Who’s to blame for our current position?

[DIFFBROOK]

A lot of blame must go to Slade. Yes he kept us up, but he didn’t solve problems that were obvious.

Goalkeeping. We are still relying on Kuipers who is now very injury prone. Not sure who spotted Smith, but he clearly is not up to it for some reason or another. Poor player, bad luck, low confidence whatever. Maybe we should have taken in an slightly older, more experienced goalie

Last season we were leaking gaols. Surely the defence should have been a top priority. McNulty was injured until at least October, yet Slade didn’t bother with a replacement until taking on an untested left back from Crawley (who I don’t think is up to the job).

I would have thought also that a more dominant centre half to play alongside Elphick/Virgo would also be a priority. I know Tunnicliffe was brought in, but he was one for the future more than anything else.

Likewise, Whing may have had a decent 2nd half to the season, but his place should have been more under pressure. His pace and positioning are a worry. Hopefully we can keep and get the best out of Hoyte

The midfield still has a lightweight feel to it. He brought in Thornhill on loan until Jan, who must be on some wage yet barely played him. Cox is perhaps a luxury and again might just be too light, particularly if he is expected to help out on the defence side of things.

So all in all, I just think that Slades buys were more of an eye to the future rather than solving more immediate problems.

Poyet has his work cut out in solving at least some of these in January. If not, we are near certainties for relegation and I would point the blame for that at Slade.

 

[DerbyGull]

The board for sacking wilkins.

 

[Scoffers]

To me, it is all about the Defense.

None of them are good enough for the Championship, in my view and they are poor to average at League 1 level.

The Question: Can decent coaching and tactics turn this mediocre defense into something that can hold it's own in the Championship? I really do not think so, but that is just my opinion.

 

[Easy 10]

As said elsewhere, we need an EXPERIENCED centreback, a leftback and probably another goalie. Urgently.

 

[wellquickwoody]

A lot of blame must go to Slade. Yes he kept us up, but he didn’t solve problems that were obvious.

Goalkeeping. We are still relying on Kuipers who is now very injury prone. Not sure who spotted Smith, but he clearly is not up to it for some reason or another. Poor player, bad luck, low confidence whatever. Maybe we should have taken in an slightly older, more experienced goalie

Last season we were leaking gaols. Surely the defence should have been a top priority. McNulty was injured until at least October, yet Slade didn’t bother with a replacement until taking on an untested left back from Crawley (who I don’t think is up to the job).

I would have thought also that a more dominant centre half to play alongside Elphick/Virgo would also be a priority. I know Tunnicliffe was brought in, but he was one for the future more than anything else.

Likewise, Whing may have had a decent 2nd half to the season, but his place should have been more under pressure. His pace and positioning are a worry. Hopefully we can keep and get the best out of Hoyte

The midfield still has a lightweight feel to it. He brought in Thornhill on loan until Jan, who must be on some wage yet barely played him. Cox is perhaps a luxury and again might just be too light, particularly if he is expected to help out on the defence side of things.

So all in all, I just think that Slades buys were more of an eye to the future rather than solving more immediate problems.

Poyet has his work cut out in solving at least some of these in January. If not, we are near certainties for relegation and I would point the blame for that at Slade.

You!

 

[Mendoza]

Everyone is to blame. Mainly the defence though as they do some outrageously comical stuff at the back that GIFTS teams goals, even when we are in winning positions, but mainly when we are already a goal down

Slade left us with some wonderful players too, dont forget that. We have not been better going forward in a long time (well early 2000's)

The board for not sacking Adams earlier and letting us get in this rut of bad results and negativity

Not appointing coaches last season or pre season

The bus company for not providing buses home after the Leeds game

Catering for not supply SPORKS

 

[Napper]

Defence , Slade , Booker and White.

Worst decision has been over the left back. Our defence is naff enough but why the hell we've continued to play a mediocre centre back at left back is a shocker. Signing Wright was bad as it meant we could never Justify bringing in a loan LB.

Bad bad decision which will haunt us until McNulty is back and match fit

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Withdean.

Shit stadium which means we lose too many home games... puts pressure on us to pick up points away from home. That's my opinion

 

[k2bluesky]

The people who run the club for not seeing Brighton has been viewed as a 'Mickey Mouse' Club by players for years, no stadium, poor training facilities and coaches who did not have experience at a serious professional level. The players bought into this environment were laughing at us and not training properly and with little useful tactical input have just been cruising for years.

Trouble is that mindset will not change overnight and I doubt if some players can lift their level to match the Leeds/Norwich/Charlton's of this division - it will be a long, painful transition, I expect at least until after Christmas to see serious improvement and that depends on whether Bloom wants to pump MORE money into the club to buy the players we need.

 

[coventrygull]

The board for sacking wilkins.

I agree. Very bad mistake

 

[Gwylan]

A lot of blame must go to Slade. Yes he kept us up, but he didn’t solve problems that were obvious.

Goalkeeping. We are still relying on Kuipers who is now very injury prone. Not sure who spotted Smith, but he clearly is not up to it for some reason or another. Poor player, bad luck, low confidence whatever. Maybe we should have taken in an slightly older, more experienced goalie

Last season we were leaking gaols. Surely the defence should have been a top priority. McNulty was injured until at least October, yet Slade didn’t bother with a replacement until taking on an untested left back from Crawley (who I don’t think is up to the job).

I would have thought also that a more dominant centre half to play alongside Elphick/Virgo would also be a priority. I know Tunnicliffe was brought in, but he was one for the future more than anything else.

Likewise, Whing may have had a decent 2nd half to the season, but his place should have been more under pressure. His pace and positioning are a worry. Hopefully we can keep and get the best out of Hoyte

The midfield still has a lightweight feel to it. He brought in Thornhill on loan until Jan, who must be on some wage yet barely played him. Cox is perhaps a luxury and again might just be too light, particularly if he is expected to help out on the defence side of things.

So all in all, I just think that Slades buys were more of an eye to the future rather than solving more immediate problems.

Poyet has his work cut out in solving at least some of these in January. If not, we are near certainties for relegation and I would point the blame for that at Slade.

Disagree nearly completely.

I think you are right about the left back - that was a bad, bad decision. Wright's not a left-back any more than El Abd is and the failure to sign one was a shocker.

Apart from that, I thought that Slade made some good buys: Dicker, Crofts, Bennett look like good players; Tunnicliffe looks like a great prospect. I'd like to see Wright played in his correct position, I gather he played well there at Orient. Jury's still out on Dickenson but he might be OK.

Smith hasn't worked out - he's clearly not a bad keeper, you don't get up to international level by being terrible, but he's obviously shot to pieces right now. He may come back from this - Kuipers was substituted halfway through his first game remember, and came back from that - but if he doesnt, it's just one of those signings that didn't work.

But I like the fact that Slade's buys were planned with the future in mind. I think his decisions will stand us in good stead in coming seasons.

 

[theonesmith]

Defence , Slade , Booker and White.

Worst decision has been over the left back. Our defence is naff enough but why the hell we've continued to play a mediocre centre back at left back is a shocker. Signing Wright was bad as it meant we could never Justify bringing in a loan LB.

Bad bad decision which will haunt us until McNulty is back and match fit

Sorry but IMO it is more the central pairing than either of the fullbacks. I'm not saying we haven't missed having two specialist full backs at times in the season, but the central pairing and goalkeepers haven't been good enough at picking up players, playing the ball out, defending crosses and pressing space.

 

[Scampi]

Whenever the question is who is to blame, I believe there are only 2 correct answers - Thatcher or Blair.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Over the years we have had experince on the pitch in the centre of defence, somebody who will run & organise the back line. the current lads have all shown, on occasion, that they have 'something' but nobody will take on the mantle of running the defence.

Trouble is, those veteran defenders seem happier picking up premiership wages and never playing

I long for a Butters, Morgan, Culverhouse, Suddaby, Cross or Winstanly. Passed their best but their knowledge made the difference to those around them.

 

[brakespear]

I agree. Very bad mistake

Thirded.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Stanley, Archer and Bellotti for selling the Goldstone from under us, and not having a new ground ready or under construction when we did leave, crippling the club financially for years to come.

The Falmer Nimbys, Lewes District Council, Norman Baker and the rest who dragged out the planning process for as long as possible, hoping the club would fold rather than ever building the new stadium.

The Withdean stadiums high costs which meant we lost money every season there, meaning that it put the clubs future at risk, and hampered our efforts in getting the quality players we need to sign to challenge for and stay in the Championship because wages were an issue.

Our over achieving in the early years after returning to Brighton, leading to unrealistic expectations of Championship football, we just never had an income or infrastructure in place that could seriously deliver this over an extended period. The longer we remained at Withdean, the longer the losses have gone on for has meant we have been unable to sign the type of experienced players we are lacking and have had to gamble more on young players still learning the game to make an impact we need.

Mark McGhee, who started the rot in terms of falling attendances, due partly to the poor standard and level of entertainment his side produced, and his falling out with our better players - forcing them out of the club and never really replacing them, meaning we were in a bad way when Wilkins took over that youth team products were over relied upon as that was all he had to use. When he arrived, we felt we were still riding on the feel good factor of success on the pitch that had been building since returning to Brighton, yet when we left, apathy had set in and we have continued to go backwards.

Fans changing attitude, the lack of effort in trying to create an atmosphere at home games, and their continual moaning, a far cry from the atmosphere when we first returned, when we were all happy to be back in the town and still have a team to support, rather than look to find fault with what has always been a temporary solution, Withdean.

 

[BensGrandad]

Over the years we have had experince on the pitch in the centre of defence, somebody who will run & organise the back line. the current lads have all shown, on occasion, that they have 'something' but nobody will take on the mantle of running the defence.

Trouble is, those veteran defenders seem happier picking up premiership wages and never playing

I long for a Butters, Morgan, Culverhouse, Suddaby, Cross or Winstanly. Passed their best but their knowledge made the difference to those around them.

Players earn so much more in the Premiership days that they do not drop down the divisions as they used to before buying either a pub or sweetshop. They now start up property companies etc during their premiership days so either continue in coaching/ management or the media or quit the game altogether to concentrate on their business es. The losers are the lower league clubs when you consider we have had the likes of Bobby Smith, Denis Mortimer, Frank Worthington, Joe Corrigan etc to add to your list when on their way down.

 

[Ernest]

Whoever made the decision to get rid of Dean Wilkins as the club has fallen apart since then.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Stanley, Archer and Bellotti for selling the Goldstone from under us, and not having a new ground ready or under construction when we did leave, crippling the club financially for years to come.

The Falmer Nimbys, Lewes District Council, Norman Baker and the rest who dragged out the planning process for as long as possible, hoping the club would fold rather than ever building the new stadium.

The Withdean stadiums high costs which meant we lost money every season there, meaning that it put the clubs future at risk, and hampered our efforts in getting the quality players we need to sign to challenge for and stay in the Championship because wages were an issue.

Our over achieving in the early years after returning to Brighton, leading to unrealistic expectations of Championship football, we just never had an income or infrastructure in place that could seriously deliver this over an extended period. The longer we remained at Withdean, the longer the losses have gone on for has meant we have been unable to sign the type of experienced players we are lacking and have had to gamble more on young players still learning the game to make an impact we need.

Mark McGhee, who started the rot in terms of falling attendances, due partly to the poor standard and level of entertainment his side produced, and his falling out with our better players - forcing them out of the club and never really replacing them, meaning we were in a bad way when Wilkins took over that youth team products were over relied upon as that was all he had to use. When he arrived, we felt we were still riding on the feel good factor of success on the pitch that had been building since returning to Brighton, yet when we left, apathy had set in and we have continued to go backwards.

Fans changing attitude, the lack of effort in trying to create an atmosphere at home games, and their continual moaning, a far cry from the atmosphere when we first returned, when we were all happy to be back in the town and still have a team to support, rather than look to find fault with what has always been a temporary solution, Withdean.

100% Agree

Mr Poyet & Mr Bloom have a lot to do now and im confident we can grow as a club.
Mr Bloom has added to the board with people who are going to market and re brand the club which is fundemental in increasing our profile and attendances with more community work throughout sussex and getting the youngsters intrested in there local team.
Mr Poyet has inherited a good forward line and a fairly decent midfield, However the defence as we all know needs a major overhaul.Which he will now be well aware of, and im sure come january we will be dabbling in the transfer market. The Backrooom staff has been changed and about time, hopefully this will be a positive move.
All i can see at the moment is MASSIVE change at our club and i find it very EXCITING.....

Those people who expect instant improvement in my opinion dont live in the real world. The whole club from top to bottom is undergoing regeneration. I feel that our past has made some us bitter (quite rightly so) however this is also holding us back, when we should be looking forward. All this whos fault is it stuff is working against us. WE know whos fault it is and some of its ours for a delusions of grandeur attitude we seem to have for harking back to the 70s early 80s days glory days. The youngsters were not there so all the local kids have known is a dire third division club with moaning fans. WE NEED TO WIN THEM BACK AND WIN OUR OWN FAITH IN THE FUTURE.

Sorry for talking bollox again (ignore me)