[Albion] Now everyone has had their 'fun', perhaps time to calm down a little?

Kalimantan Gull said:

I'm sure its not just me that's got a little worn out by the schizophrenia on this board of late. Win a game and we're heading for the Champions League. Lose a game and we should sack the manager. Two up on Leicester and we're ole ole-ing our way to Europe. Terrible 45 minutes against Palace and the NSC collective is pensioning off Dunk, slagging off Pedro, fretting about Mitoma and calling Fab all names under the sun. We're so miserable that a thread suggesting the return of Potter isn't filled with wall-to-wall vitriol against our teeth-sucking former boss!

Perhaps - perhaps - it might just be time to cool the hyperbole a little?

I think there has been all kinds of naivety amongst Brighton fans this season. The silly kind - those who think that football is easy and our baby-faced manager and bunch of kids on the pitch should by rights be swatting aside all and sundry, who become horribly disappointed and rather angry when we don't; and the fairer kind, those of us who just really wanted to believe in fairy tales, that this wunderkind and his crew really were going to keep it up all season and march us into Europe, despite all the logic which says that just isn't possible - I'm one of those, and its a bit sad when reality punched us in the face. But that's left a gap in the 'realism' corner, which seems to have been filled by the pessimists who think we are permanently shite. Normally confined to the matchday thread, they are popping up everywhere with their special brand of misery.

We should all of us have been expecting a bumpy ride with ups and downs, and we should all of us be pleased that there have been more ups than downs so far. Its not a bad reality in the great scheme of things, despite listening to those f***ing Palace twats belting out three years worth of songs that they've been saving up for a win over us....

Click to expand...

Eeyore said:

Albion won't be going down this year. Europe will be difficult, but not beyond possible. This amazing squad we have is only that when we subscribe to the hype. It is, indeed, a very good one. But other clubs seem to have those too.

The most important thing, and I get a little frustrated that folk seem to struggle with this despite being of a mature age, is that we enjoy just being part of a community of people that enjoy the fun of football. I've always said to myself that if my disappointment at an Albion setback lasts more than half an hour then I'm taking up another interest. On Sunday I was surprisingly unbothered at all. We lost to Crystal Palace. Other folk are avoiding bombs and wondering where their next meal is coming from. I'm not losing my shit over a football match. And who cares if Palace fans are gloating ? I don't see them or read them. And tides turn too.

After the match Sunday I was looking at tables, like I do every week and have done since I was six. Isn't it fascinating that Wycombe are top of the third division ? Who is going to win the National League ? I've forgotten about the Palace match and just continued my 50 year fascination with football. Albion are my team, but unless someone is trying to ruin the club, like Archer did, I see no reason to get upset about anything. It's just how seasons go.

This isn't a lecture in the control of emotions. Well, it probably is. It's just a reminder that being philosophical about things and seeing Albion as part of a bigger sporting picture does mean that whole weekends don't get lost to moods and outbursts. Life's too short. For what it's worth, I do have concerns over the long term with Albion's defence and I'm not sure what our style of play is. I rather feel there has been a lot of luck this year too. But I'll leave it with powers that be.

I was described on here as 'pondlife' for not subscribing to the antipathy of the Palace rivalry on Saturday night. It was 11.00. so I'm guessing it came from the Jack Daniels Communication Centre. I've made a joke of it in my signature and it hasn't upset me. But I do get a bewildered by it all. And genuinely concerned for others. WE follow football voluntarily and there so much fun to be had. But don't let it direct your emotions too much. Seriously. And 9th in the top flight is rather good for a club with our history anyway.

Click to expand...

Kalimantan Gull said:

I'm sure its not just me that's got a little worn out by the schizophrenia on this board of late. Win a game and we're heading for the Champions League. Lose a game and we should sack the manager. Two up on Leicester and we're ole ole-ing our way to Europe. Terrible 45 minutes against Palace and the NSC collective is pensioning off Dunk, slagging off Pedro, fretting about Mitoma and calling Fab all names under the sun. We're so miserable that a thread suggesting the return of Potter isn't filled with wall-to-wall vitriol against our teeth-sucking former boss!

Perhaps - perhaps - it might just be time to cool the hyperbole a little?

I think there has been all kinds of naivety amongst Brighton fans this season. The silly kind - those who think that football is easy and our baby-faced manager and bunch of kids on the pitch should by rights be swatting aside all and sundry, who become horribly disappointed and rather angry when we don't; and the fairer kind, those of us who just really wanted to believe in fairy tales, that this wunderkind and his crew really were going to keep it up all season and march us into Europe, despite all the logic which says that just isn't possible - I'm one of those, and its a bit sad when reality punched us in the face. But that's left a gap in the 'realism' corner, which seems to have been filled by the pessimists who think we are permanently shite. Normally confined to the matchday thread, they are popping up everywhere with their special brand of misery.

We should all of us have been expecting a bumpy ride with ups and downs, and we should all of us be pleased that there have been more ups than downs so far. Its not a bad reality in the great scheme of things, despite listening to those f***ing Palace twats belting out three years worth of songs that they've been saving up for a win over us....

Click to expand...

slartibartfast said:

Oh no.... why do people post this sort of thing? I NEVER feel that way...

Click to expand...

7dialssouthpaw said:

These are some of the big reasons we are worse: Gross, Trossard, Caicedo, MacAllister, Sanchez, Collwill, Cucurella

Click to expand...

birthofanorange said:

If we can (and it's a fairly big 'if') beat West Ham, we may well turn a corner confidence-wise, and could well go on to beat Brentford, too.
It's a big ask to lift ourselves after the past 4 disappointments, but that's part of Fab's remit to do just that, and hopefully the players put a little (a lot!) more determination into their performances.
Lose to WH and I sadly fear that two more defeats will be on the cards.

Click to expand...

Zeberdi said:

We have improved on our intensity and aggressiveness as an attacking team, an area we were lacking at times under Potter

Click to expand...

Kalimantan Gull said:

All good runs come to an end, and all bad runs come to an end. Whether or not this happens this side of New Year is up for grabs....

Click to expand...

ady1973 said:

Always feel it's best to stay away from Northstand Chat for a couple of days if we lose, too many idiots throwing their toys out of the pram. Just remember it's only a game. we won't get relegated this season, we wont be heading into the Champions League, we may get Europa (if the winds in the right direction and luck is on our side) . Our best chance would be Conference. So lets go for that. If not hey ho, there's always next year. Just enjoy the ride

Click to expand...

nickbrighton said:

I stay away from NSC after a bad result for a few days as the loss of heads gets too much, at times some of the posters are like Arsenal Fans TV at it worst (Almost anyway). Obviously we are all bitterly disappointed by Sunday, but its not the end of the world. As a previous manager once said -we aren't as good as some think, we aren't as bad as some think.

What we are is a good mid table team, transitioning to a new manager and style of play . We had a great start , but now we have had a bit of a reality check. The reality is we are in pretty good shape, with virtually no chance of relegation and a reasonable chance of Europe

Disappointments of Wolves, Leicester, Ipswich and Palace aside we've had some great results.

I'm just enjoying the ride, hopeful of a great season ahead, and not to fearful of the worst realistic outcome

Click to expand...

Zeberdi said:

Fair post as a retrospective analysis but you’ve neglected to mention another kind of fan that I suspect form the silent majority of members who’ve neither been swept up in the ‘schizophrenia’, nor been pessimistic or overly optimistic, nor have slagged off our manager or individual players left right and centre, nor have blindly defended them at every turn …

People like me who always saw Hürzeler as a talented young manager who could be the next step in our development but not someone who was going to lead us to overnight top 6 and a return to Europe necessarily this season. Some who who build on the football we have played in the past 4 or 5 seasons but appreciated that with a number of new signings of players with little or no experience of the Premier League, led by a manager who likewise had no experience of the EPL, that this was a long term project by the Club.

We will very likely finish as a top ten Club this season, we have players showing great promise, including some currently on loan. We have improved on our intensity and aggressiveness as an attacking team, an area we were lacking at times under Potter - we haven’t yet improved on our defensive game and still show the weaknesses in finishing we showed under De Zerbi. It is just a question of whether you are a fan who wants instant gratification and think for us “success” only means Europe/top 6 this season, or whether you are a fan who can see us continuing to develop the players we have and have a manager that can improve on those weaknesses mentioned.

I still see a young manager who is very capable of developing as a Premier League manager and accept that this season is largely about building a solid squad who can not only continue to consolidate us as a top 10 side but one that will have a good chance of qualifying for Europe within the next few seasons.

We have had highs and lows in our game (some embarrassingly low) and have yet again been impacted by injuries (especially at the back) but it is still levelling out as a fairly average season for us one way or another and part of our overall trajectory as a Club, which has always been 2 steps forward, one step back.

Click to expand...

The Optimist said:

Perhaps Bozza needs to look into some AI that can tell when a poster is drunk and flag as a post as being written under the influence!

Click to expand...

bobbysmith01 said:

Think as you get older you get wiser and of course was upset that we did not win, but that’s football, Palace deserved to win as we are not very good against low block teams, look at our results against Forest, Ipswich, Leicester, wolves, Fulham, Saints and now Palace, it’s the way we play, pure and simple and happy with that, that’s why we win against the ‘big’ boys. If we had scored one of the 2 good good chances we had in first 10 mins, we probably would have murdered them as they would have to have come out a bit. Football games can be cruel sometimes and moments change games. Did you see anything in Palace to think they are anything but a bottom half side, not


really. Is it really right to have a go on here about players and the manager, I don’t think so. Move on, win at West Ham
And beat a poor Brentford away side and all will be forgotten.

Click to expand...

maltaseagull said:

Where else do you suggest I post my opinion?
I am not "having a go " just stating what I think we are doing wrong tactically.
We always do well V Brentford don´t we? However poor they are.

Click to expand...