I agree with absolutely everything written here - especially picking up that Jahanbakhsh didn't play in his natural position yesterday; if he can play as well as he did vs Hudders whilst plying his trade on the left flank, he has the potential to be a superstar when actually playing in a position that he is more accustomed to. Also very interesting hearing parallels between Murray and Daei - I agree that as time goes by, Murray will probably be used more and more in a substitute capacity roughly quarter of an hour from the end of matches (rather than starting 11), coming on once Andone has tired out the opposition defence - cheers for the informative response!
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^^everybody listen to what Mourinho had to say about Mohammad Salah when he first arrived at Chelsea. Football is about adaptation and growth, but for these two things to be maximized you need patience and willpower. This is why I am always going to be optimistic about Alireza.
True, Salah was still improving rapidly even at age 24-25. In fact, he improved progressively throughout the years from the time he was practising his penalties with Alex Frei.
There's a reason why JB's market value was so high despite being from a country which has no proper agents, no merchandising potential, politically isolated etc.... , and why his current market value is over twice as much as the frenchman Knockaert. Hughton realises that, and is just easing him in. We can see that BHA consider JB a work in progress based on their physical regime for him to convert him from a more wiry figure to more beast-type for the EPL (bulking for a few months and now he looks like he is cutting down).
Any highlights of the game?
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Number 2 in talking points:
2) Jahanbakhsh shows promise of goals for Brighton
It has not been easy for Alireza Jahanbakhsh to adapt to the Premier League during his first year in England, but the Iran international showed he can be a threat in Brighton’s vital win against Huddersfield. Jahanbakhsh was Brighton’s most enterprising player after being handed his fourth league start of the season, and he was unfortunate to be taken off moments before Florin Andone’s late winner. The 25‑year‑old winger, who has struggled since his £17m move from AZ Alkmaar, could have scored twice and will feel he played well enough to keep José Izquierdo on the bench when Chris Hughton’s side visit Crystal Palace this weekend. “I am hoping we are going to see more,” Hughton said. “He is a goalscorer and that is why we brought him in. You like to think that with Alireza in the team we can get more goals.”
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Salah is a left footer who plays more on the right, Mane is a right footer who plays mainly on the left, with Firmino in the centre.
The matching pattern is Knockaert/March & Izquierdo/ARJ with Andone/Locadia.
I'd go for one inverted winger and one ordinary winger for flexibility with Izquierdo/Andone/ARJ as the ideal. However, against Huddersfield (atypical) the main creators were Knockaert 3 and Dale Stephens 3, ARJ 0, which only means the Liverpool system is more suited to quick breakaways that breaking down a stubborn defence e.g Everton.
Selection will depend on the opposition with the Brighton forwards having different styles rather than a marked difference in overall abilities. Last season Izquierdo was better in away games with his extra pace whereas Knockaert does quite well in the home games.
Stephens and Propper as shoe ins as the two defensive midfielders as there is nobody else and they are both right-sided. Attacking midfielder is Gross as the mainstay, with Bissouma provding a quicker alternative, and Kayal OK but does not have a very good goal scoring record.
Leicester are not all that much different with Albrighton/Barnes, Vardy, D.Gray, with Ndidi.
The Liverpool system is not ideal as Firmino is a bit lightweight like Andone, and sometimes a bulkier mobile target man like Lukaku or Locadia can do some bullying back.
i think the two Manchester teams are the ones that can't be mimicked. City are so good in midfield that Fernandidno can operate as a sole defensive midfielder. United have Pogba who could operate box to box if so inclined.
The players that have given Brighton the most trouble have been Hazard, Coutinho and Pogba in that order.
Addenda: other players that have given Brighton trouble in midfield were David Silva, de Bruyne, Leroy Sane. And Mahrez when he played for Leicester. There are quite a few others with a high nuisance level like Calvert-Lewin (Everton) and quite a few goalkeepers: Foster (Watford), Pickford, and Heaton, Pope and Joe Hart. Aguero, Jesus, Vardy gave the defence the run around in spurts. Best opposing defences were Liverpool and Chelsea (this season only). Best opposing full back was Ashley Young, although Danilo played well twice against us.
“In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.”
― Jean-Paul Sartre
Brighton have a current squad of only 23 players, with lots out on loan. (8 first teamers and 14 academy). There might be be just one summer new signing? Mitrovic?
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