Alarm bells

[Uncle Spielberg]

I may have the revised my predictions this season from, winning the league at a canter to mid table mediocrity having seen 4 games. We have been poor in 3 and raised our game against a weakened QPR side. Apparently we were awful against Colchster as well. The football I have seen has been the worst we have played since the first half of our first season at Withdean.

Leon Knight is not looking like the exciting prospect I thought he was with only 1 goal in the last 5 games, Henderson has not scored yet in open play from 7 starts, the midfield is the weakest for 4 years and the defence does not have its usual air of authority about it and we have our best goalie loaned out at Hull.

Looks liked I've done me money as all the evidence suggests a mid table place this season ( at best ).

 

[BrightonBird]

It's only been a few games for goodness sake!

We were in the 1st division and have dropped to the 2nd. A completely different style in play. We have a new manager and again, are trying to change the team into a different playing side.

Let's not worry until xmas. We need time to settle.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I think the team is still adjusting to life without Bobby and second division football again. Also we are now seen as a team to beat after we waltzed to the championship two years ago so teams are really up for it when they play us.

There are a couple of little problems in the team and the midfield neds to sort itself out a bit but i still remain optimistic that we can gain at least a play off place this year.

 

[Beefy]

I reckon we need a couple of new faces if we're going to challenge for promotion.But their doesn't seem to be any indiciation we're even looking to strengthen the squad.

 

[Braders]

like i've been saying a center back and a striker !

 

[Beeneys gloves]

We need some new faces in desperately, Colchester were absolutely woeful with no real ideas on Saturday but we couldnt beat them.
If Piercey is fit he needs to play as he looked very dangerous with some excellent through balls and crosses although that pathetic dive he took was a joke.
Its the midfield that needs sorting out, we need someone in there to put his foot on the ball and start directing play.
Also Henderson, although not scoring was useful in the air and holding up the hoof upfield on Sat. The worrying thing was no-one was attacking the ball into the area so I reckon we need someone else in attack to hopefully link up better with Leon.
I think we should worry before Xmas, this league is wide open at the moment and getting some points on the board could put us in a very decent position

 

[CHAPPERS]

Piercy on the right, Jones on the left and Harty up front anyone?

The midfield needs to start getting within shooting range, I can only remember a couple of shots on goal on saturday.


Get your heads down and run boys

 

[fatboy]

I agree with all apart from the bit about Leon Knight.

We desperately need a winger. Someone who can run at people.

The Col U manager was right. All we do is hit the ball to Henderson.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Brightonbird- we do not have a new manager, Coppell has been here for nearly a year now.

It is clear we are desperately starting to miss Zamora. He could be relied on getting 25-30 goals a season but also creating 15-20. Knight may get 15 goals but will create 0. Knight flattered to deceive at the start of the season but he has scored 1 in the last 5 games. He has been a spectator for the last 3 games I have seen except he does not have to play £ 20 like me !. I am afraid I do not rate him very highly and does not look the exciting prospect I thought he was. Henderson is poor with 0 goals from open play in 7 games. The 2 strikers have scored 1 goal between them in the last 5 games. The facts speak for themselves. He is becoming a bit of a Barrett and with Zamora in the side we could afford the luxury of a passenger but not anyone. We must be able to get a better striker on loan, send him back to Reading.

The midfield has been woeful this season. With Oatway being the best midfielder this says it all. However he is a detructive midfielder and not a creative one.

The defence does not have its usual air of authority about it.

We also have Carpenter, Cullip, Rodger and Roberts playing poorly and our best goalie out on loan.

I am just dissapointed as I expected much more and mid table looks about our mark this season.

 

[Goring Gull]

I stated on NSC last week after Swindon that we would be ,id table at best, maybe fighting relegation and i got slated for it, still think i'm wrong now?

 

[fatboy]

Even Barrett is scoring goals now

 

[BrightonBird]

Coppell is still relatively new Gareth.

I see your points, but at the end of the day, we have only played a few games. I think we need to sort out midfield, but you must realise that we have to settle into this league. Both Grimsby and Sheffield Wednesday have not found it as easy as they first thought as well.

Leon Knight needs good balls (?) and what I mean by that is that he needs someone to give him good delivary.

 

[Brovion]

I stated on NSC last week after Swindon that we would be ,id table at best, maybe fighting relegation and i got slated for it, still think i'm wrong now?

Well you certainly weren't slated by me. I said before the start I thought we'd finish about 10th. I would love it, just love it (copyright K Keegan) to be proved wrong - as long as it's the right type of wrong if you know what I mean.

 

[Italiaseagull]

This is the most unimaginative and down right boring albion team I've seen for years! It's still early doors but nothing more than mid table beckons at this rate. We need that bit of creativity that Brooker gave us in recent seasons. But we all know Dick aint got a pot to piss in, so we are stuck with what we got.

 

[Goring Gull]

Apart from say the last five years and the odd bit of success Albion in general are dire and spend more time at the bottom of or in mid table than anywhere else, it's just part of the cycle. We've had our bit of "glory" now for a decade of shite again.

6000 in a 22,000 stadium at Falmer anyone else thinking Darlington at all.

 

[Deano's Right Foot]

We've lost Bobby, and Knight is not as strong (or tall!) as BZ, but he still has a good scoring record with us to date. Midfield is missing Brooker I think, and Blackwell being out is a real blow, plus Roberts has dropped in form and we're letting in far too many goals from set pieces

. I think that Coppell made his comments about being worried about the high expectations quite honestly rather than it being mind games. We all know that the playing budget is pretty small and the psychological effect of being relegated must also be a factor. If we finish mid-table and get the go ahead on Falmer I'd be over the moon, and being in contention for a play-off place would be a bonus.

Every team / group of players has its "time" and the nucleus of this one, while not being over the hill, is starting to lose its sheen. In a way it's been there, done that, and is showing signs of dropping off just a bit and other teams in the division have more energy and ambition. This season won't be a bowl of cherries, but it won't be awful either.

It's a period of transition I think.

 

[Exiled in Exeter]

We have not played well as a team this season. But it is early doors and players like Mayo and Chippy still have a couple more gears to go up yet. Not to mention points wise we are not doing that badly, and we have already played QPR, Plymouth and Swindon and they will all be there or thereabouts.

 

[Pavilionaire]

If you look at the team that won the Div 2 title 16 months ago the 1st XI is the same apart from:

Roberts better than Kuipers?
Blackwell on a par with Morgan?
Roger on a par with Lewis?
Jones not as good as Brooker?

All fairly similar until you get to Knight and Zamora. Knight is the X factor in the equation; if he is as good as his first 4 games suggest we should be a play-off team at least; if, on the other hand, he is as good as his last four games suggest we are likely to be off the pace and finish 7th - 12th.

The truth about Knight is likely to be somewhere in the middle. To make up for the teams shortcomings we need a wide player who can score 10-15 goals per season and create 8 - 12 as well.

 

[Beach Hut]

Agree on the early doors - don't on Swindon though as Milner won't remain there all season.

In fact he might return sooner that you think after tonight and he made all the difference with Swindon.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Look at the Albion's record after seven league games over the past five seasons:-

1999 Played 7 11 points
2000 Played 7 10 points
2001 Played 7 14 points
2002 Played 7 4 points
2003 Played 7 11 points

Discounting last year, this is a not untypical start to a season.

And, more importantly ... we have made a better start than in 2000/01, the year when we finished as er... CHAMPIONS.

The words "Keep the Faith" spring to mind.