Where do Albion go in the league from here, and how?

[Danny-Boy]

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.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Will be quite happy with mid-table this season. Its something to build on.

 

[The Large One]

You're asking the wrong questions, Danny, so the answers will be immaterial.

Nice try, though.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

TBH I couldnt give a monkeys about Brez confidence as he has NEVER filled me with any.

 

[Danny-Boy]

You're asking the wrong questions, Danny, so the answers will be immaterial.

Nice try, though.

What questions are wrong Large? 3 points out of 21 should be ringing alarm bells and it's Brum away next.

 

[The Large One]

What questions are wrong Large? 3 points out of 21 should be ringing alarm bells and it's Brum away next.

Only in the mind of the short-termist and the forever-shallow, like - I don't know - some tenth-rate Sky pundit with a drink problem.

You go away and work out which questions to ask - then keep them to yourself.

 

[Icy Gull]

We have had a string of tough games against sides with loads of Premiership experience and have been found wanting. Gus is now rectifying the problem, so sorry not to make a Palace's fan's day by being seen to panic

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Its a hugely competitive League and its been a tough string of games. Happily after Brum, November appears somewhat less onerous and December doesn't look too bad either. Time to take stock is at the end of the year IMHO.

 

[AMEXican Wave]

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.

I'm sure it's not the style of play, we just need to get in 2 or maybe 3 different players. Harper may have been at fault for the goal, but was impressive other than that. Poyet is clearly looking for a central defender after the injury setback to Elphick, and El-Abd's slow recovery, and a replacement for Tano. I'm sure a striker is on the way here as well.

So we won't be the finished article until well into the season - but when we get there all will be fine - and we may even be that team that sneaks into the final playoff spot on the back of great end-of-season form.

 

[Richard Hebberd's Syrup]

And what has that loan move done for Brezovan's confidence?

I don't think Brezovan's confidence is of any issue to us - he won't play this season and will be gone at the end of it

 

[Seasider78]

We keep going, stick to our principles and build on any good results we have. After a few wins we will regain the confidence we showed at the start of the season and push on.

It's far too early to be deploying the lifeboats!

 

[Kazenga <3]

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?

 

[Mackenzie]

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.

I think we should start panicking. I've just seen a squirrel trying to buy a laser at Maplins.

 

[Danny-Boy]

Okay you guys have convinced me that Poyet is still in control, but...

It's obvious opposing teams have sussed out how to counteract against a slow build-up along the deck.
The merit of "Route 1" however much purists may deride it, it that delivers the ball in the oposing half extremely rapidly and there is always a random factor, how the ball wil bounce or the wind will catch it in flight, or how the next player can deal with it, it's very difficult to be 100% acurate when you are trying to cope with a long-range "bomb".

IMHO Mackail-Smith is just the sort of player who can fed off mistakes made by defenders, and run on to the loose ball, if a clearance goes wrong. That's always been an option in the Football League ever since I started going to matches 45 years ago, I think Gus is being very naive to purposely discard that option.

Tippy-tappy ain't gonna win against scrippy-scrappy..

 

[Danny-Boy]

Only in the mind of the short-termist and the forever-shallow, like - I don't know - some tenth-rate Sky pundit with a drink problem.

You go away and work out which questions to ask - then keep them to yourself.

Miaow!!! Do you think I'm Brighty in disguise or something?

 

[The Large One]

The post above (No.14) shows the thinking behind your original questions, which goes to show why you asked the wrong questions, and you evidently haven't worked out the right ones.

However, as I did say keep them to yourself, I must ask - is plain English really that hard for you to work out?

 

[boik]

Whilst we may be the Arsenal of this division, in that strong physical teams can stop us playing, I do think that Gus is more pragmatic than M. Wenger as shown by the loan signings.

I don't think that we're far away from being a good side, maybe even just playing Reyes alongside Bridders would do it. If he was told to cover Calde when he bombex forward that would help with the lack of width/penetration we've had on that side lately. Would also provide freedom for Vicente to link up with the forwards, which has been another recent failure.

boik

 

[Commander]

Tippy-tappy ain't gonna win against scrippy-scrappy..

You're right, Stoke would hammer Barcelona.

 

[Icy Gull]

Okay you guys have convinced me that Poyet is still in control, but...

It's obvious opposing teams have sussed out how to counteract against a slow build-up along the deck.
The merit of "Route 1" however much purists may deride it, it that delivers the ball in the oposing half extremely rapidly and there is always a random factor, how the ball wil bounce or the wind will catch it in flight, or how the next player can deal with it, it's very difficult to be 100% acurate when you are trying to cope with a long-range "bomb".

IMHO Mackail-Smith is just the sort of player who can fed off mistakes made by defenders, and run on to the loose ball, if a clearance goes wrong. That's always been an option in the Football League ever since I started going to matches 45 years ago, I think Gus is being very naive to purposely discard that option.

Tippy-tappy ain't gonna win against scrippy-scrappy..

Poyet made it very clear from day one that we play one way, yes it may vary a bit but the basic play is how we and him will sink or swim. Hoof ball will not be allowed. With the right players we will annihilate this division but it's gonna take time. Poyet is almost certain to be given it too, although I do get the impression that quite a few fans are gonna start grumbling if we don't turn it around soon.

 

[Hammer1980]

Okay you guys have convinced me that Poyet is still in control, but...

It's obvious opposing teams have sussed out how to counteract against a slow build-up along the deck.
The merit of "Route 1" however much purists may deride it, it that delivers the ball in the oposing half extremely rapidly and there is always a random factor, how the ball wil bounce or the wind will catch it in flight, or how the next player can deal with it, it's very difficult to be 100% acurate when you are trying to cope with a long-range "bomb".

IMHO Mackail-Smith is just the sort of player who can fed off mistakes made by defenders, and run on to the loose ball, if a clearance goes wrong. That's always been an option in the Football League ever since I started going to matches 45 years ago, I think Gus is being very naive to purposely discard that option.

Tippy-tappy ain't gonna win against scrippy-scrappy..

Did West Ham a lot of good on Monday that. Wasn't that long ball crap Allardyce had us playing that got us the 3 points. One mistake from a Brighton defender and 85 mins of good solid defending from us. If you had Carew with that possession who would have the points. You want Carlton Cole ?