Our entire season hinges on tonight's game...

[LABHA]

No it dont

 

[patchamalbion]

I think we have had an excellent season-it's been brilliant! And I can't honestly believe we are in still in with a chance of making the PREMIER LEAGUE but I have thought since that Cardiff home game that we will just fall short and am sticking with this!

 

[Icy Gull]

I imagine every game for the remainder of the season is gonna be the most important game of the season until the season finishes. If one thing is completely predictable this season it's that the results of the next matches are totally unpredictable

 

[Mackenzie]

Lose against Reading and win the other four, we'll be in the play offs.

 

[Monkey Man]

whatever happens it's been an absolutely terrific season. In the pack with some genuinely big clubs, decent away support at The Amex all season, a side showing that we are a real CHampsionship contender - even though I think we are a little short this season - the pre-Christmas run was debilitating and we have still managed to get back into the mix.

This season has rejuvenated my love for football and this club despite the joys of promotion seasons at Withdean. No longer do I simply scan the away games that will be a good atmoshpere - I genuinely cannot wait for every single home game. It's been a season of huge enjoyment and achievement. If only the positive voices were as loud and consistent as some of the pessimists on here.

I think tonight probably is a seminal moment in terms of reaching the play-offs this season - its not a seminal moment in the continued revival of my beloved Albion and that;s why I shall enjoy another night at The Amex.

Beautifully put. Absolutely no tension for me going into tonight's game.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

The thing about football is that its the hope that kills you. We'll probably lose to Reading and write ourselves off in a massive wave of dispair - and then go and unexpectedly beat West Ham after 90 mins of shelling to re-ignite the glimmer.

 

[Stat Brother]

EVENTUALLY, and it will be in the distant future.
Having our season finished on the 10th of April, with only 4 matches left, won't be the end of my world.
I certainly would have taken that in August, although not ready to take it just yet.

 

[MattBackHome]

Whilst I do think that tonight’s result is massive (a win sets us up beautifully for a playoff spot; a loss makes life a lot harder for us) but I don’t think it’s entirely fair to say that our entire season hinges on it – simply because we are in a better much better position than I expected at the start of the season.

I’d be delighted with 6th place (and gobsmacked by promotion), but then looking at the season as a whole I’d be chuffed with 7th as well.

 

[Tooting Gull]

whatever happens it's been an absolutely terrific season. In the pack with some genuinely big clubs, decent away support at The Amex all season, a side showing that we are a real CHampsionship contender - even though I think we are a little short this season - the pre-Christmas run was debilitating and we have still managed to get back into the mix.

This season has rejuvenated my love for football and this club despite the joys of promotion seasons at Withdean. No longer do I simply scan the away games that will be a good atmoshpere - I genuinely cannot wait for every single home game. It's been a season of huge enjoyment and achievement. If only the positive voices were as loud and consistent as some of the pessimists on here.

I think tonight probably is a seminal moment in terms of reaching the play-offs this season - its not a seminal moment in the continued revival of my beloved Albion and that;s why I shall enjoy another night at The Amex.

Well put, agree with all of that.

Even though tonight's match will not especially affect how I have viewed this season overall, anything less than a win and the hopes of extending it virtually disappear.

But even then, specifically on the chances of getting in the play-offs, it is the late goal at Forest and not beating Boro that put us on the back foot, when we could have grabbed charge of the situation.

Plenty more to look forward to next season whatever happens - and the final countdown to ending the 26 years finishing below those clowns up the A23 is well and truly on, even gifting them a six-point swing. Start of a new era.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

If we were in ANY division other than the Championship, i would list my predictions.

However, we are in the most BONKERS league in Europe in terms of competetive matches.

I LOVE IT

 

[kano]

CMS to hit form tonight and fire us into the playoffs comfortably over the next few games.

you heard it here first!

 

[essbee]

Kano,

I'm with you - CMS to hit two tonight.

 

[Birdie Boy]

I do agree that with we lose tonight, it won't be the end of the season but this is still a massive game. A win puts our destiny in our own hands and a point keeps us still believing. The crowd need to be massive tonight, not nervous and quiet. It is time to forget the moaning about Poyet not having a Plan B or C. Not moaning about CMS being used effectively. Not moaning about Barnes, our top scorer. It is time to back our team to the hilt. We need all 20,000 Albion fans singing their heart out to give our team the lift they need.

BRING IT ON!

 

[Pantani]

Further to my analysis of points needed to make the play offs, these are the points per game (over the last ten matches) of all the teams with a shout and their points totals (rounded up) if they carry on like that.

Southampton; Form 2.3 per game; Projected total 92
Reading..........2.5.....92
West Ham.......1.5.....82
Birmingham.....1.6.....77 (rounded up a lot)
Blackpool........1.5.....73
Cardiff............1.4.....71
Brighton..........1.4.....71
Middlesbrough..1.0.....67
Leicester.........1.7.....69
Hull................0.9....65

71 will be enough if seasons form continues. Realistically Cardiff will do slightly better than that as they have an easier run in, but 73 points will be ample for us to make it, in my opinion.

 

[Mellotron]

I do agree that with we lose tonight, it won't be the end of the season but this is still a massive game. A win puts our destiny in our own hands and a point keeps us still believing. The crowd need to be massive tonight, not nervous and quiet. It is time to forget the moaning about Poyet not having a Plan B or C. Not moaning about CMS being used effectively. Not moaning about Barnes, our top scorer. It is time to back our team to the hilt. We need all 20,000 Albion fans singing their heart out to give our team the lift they need.

BRING IT ON!

This, this and this. I don't give a SHIT that you don't like Barnes. Get behind the team.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I've been a vocal critic of CMS on NSC, but I have that feeling it's his game tonight. After all, Reading are after him and they're on the way into the Premier League. He's going to want to show them what he can do. Having said that, I would keep him on the bench for starters and stick our top scorer up-front

------------------Brez-----------------
Calderon---Greer---El Abd--Mattock
---------------Navarro----------------
Bucks----Vicente---Spaz----Lua Lua
-----------------Barnes-----------------

 

[byf1]

For me we need a minumum of 4 points out the next two games, however they come doesnt really matter.

What concerns me most is our form against the top 6 teams and with the exception of beating a 10 man Saints side at home and away to Cardiff very very early on, our form has been poor.

I personally would leave mattock and Calde to defend and let the wingers to the running and surging up the line, for that reason I'd actually do something Gus doesnt like to do and thats play with two wingers and go all out, i fear if you sit back against Reading they will just pick us off.

I'd have Buckley on one side & Lua Lua on the other, Dicker and Nav's in the centre and Vicente just behind Mackael Smith up top.

 

[sydney]

I've been a vocal critic of CMS on NSC, but I have that feeling it's his game tonight. After all, Reading are after him and they're on the way into the Premier League. He's going to want to show them what he can do. Having said that, I would keep him on the bench for starters and stick our top scorer up-front

------------------Brez-----------------
Calderon---Greer---El Abd--Mattock
---------------Navarro----------------
Bucks----Vicente---Spaz----Lua Lua
-----------------Barnes-----------------

sheeeeyut.......thats different.

 

[sydney]

at the end of the day we are Brighton ,we are Brighton, Super Brighton from the South , we are Brighton ,Super Brighton,we are Brighton from the South.......if we get done tonight it's just about over but it's been a f***ing fantastic season which ,i think has surpassed everyones expectations..........tonight will be a schtonker of a game and we will win 2-1 ........buckley 2 mins into injury time..........

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I love this league, you never know what will happen as all teams are decent (well, mostly all of them).

Id say we need to put the same team out as we did against Derby, but with Dicker instead of Bridcutt (last game of his ban tonight) and CMS in place of Vokes. LuaLua, Vicente and Barnes can be midfield/wingers - Navarro and Dicker in DM - and El Abd, Mattock, Greer and Jara Reyes (will probably get the nod over Calde).

Please please please please, for one night can the moaners not moan and just support the team - if we do happen to lose, hopefully the reaction on here can be better that it was after Burnley, as Reading are a very tough club to beat.

Maybe could even get the WHOLE stadium (except the South of course) singing 1 song in time....maybe asking too much.