Why can't we play two halves of football?

[JoelH5]

First half we made plenty of chances, were constantly closing down and pressing.

The second, our tracking was aweful and we have them so much time on the ball!

It seems to be the same most weeks. One brilliant half and one a total mess.

We through that away today.

As well as that.. the ref was unbelievably poor which didn't help. Fuming

[The Road Less Travelled]

How many teams in world football dominate both halves of each game they play?  Last weekend we were poor in the first but better in the second, this weekend it was the reverse.  It happens almost everywhere barring the absolute top teams, and even they struggle at times.  Expecting consistent domination of entire 90 minutes is pretty unreasonable.

From some of the things I've read from Brighton fans, the flurry of cards at the start of the second half got their fans riled up and as a result the players.  We need to manage that better, and that is a relatively recurring theme, but I don't think we should be expecting to be on top or in control at all times.  Especially not against a team that finished in the play offs (missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference) last year while we nearly got relegated, and are currently sat second in the table.

[JoelH5]

How many teams in world football dominate both halves of each game they play?  Last weekend we were poor in the first but better in the second, this weekend it was the reverse.  It happens almost everywhere barring the absolute top teams, and even they struggle at times.  Expecting consistent domination of entire 90 minutes is pretty unreasonable.

From some of the things I've read from Brighton fans, the flurry of cards at the start of the second half got their fans riled up and as a result the players.  We need to manage that better, and that is a relatively recurring theme, but I don't think we should be expecting to be on top or in control at all times.  Especially not against a team that finished in the play offs (missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference) last year while we nearly got relegated, and are currently sat second in the table.

I take it you weren't at the game?

It was a complete collapse. No one wanted the ball in the second half. The amount of times our players picked up the ball with no options was incredible.

Brighton were poor today. We gifted them the result.

I don't think is much asking for us to have some kind of quality in the second half

[westcliff white]

I didn't think we were as bad as Joel says in the second half, however, we were not as intense in the second half as we were in the first half.

It is frustrating as we deserved at least a point from the game, and as Joel says Brighton were there for the taking.

But given the last 3 years this was some improvement on what we have seen in the past so I cannot be too critical

[JoelH5]

I didn't think we were as bad as Joel says in the second half, however, we were not as intense in the second half as we were in the first half.

It is frustrating as we deserved at least a point from the game, and as Joel says Brighton were there for the taking.

But given the last 3 years this was some improvement on what we have seen in the past so I cannot be too critical

I agree with you too.

It's definitely an improvement I guess I'm just extremely disappointed that we could have been in the playoffs and beaten one of the main challengers to go up, away from home. It would have done our confidence wonders. Exactly like you say.. they were there for the taking.

We won't go up this year but if we can tighten up a bit more at the back, keep our current players and get something up top, we will be a very strong team

[grandad]

Again we beat the opposition with every stat except the most important one. The biggest factor was the several superb saves from Stockdale. He alone kept them in the game in the 1st half. Could so easily have been 3-0 up & out of sight.

[Baszab]

The difference between the teams is that they had forwards who actually scored - our "forward" lumbered around the whole match (the Cruyff turn excepted)

[Fulham Tup North]

Need to finish teams off.  Cannot go up needing 12 chances to score one goal :(
On another note, Paul Trollope waving his elbow about like a fiddle player on dope.  Very poor form Mr Trollope, very poor.

[millsy]

I agree we both comments;

1. That our forwards don't make enough runs to give the man on the ball options and also to take defenders away from his path forward

2. That our "target man" is currently nowhere near good enough. He is never on the end of crosses, or even challenging for them. He rarely wins the long punts forward in the air, nor even troubles his markers (usually ending up in a heap asking for a foul). His shot to minutes ratio must be as low as any striker in this division.

Both of the above could be solved, in my opinion, by investing is a quick, incisive striker who will make runs in behind and/or down the channels. Tom, Mac and Stefan would thrive on such a player. Think Wells, Forestieri, Gayle and that Burnley guy who gave us all so much trouble last season, whose name I forget.

Happy to have Chris or Matt in the squad but let's play to our strengths and get a neat little finisher who can capitalise on all our good possession and approach work. Thinking about it, the model is Defoe.

[peaty]

I agree we both comments;

1. That our forwards don't make enough runs to give the man on the ball options and also to take defenders away from his path forward

2. That our "target man" is currently nowhere near good enough. He is never on the end of crosses, or even challenging for them. He rarely wins the long punts forward in the air, nor even troubles his markers (usually ending up in a heap asking for a foul). His shot to minutes ratio must be as low as any striker in this division.

Both of the above could be solved, in my opinion, by investing is a quick, incisive striker who will make runs in behind and/or down the channels. Tom, Mac and Stefan would thrive on such a player. Think Wells, Forestieri, Gayle and that Burnley guy who gave us all so much trouble last season, whose name I forget.

Happy to have Chris or Matt in the squad but let's play to our strengths and get a neat little finisher who can capitalise on all our good possession and approach work. Thinking about it, the model is Defoe.

Or Forrestieri. Play acting aside, he played well for SW at the Cottage (and, as I recall, at Hillsborough last season). Quality player. Perhaps a signing next season?

[clarkey]

Real shame about he result, played well first half but poor finishing and then Button's balls up robs the team of concentration with his booking and our coach so slow to make subs when we were flat out of gas, that is criminal. He is poor with subs, needs to look at how to do it properly. Anticipate the game not react to it.Their second came as a direct result of tiredness in mid field.

[H4usuallysitting]

It looked like Brighton played higher up the park second half.....we should of buried the game in the 1st half - we need at least one proper out & out goal scorer, and we should of played 433 in the second half

[Lighthouse]

We are very very slow to react to the change of opposition tactics. Have been for years. We used to blame the managers but Joka gets a free pass and we now blame the players. Still we were a tad fortunate to get  a point last week and unfortunate not to get one this week. The only consistency is we don't finish off teams when we are in the ascendancy.  Although sometimes, like last week. we never are.

[@jolslover]

I agree we both comments;

1. That our forwards don't make enough runs to give the man on the ball options and also to take defenders away from his path forward

2. That our "target man" is currently nowhere near good enough. He is never on the end of crosses, or even challenging for them. He rarely wins the long punts forward in the air, nor even troubles his markers (usually ending up in a heap asking for a foul). His shot to minutes ratio must be as low as any striker in this division.

Both of the above could be solved, in my opinion, by investing is a quick, incisive striker who will make runs in behind and/or down the channels. Tom, Mac and Stefan would thrive on such a player. Think Wells, Forestieri, Gayle and that Burnley guy who gave us all so much trouble last season, whose name I forget.

Happy to have Chris or Matt in the squad but let's play to our strengths and get a neat little finisher who can capitalise on all our good possession and approach work. Thinking about it, the model is Defoe.

Or Forrestieri. Play acting aside, he played well for SW at the Cottage (and, as I recall, at Hillsborough last season). Quality player. Perhaps a signing next season?

Forestieri is very good, Wouldn't be available for below 10 million. Was the signing we should have made a couple of seasons back, too late now.

[Fulham1959]

How many teams in world football dominate both halves of each game they play?  Last weekend we were poor in the first but better in the second, this weekend it was the reverse.  It happens almost everywhere barring the absolute top teams, and even they struggle at times.  Expecting consistent domination of entire 90 minutes is pretty unreasonable.

I agree.  Tottenham seem to have had a great first half yesterday, but lost their momentum in the second.

[davew]

Two different halves. It's been baffling me for a while now, with no obvious answer to resolve it. But that's the pattern in most matches covering more than one manager over the last couple years.
As for these refs, I don't know how they sleep at night.

I am sure they do in the knowledge that they have left us helpless fans stressed out! Another very poor referee performance yesterday!!

[filham]

Of course it is too much to expect the team to be on top for all of the match but it is essential that we score a few goals when we are on top.