I know we've thrown points away this season when we shouldn't but I'm astonished that the only teams to lose fewer games than us this season are Liverpool and Arsenal. It must mean something and now, with a bit of momentum building, I think – I hope – we'll back on track for a European place, especially if we get five Champions League sports and the Cup final places get chucked back into the league placings.
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[Albion] Refuse to Lose...
- Thread starter GJN1
- Start date
Well we're not out of it, that's for sure, but top 5 is unlikely.
I think we can assume Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City will all be good enough for the top 4. Chelsea ought to be too, but I'm not quite as convinced by them. Then you've got Forest, who are 10 clear of us with 16 to play. I can't see us catching them now. That leaves 5th open if Chelsea fall short or Forest implode (they won't both happen) and Newcastle, Bournemouth, Villa, Fulham and ourselves competing for 5th (maybe), 6th, 7th and possibly 8th. Plus we're still in the FAC.
tldr; We need to just keep winning and it's Europe again ole ole.
I think we can assume Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City will all be good enough for the top 4. Chelsea ought to be too, but I'm not quite as convinced by them. Then you've got Forest, who are 10 clear of us with 16 to play. I can't see us catching them now. That leaves 5th open if Chelsea fall short or Forest implode (they won't both happen) and Newcastle, Bournemouth, Villa, Fulham and ourselves competing for 5th (maybe), 6th, 7th and possibly 8th. Plus we're still in the FAC.
tldr; We need to just keep winning and it's Europe again ole ole.
- Jun 20, 2021
- 4,024
Of the 4 games we did lose, Chelsea was kamikaze football which we have not played since, Liverpool we deserved a bit more, especially after first half, Fulham and Palace we played really badly and deserved what we got.
I think the change since Leicester is that we have stopped conceding 2 goals in quick succession (perhaps something the coaching staff have worked on, i.e regaining control after losing a goal)
From memory we have conceded 2 in the space of 10 minutes or less against Chelsea, Liverpool, Wolves, Leicester, Palace, Fulham and it has cost us a number of points this season.
Official Old Man
Uckfield Seagull
When we go 2:0 up Saturday PLEASE don't start singing Europe Again Ole Ole and start the curse.
As mentioned before though, it could go to 8 teams in Europe this season as long as Spurs don't win and a top 4 (5) team win the FA Cup, or us.
As mentioned before though, it could go to 8 teams in Europe this season as long as Spurs don't win and a top 4 (5) team win the FA Cup, or us.
Stato
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2011
- 7,468
Didn't seem to have any problem losing to Palace. This season is all about development. Yes, we can look to Europe and it's good to have a target, but there are a lot of strong teams in the mix, so it's not going to be at all easy. Europe again would be lovely, but I'd be happy with a second half of the season where we get people fit and develop a fairly regular first team squad, win a few (one in particular at Selhurst) and develop the partnerships that FH has been on about. Keep a bit under the radar and then watch Forest and Bournemouth take their turn in being asset stripped as their stars have their heads turned by the wages available at the money clubs. If we could win the FA Cup as well, that would be good. 
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 9,060
It's also a sign of just how many games we draw
We'd have to do something truly remarkable to chase down 5th place. In all honesty, I know we've just had 3 great wins, but we're not quite there yet.
This - I would see Europe as a huge bonus this season.Didn't seem to have any problem losing to Palace. This season is all about development. Yes, we can look to Europe and it's good to have a target, but there are a lot of strong teams in the mix, so it's not going to be at all easy. Europe again would be lovely, but I'd be happy with a second half of the season where we get people fit and develop a fairly regular first team squad, win a few (one in particular at Selhurst) and develop the partnerships that FH has been on about. Keep a bit under the radar and then watch Forest and Bournemouth take their turn in being asset stripped as their stars have their heads turned by the wages available at the money clubs. If we could win the FA Cup as well, that would be good.
It's unlikely imo, but it wouldn't be that. We're four points off.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 9,060
I guess every season now will be about development. We'll carry on selling as we have done and carry out trying to recruit as well as we can, but you always feel that in terms of really challenging for league titles, FA Cup's and UCL places it will always be the carrot that the donkey can never quite reach.Didn't seem to have any problem losing to Palace. This season is all about development. Yes, we can look to Europe and it's good to have a target, but there are a lot of strong teams in the mix, so it's not going to be at all easy. Europe again would be lovely, but I'd be happy with a second half of the season where we get people fit and develop a fairly regular first team squad, win a few (one in particular at Selhurst) and develop the partnerships that FH has been on about. Keep a bit under the radar and then watch Forest and Bournemouth take their turn in being asset stripped as their stars have their heads turned by the wages available at the money clubs. If we could win the FA Cup as well, that would be good.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 9,060
But there's a lot of other teams in the way as well
A week is a long time.....we've subtly gone from 'no win in 8' to '7 unbeaten' in the space of 8 days (and 5 of those games were away)
Dick Swiveller
Well-known member
- Sep 9, 2011
- 9,661
Fab has just 5 losses in every game he has managed us, including friendlies
Yes but I'm not sure how important that is when you consider we have to play all of the teams in the way.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 9,060
Hmm, having to beat and overhaul in the league, say 1 opponent, is always easier and more likely than beating and overhauling 4 or 5
Yes that is true (maybe even a truism?) but without getting all Triggaaar about this, I think the numbers in between us and our target are less important while we still have games to come against all of them than with 7-10 games to play at which point there is nothing you can do about it if those teams keep winning.
Two things have been consistent for Brighton since going up:
- a core of mainly British non-mercenaries
- being very hard to beat
Brighton, unlike most teams, have some players who don't see the difference between Brighton losing and themselves losing - thats how attached they are to the club. Dunk, Duffy, Webster, Steele, Milner, Veltman, Lallana, March, Welbeck etc: none of these have been dreaming about the "next big move" for a long while. If Brighton win, they win, if Brighton lose, they lose. There's no "well I don't give a shit because I'm going to Real Madrid next summer" in our core.
Many other clubs have their dressing rooms dominated by expensive imports. We don't let that happen and it makes us consistently hard to beat regardless of manager. Finding a draw where others go to lose is how we used to stay up and now its how we remain in the discussion about Europe despite the long winless run we just had.
- a core of mainly British non-mercenaries
- being very hard to beat
Brighton, unlike most teams, have some players who don't see the difference between Brighton losing and themselves losing - thats how attached they are to the club. Dunk, Duffy, Webster, Steele, Milner, Veltman, Lallana, March, Welbeck etc: none of these have been dreaming about the "next big move" for a long while. If Brighton win, they win, if Brighton lose, they lose. There's no "well I don't give a shit because I'm going to Real Madrid next summer" in our core.
Many other clubs have their dressing rooms dominated by expensive imports. We don't let that happen and it makes us consistently hard to beat regardless of manager. Finding a draw where others go to lose is how we used to stay up and now its how we remain in the discussion about Europe despite the long winless run we just had.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 9,060
Agree with loads of what you say. Except the last bit. The drawing lots of games, is useful when you want to stay up, because you only need a point per game. When you're trying to win something or qualify for something, then you often find you're edged out by a side no better, who've managed more wins and more losses and 3 points for a win has worked out for them.
I still have no idea how we draw so many. The game at Old Trafford, last 5 mins, we're protecting a lead, we're still committing 6 up for a goalmouth scramble to get a 4th goal. The subs we make are as attacking as any. Logic suggests to me that our pro risk attitude should lead to lots of wins and lots of defeats, but not many draws. But that isn't what happens season after season
There is still a long way to go this season, we have only just passed the halfway mark, so I wouldn't get too carried away. We need to take it one game at a time and let's see where we are in April.
I think that's a valid point. Our whole model is about buying/developing young talent. When they mature we sell them on and hope we've got another promising raw recruit to take their place. They won't quite be up-to-speed yet, but in a few seasons they'll hopefully be as good as they player they've replaced .... and then we sell them and repeat the process.