This post has been merged from a topic called 'Lucky or not ' by Midlands Eagle

We got what we deserved in both gmes. Luck didn't come into it.

Good post. Another woefully depressing home display. I'd love to see Bak Sak out there or at least onm the bench as he offers a different threat - more crosses and a strong shot. Why do we need two defenders on the banch every game especially as his favourite Schlupp could drop back if necessary? We need Meyer playing at home as there is no creativity in midfield. Do they practice free-kicks on corners in training? Sorry, but as nice a guy as RH probably is, he is a boring manager.

I was going to mention this. He is the one player who has the ability to drive 10 yards into the space in front of him thus opening up various new passing angles / options. Why he doesn't start is beyond me.

RLC used to do this as well. With him in the midfield and Cabaye last season about this time we did the Weed in a blistering 1st half. Our midfield yesterday was definitely weaker in terms of attacking threat than last year. As you say Kouyate can fill this role. If Meyer isn't going to play then we need another attacking midfielder who can take a decent free kick/corner. A cursory glance at the goal differences in the league table tells you that our defence is really solid and whilst there is a question mark over attack, until the midfield starts producing attacking threat then it is hard to judge. Some goals have to come from somewhere and they are not coming from free kicks or corners at the mo. If goals come from this direction perhaps a more calm and relaxed feeling will happen with our goal scoring chances.

Edited by Booted Eagle (10 Mar 2019 8.30pm)

Edited by Booted Eagle (10 Mar 2019 8.31pm)

“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

The one player we really missed yesterday was Sakho. For most of the game Dann and Tomkins were under no pressure when they were on the ball, where as most teams would have 1 attacker putting the central defenders under pressure. Brighton just put the attacker behind the ball meaning when we tried to pass forward it was trying to find 1 of 8 palace players been marked by 10 Brighton players. Sakho though can usually either find the pass or have the confidence to take the ball forward and in doing so drag the one of the 2 spare Brighton players out of their marking zone. This would have then made it a bit easier for the midfielders and forwards to find space. Dann and Tomkins played it safe and stayed back and it made it easy for Brighton.

It would help if one or two of those players actually moved and tried to loose their marker instead of just standing there waiting for the ball to come to them.