two early chances because they happen tbh. He’s not going to finish them all but if he’s getting into them positions and getting shots away then that’s alright with me.

His overall involvement was good, and his work for the first was fantastic.

Theo was better, but still...

Digne is a great player and has slotted in seamlessly.

Gomes was very good. Definitely seems to have like a slow, careful start then grow more confident in driving forward? Maybe he’s asked to do that but he starts each game like Schneiderlin and ends it like Barkley.

Keane and Zouma flawless.

Liked the look of Bernard who continues to make stuff happen. Lookman looked good when he came on too, can’t wait til he’s getting big minutes. Dom did fine.

Punished by another set piece, irritating but we know it’s an issue.

As good as we were - our goals came from a break, a shot outside the box and a defensive error, so we’re still not breaking down teams when they sit deep imo.

It’s a common issue and I dunno what the solution is but yeah, easy to mistake a great result for a solution to a problem when I don’t think it is really.

That said, we could have had a few from combinations followed by drilled balls across the box that just didn’t quite go in.

[Mayor Farnum]

Didn’t Pele do it in the 1970 World Cup?

Not against Lewis fucking Dunk he didn't.

[brap2]

The Pele one was a feint around the goalie, this was a knock on. Aka a cow pass in Brazil I believe.

[Jimmywhack]

Not against Lewis fucking Dunk he didn't.

Neither did Richarlison

[Mick 1995]

As good as we were - our goals came from a break, a shot outside the box and a defensive error, so we’re still not breaking down teams when they sit deep imo.

I've read you mention this before and it has been playing on my mind quite a bit because it is a really big concern. I thought.

But after a few weeks of mulling it over i think i've changed my mind. Based on the following:

- As a general rule, the deep-playing teams are really good at it.
- There is no way the majority of teams can break down 11 players all performing that same job.

So i've been watching some of the top sides when they've come across these teams to see how they stuff them.
And do you know what 2 things it is that does it for the most part? Patience (not wasting possession with pot-shots. Pulling the ball out and starting again, over & over & over & over again) and being clinical.
A chance will come. When it does, make sure players take advantage of it.
That's what our first goal was all about yesterday (and our 3rd, for that matter).

The only alternative to that are the proper elite level teams. The City & Barcelona's of the world. Who have such intricate, minute passing & running movement that they can ghost past any number of lines.
We can't replicate that, and wont be able to for a long, long time.

[School of Science]

Richarlison's was brilliant, but Pele's was pure extravagant genius.

[Toddacelli]

I've read you mention this before and it has been playing on my mind quite a bit because it is a really big concern. I thought.

But after a few weeks of mulling it over i think i've changed my mind. Based on the following:

- As a general rule, the deep-playing teams are really good at it.
- There is no way the majority of teams can break down 11 players all performing that same job.

So i've been watching some of the top sides when they've come across these teams to see how they stuff them.
And do you know what 2 things it is that does it for the most part? Patience (not wasting possession with pot-shots. Pulling the ball out and starting again, over & over & over & over again) and being clinical.
A chance will come. When it does, make sure players take advantage of it.
That's what our first goal was all about yesterday (and our 3rd, for that matter).

The only alternative to that are the proper elite level teams. The City & Barcelona's of the world. Who have such intricate, minute passing & running movement that they can ghost past any number of lines.
We can't replicate that, and wont be able to for a long, long time.

Nice work Mick

[brap2]

I've read you mention this before and it has been playing on my mind quite a bit because it is a really big concern. I thought.

But after a few weeks of mulling it over i think i've changed my mind. Based on the following:

- As a general rule, the deep-playing teams are really good at it.
- There is no way the majority of teams can break down 11 players all performing that same job.

So i've been watching some of the top sides when they've come across these teams to see how they stuff them.
And do you know what 2 things it is that does it for the most part? Patience (not wasting possession with pot-shots. Pulling the ball out and starting again, over & over & over & over again) and being clinical.
A chance will come. When it does, make sure players take advantage of it.
That's what our first goal was all about yesterday (and our 3rd, for that matter).

The only alternative to that are the proper elite level teams. The City & Barcelona's of the world. Who have such intricate, minute passing & running movement that they can ghost past any number of lines.
We can't replicate that, and wont be able to for a long, long time.

I’m not sure what your point is, are you saying we ARE good at consistently making good chances from open play against defensive teams?

We are light years ahead of where we were, and I back us to score in home games against these sides deffo, bit I’m not confident we have the patterns of play and open chance creators available to make it happen consistently and to a good level.

I know this is fruitless tho because we’ve just won so I assume I’ll just get quoted by people saying things like ‘we could have scored 15 at the weekend ffs’