leedsunited1987: I use a 4-2-2-2 formation with two centre midfielders and two wingers, always has seemed to work as the wingers I have are generally attacking anyway. I usually have one CM set to Box-to-Box and another CM set to ball winning midfieler or centre-midfielder.
September has come to an end and after a positive opening month in the Coca-Cola Championship, again we speak to the Seagulls manager Kieran Tidy to get his views on how his team has performed over the month of September:
A solid start to the month for us, Barnsley are a team with a reputation similar to ours, and we always tend to struggle against teams like this, but the team pulled together brilliantly and luckily James Tunnicliffe got onto the end of Freddy Adu's corner to bring us that all important goal.
This game was always going to be tough, Bristol City are a great team and just missed out of the Championship play-offs last season due to a loss in the final. The team are known to perform better against teams with higher reputations, but today City completely outclassed us and they deservedly won the game due to a Nicky Maynard double.
Now, this game I predicted that we would again struggle, I thought we would have had a repeat of our last fixture, but the lads were sensational and probably performed the best I have ever seen them perform in my time as manager. Things did get off to a bad start when Kevin Kyle slammed in a close range shot, but Captain Fantastic Adderahman Kabous slammed in a 30 yard screamer and sent the Brighton fans ballistic. We knew that a half time lead would have been important, and Freddy Adu took it round no less than 4 players to curl the ball in to the net on the stroke of half time. I told the lads not to give up and keep going, and Michael Mifsud showed why he is one of the best strikers in this league and sweetly chipped the goalkeeper to give the fans an added boost. Tensions rose when Pogatetz scored but the lads managed to hold on and record a great victory.
With the team's morale at a high, I thought the team would be capable of performing again at home again another League one promoted team Huddersfield, but the team crumbled as soon as we got the one goal advantage early on through Freddy Adu. After this moment we always looked the worser side, and Jordan Rhodes capped off a hattrick for the opponents in a deserved victory for the Terriers, but the lads need to perform better if we are to charge up the table.
I was hoping that the team could bounce back after a tough loss to Huddersfield, but the team again slipped up and morale was now at an extreme low, a devastation 5-2 loss has really put the team in a negative mood. Things weren't looking good when Bolton took the lead through Kevin Davies, but Francio di Santo managed to level us and the fans began to believe we could get something from the game, but an unfair penatly gave Bolton the 2-1 lead. Slight luck brought the game level when Zat Knight put the ball into his own net, but then more goals from Kevin Davies, Zat Knight (in the right net this time) and Tamir Cohen put the result beyond doubt and the team were far from happy with the result.
A difficult tie again ended the month for us, and again I expected a tough game, and that is what Wednesday exactly gave us, it was a challenge from the off and both them and us battled brilliantly, at half-time I told the lads we just needed to find that one chance, that one moment where we can carve out a goal, I told them to go out there and show them why they play for Brighton & Hove Albion, and the lads began to show passion, and right at the death Franco di Santo got on the end of a fantastic team move to score us that all important goal.
SEPTEMBER REVIEW
A solid month for the team, a few disappointing losses to teams that are lower in the division but we end the month in a pleasing 10th place, I am happy with what we have been able to achieve so far this season and I forsee the team doing well this year if our financial situation can be sorted soon. Again I have praise for Michael Misud and Aderrahman Kabous, these two constantly give 100% and the team are never the same without them. I must also give mention to Aleksander Radosavljevic, Freddy Adu and Andre Ayew, these 3 have improved greatly over the month and are very important members of the squad, and they all add a detail of quality to the side which is important in our push for a solid finish, even though we are only two months in.