I was going to post my own views on this but thought these comments from Albion fan Rob Townsend might get a better audience. They were published in the "Argus" last April (2010), the last time Albion were in a mid-table position in a League season.
"Aesthetically the football has been really good of late. It is nice to see a Brighton team passing the ball so well, defending reasonably solidly and utilising quick wingers and marauding fullbacks. However Saturday's game at Southend was important that the team won without playing especially well.
Any cliche-touting pundit woth his salt will tell you that picking up three points when the performance does not necessarily deserve them is the sign of a good side. A little while ago, I wrote about how concerned I was that Albion were exactly the sort of team that could be relegated because they play lovely stuff but do not tend to win the ugly games.
I reckoned that a group of pretty passers might not do so well amongst the biting and scratching of a relegation dogfight. Well Saturday's result (at Southend) proved that the team can win even when the leave their flair at home."..
"As always at this time of year (April) I am sure there will be a few eye-opening decisions made but I guess I am not alone in having complete faith in Gus to get it right. After all this is a man who signed Inigo Calderon, brought in the ridiculously exciting (sic) Lualua on loan and showed just how good a judge of character he is by making Andrew Crofts captain. So let's put our complete trust in Mr Poyet to retain the correct bunch of players and then bring in quality replacements for the ones he chooses to let go."
18 months down the line however you now have a new stadium to fill and keep filled. The prospect of relegation this season is stark, presently it looks like only Crawley, and possibly Millwall and Gillingham would feature as local derbies next year. How would life in the third tier appear with a 30k capacity stadium?
Watching the game on TV I was struck by how poorly CMS seemed to link with the other forwards, seeking in my memory for a comparison, he performs like Kevin Keegan. Keegan was truly awesome when he had a target man like John Toshack to play off and later Mick Channon at Southampton. CMS likes the ball down the channels but not in the air, Albion need a Muzza replacement rather than any more midfielders. I also thought the goalie Harper was at fault, he stepped back as Nolan ran up towards the goal which gave Nolan a crucial extra angle to curve the ball round him.
And what has that loan move done for Brezovan's confidence?
I think Poyet needs to think hard, his style of play may need to be changed to keep you up.
"Aesthetically the football has been really good of late. It is nice to see a Brighton team passing the ball so well, defending reasonably solidly and utilising quick wingers and marauding fullbacks. However Saturday's game at Southend was important that the team won without playing especially well.
Any cliche-touting pundit woth his salt will tell you that picking up three points when the performance does not necessarily deserve them is the sign of a good side. A little while ago, I wrote about how concerned I was that Albion were exactly the sort of team that could be relegated because they play lovely stuff but do not tend to win the ugly games.
I reckoned that a group of pretty passers might not do so well amongst the biting and scratching of a relegation dogfight. Well Saturday's result (at Southend) proved that the team can win even when the leave their flair at home."..
"As always at this time of year (April) I am sure there will be a few eye-opening decisions made but I guess I am not alone in having complete faith in Gus to get it right. After all this is a man who signed Inigo Calderon, brought in the ridiculously exciting (sic) Lualua on loan and showed just how good a judge of character he is by making Andrew Crofts captain. So let's put our complete trust in Mr Poyet to retain the correct bunch of players and then bring in quality replacements for the ones he chooses to let go."
18 months down the line however you now have a new stadium to fill and keep filled. The prospect of relegation this season is stark, presently it looks like only Crawley, and possibly Millwall and Gillingham would feature as local derbies next year. How would life in the third tier appear with a 30k capacity stadium?
Watching the game on TV I was struck by how poorly CMS seemed to link with the other forwards, seeking in my memory for a comparison, he performs like Kevin Keegan. Keegan was truly awesome when he had a target man like John Toshack to play off and later Mick Channon at Southampton. CMS likes the ball down the channels but not in the air, Albion need a Muzza replacement rather than any more midfielders. I also thought the goalie Harper was at fault, he stepped back as Nolan ran up towards the goal which gave Nolan a crucial extra angle to curve the ball round him.
And what has that loan move done for Brezovan's confidence?
I think Poyet needs to think hard, his style of play may need to be changed to keep you up.