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[Albion] A difficult season ahead
- Thread starter Seagull122
- Start date
el punal
Well-known member
Your predecessor used to hang around (‘scuse the pun!) East Anglia back in the 1600s, so at a guess I reckon the OP could be a Naarrwich fan - witch ever, a bit of ducking and diving might be in order.
I shall get my cloak.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
If we are relying on three teams being worse than us to stay up again I think that we may be approaching this division in completely the wrong way, I don’t believe that we are doing that at all. TB looks to have chosen the risky route rather than the more traditional “chuck money at it” approach. I know that he will be way more upset than me if it goes wrong and we end up back in the Championship.
Everyone has to be just a bit excited about next season now don’t they? Even if gutted about CH’s sacking. We support the club not the manager if push comes to shove surely. Although there seem to be a few posters not of that opinion at the moment.
Everyone has to be just a bit excited about next season now don’t they? Even if gutted about CH’s sacking. We support the club not the manager if push comes to shove surely. Although there seem to be a few posters not of that opinion at the moment.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
No, I can't say I am even a little bit excited about next season. I haven't seen anything yet to get excited about. Maybe a preseason game might help?
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Fair enough. I do not expect us to hit the ground running with such a change in playing philosophy though. I think we may be a bit of a shambles initially.
Hopefully, he can pull a rabbit out of a hat; no flopsy bunnies, please. Maybe he'll have a gander at the U23s and find a golden goose there.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Not a puddleduck.
A bit excited, a bit optimistic and a bit worried. Will no doubt be at my levels of all three at some point between now and next May.
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Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
How else do you finish above other teams unless they are worse than you?
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Relying on three being worse is not a great attitude to a season before it even starts. The number of fans looking around for three teams we hope will be worse than us is a pretty negative approach
If after two seasons we are not looking to establish ourselves as a mid table team rather than relegation strugglers every year, then our ambitions aren’t that high. I think TB has rolled the dice to try and get us away from being #teamslikebrighton.
CH was sacked for this reason imo, he lived in fear of every other team and that is no attitude to take year on year.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Relying on three being worse is not a great attitude to a season before it even starts. The number of fans looking around for three teams we hope will be worse than us is a pretty negative approach
If after two seasons we are not looking to establish ourselves as a mid table team rather than relegation strugglers every year, then our ambitions aren’t that high. I think TB has rolled the dice to try and get us away from being #teamslikebrighton.
CH was sacked for this reason imo, he lived in fear of every other team and that is no attitude to take year on year.
I think TB wants us to be more adventurous, play a more progressive style of football, develop more younger exciting players. What that translates to next season is anyone's guess because I would have thought our wage bill will stay around the bottom 4 as will our spending. Are we relying on 3 teams being worse, or us being better than at least 3 other teams?
I think ambitions next season is survival with a bit more panache, a bit more adventure, risking more. If you're going to be disappointed with anything below a midtable finish, then it might be reasonable to suggest your expectations are already a bit high. Let's be realistic, Potter may need a bit of time to get his ideas across, and we may suffer some bad runs because of it. He can only be as good as his tools.
Cant say as it stands that I am in any way confident about next season. I thought the sacking of Chris was correct, the club appeared to have gone stale and fearful and that needed to change.
But even had Chris stayed I am of the opinion that we need experienced, proven quality in midfield and forward areas if we are to progress. All the links I am seeing at the moment, although paper talk, seem to be about young, unproven talent with hopeful potential for the future. That with a new manager, however much change was needed is a potentially hazardous route to take. We will need the existing group to step up considerably if we aren't to finish in the bottom three and there were no signs of that in the last half of the season. Indeed lets not forget that two of our more talented and forward thinking and running players are out of the start of next season and it is little wonder why I feel a season of toil is in the offing.
But even had Chris stayed I am of the opinion that we need experienced, proven quality in midfield and forward areas if we are to progress. All the links I am seeing at the moment, although paper talk, seem to be about young, unproven talent with hopeful potential for the future. That with a new manager, however much change was needed is a potentially hazardous route to take. We will need the existing group to step up considerably if we aren't to finish in the bottom three and there were no signs of that in the last half of the season. Indeed lets not forget that two of our more talented and forward thinking and running players are out of the start of next season and it is little wonder why I feel a season of toil is in the offing.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
My expectations are actually zilch! I think it’s a really risky strategy and is likely to end badly. However I hated last season so much that I am really pleased TB has bitten the bullet. My hopes are high though, it’s a football fan thing pre-season isn’t it
Another season like the last half of the last one would guarantee plenty of deliberate non attendance at games from me.
Edit, don’t read this as an entitled view, I can take losing just not in the manner we did last season.
I am wondering how GP is filling his day. All the players must be in Dubai or similarly blingy destinations. He can paint his office (done), watch the vids of last season (done), maybe even a gander at NSC (done and probably wishes he was still at Swansea...). Maybe he's in all day workshops with PB. Hmmm.
I reckon he's pretending to watch last seasons videos but really watching the Cricket.
Pottering about, no doubt.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
My expectations are actually zilch! I think it’s a really risky strategy and is likely to end badly. However I hated last season so much that I am really pleased TB has bitten the bullet. My hopes are high though, it’s a football fan thing pre-season isn’t it
Another season like the last half of the last one would guarantee plenty of deliberate non attendance at games from me.
Edit, don’t read this as an entitled view, I can take losing just not in the manner we did last season.
Hopes and expectations. I think that is a very reasonable approach personally, my expectations are probably a bit higher than yours then, because I know we have a squad capable of survival and a new manager is taking over solid foundations, not a club in disarray. There are not many managers who come into the Premier League as Potter has done at the end of May with a team and squad in decent enough shape.
As I said on another thread, I'm not going to get bogged down in league positions, we might play some fantastic football, score plenty of goals and still finish 17th, which would be an improvement even though not in positions.
supaseagull
Well-known member
Spot on. Our first half of the last season is enough to tell me that we are good enough to compete, as it was the tactics that let us down.
Five new decent signings and keeping D&D will prove we are better than where we finished last year.
Palace will be weaker, a Burnley will struggle and the three coming up will all be poor.
Add to that Watford who will have been found out next year and Bournemouth who’ve peaked and a Leicester with an ever ageing Vardy.
It’s not as tough as the OP suggests PROVIDING we keep and buy the right players.
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supaseagull
Well-known member
I almost forgot about Newcastle and Southampton aswell!
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Where we are in our development as a club it was always going to be a challenge regardless of who’s manager.
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SollysLeftFoot
New member
As long as we give it a go, play some decent football and don't fold back to 10-1 formation and then it'll be alright. I think we'll be okay, just - i see so many people bigging up Norwich before any transfer activity. I can't see them doing well based on what they've got, this could change but then we could sign some absolute worldies and be mid-table.
I for one, just want us to be playing regular decent football even if we do shut up shop occasionally, I don't want to see us play negatively against a relegation rival at home...
I for one, just want us to be playing regular decent football even if we do shut up shop occasionally, I don't want to see us play negatively against a relegation rival at home...