[Football] Gut feeling - Albion saying up or going down?

[Swansman]

Being optimistic, I think we could benefit from the absence of home fans. We've all heard the crowd getting restless at some of the slow build-up and the players won't be under any pressure to launch it instead of following the plan. And there won't be the mass exodus to the trains five minutes from time. Away from home we've done okay in recent (!) games, plus we're due a win or two. Ally Mac will be an unknown quantity for opponents and will unlock defences enough times that even our forwards might score.

Being pessimistic, ... no, let's not.

I sort of agree with this. Plenty of the players look pretty uncomfortable in home games. Partly maybe because of that restlessness you mention but mostly I think its a squad personality thing. A lot of the players seem humbled just to be in the Premier League, like its a big fat privilege they are carrying around in a heavy backpack on the field. In away games some of that pressure seems to be off and I could imagine playing in empty arenas could help as well.

I think the signings of the summer, like Maupay, Mooy and even the so far unfortunately shit Trossard is a step in the right direction. They are not just happy to be in the Premier League, they demand to win and believe in their own ability in a different way than many of the other players in the squad. A few more players with that mentality and things would look better.

 

[Barrow Boy]

I’m tipping on the pessimist side of fence. It’s not quite happened for Potter but I guess there could still be 3 worse teams than us

My feelings exactly.

 

[Durlston]

The closing fixtures have worked out well for us with the big clubs to play at home and Norwich, Leicester (overachieving) Southampton and Burnley 'away'. If the Bundesliga is a shape of things to come, it's that there isn't much difference as every game is effectively on a neutral surface. In other words, prepare for a lot of away wins in the first half a dozen matches every club plays.

Optimistic.

 

[Justice]

I sort of agree with this. Plenty of the players look pretty uncomfortable in home games. Partly maybe because of that restlessness you mention but mostly I think its a squad personality thing. A lot of the players seem humbled just to be in the Premier League, like its a big fat privilege they are carrying around in a heavy backpack on the field. In away games some of that pressure seems to be off and I could imagine playing in empty arenas could help as well.

I think the signings of the summer, like Maupay, Mooy and even the so far unfortunately shit Trossard is a step in the right direction. They are not just happy to be in the Premier League, they demand to win and believe in their own ability in a different way than many of the other players in the squad. A few more players with that mentality and things would look better.

Trossard has shown spells of unbelievable quality & definitely not a shit player. Personally think if all goes well next season he will be a star player for us.

 

[s5.bha]

Looking at the photos from training I think the squad looks happy and ready to go......... Also think El Jocko will be the difference.

Sent from my AGS-W09 using Tapatalk

 

[Raskolnikov]

Staying up - our boys are used to playing in a stadium devoid of atmosphere

 

[smudge]

I think down, unfortunately

 

[stewart_weir]

Isnt the question who of our team will thrive with less pressure from the crowd.. March, Alireza etc? Does less pressure from the crowd benefit those teams fighting relegation and how will mid table teams that are going nowhere react in an empty stadium? This is new territory never seen before so impossible to call. I think this is going to come down to who stayed the fittest and most mentally focussed.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It’s a complete lottery - Germany are reporting 250 percent increase on injuries - that hits the clubs with smaller squads

Plus clubs now have everyone fit - Villa are now in a stronger position because have key players back

But Brighton’s form was horrendous before, will the break help?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Staying up, obviously. I always predict 3-0 home victories apart from the times I waver and go for 2-0. These will be sufficient (if they start happening for a change). Have to be optimistic otherwise what’s the point ?

 

[FloatLeft]

We're staying up. Nothing to see here. We have more points already plus GD and it will stay that way.

This

 

[Kosh]

Assuming the season completes what is your gut feeling about our prospects?

There is obviously a fence option for those that don’t have a gut feeling!

I am less confident than I was before lockdown and fear we will be going down, I have no logical reason and I am desperately hoping I’m wrong

I love Potterball and hope we stick by him however the season ends. The future is very bright regardless imo.

I think we’ll do it. I think we’ll win against Arsenal - and grab another two wins before the end, with a couple of draws too. If that’s not enough, well I’ll be a Dutch quasi ‘baller, with pimped twin decks, gifting the world my ‘sound.’

I have faith.

Believe.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

The more I ponder it, the more certain I am that the Albion will stay up.

The 2 points in the bag, the goal difference situation and the new 5 subs rule are all big advantages to us.

Teams like Villa and Bournemouth are woefully shallow in depth, and 5 subs counts against them. The Albion have a lot of players at a standard close to the first team, except perhaps one player short at striker.

 

[kevo]

I think there's going to be a lot of surprise results, it's going to be weird for all teams. It all depends which adapt best to playing a tightly-packed set of fixtures in empty stadiums. 'Pre-season' training will also be a big factor - I get the feeling some teams will be much better prepared than others. Perhaps this is where GP's man-management and motivational psychology skills will come to the fore. But I really think it's all up in the air - anything could happen.

 

[Mr Putdown]

It’s a complete lottery - Germany are reporting 250 percent increase on injuries - that hits the clubs with smaller squads

Doesn't every EPL team have a 25 man squad?

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1335777

 

[schmunk]

Doesn't every EPL team have a 25 man squad?

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1335777

...plus as many u21s as you can eat.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

...plus as many u21s as you can eat.

And none of our rivals for relegation has their U23 side in the top division ( ok, perhaps not true if you count Southampton, who are 2nd bottom of PL2, division 1).

The Albion has a massively better U23 setup than the rest in the bottom third of the PL.

 

[DJ NOBO]

If we can get a win in those first couple of games we will be OK.

If not, I don’t see us fighting out of it in the last few games, as we just don’t have the firepower.

Let’s hope Bournemouth aren’t up to full strength, either.

 

[Icy Gull]

The more I ponder it, the more certain I am that the Albion will stay up.

The 2 points in the bag, the goal difference situation and the new 5 subs rule are all big advantages to us.

Teams like Villa and Bournemouth are woefully shallow in depth, and 5 subs counts against them. The Albion have a lot of players at a standard close to the first team, except perhaps one player short at striker.

We do have decent strength in depth throughout the team even if it is lower PL quality, most of the others down the bottom don’t. I also believe GP is a better tactician than all the other managers, apart from Smug possibly