If you think you're going to beat City with 10 men again then I suggest you offer to Pep that the game commences that way.
One very consistent result from last season? At The Amex - Brighton 2 Leeds 0
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[Albion] Bloom: "Top 10... is a very realistic aim for next season"
- Thread starter Goldstone1976
- Start date
If you think you're going to beat City with 10 men again then I suggest you offer to Pep that the game commences that way.
One very consistent result from last season? At The Amex - Brighton 2 Leeds 0
Wardy's twin
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2014
- 8,866
nothing about balls , you are spot on its fine margins and its not just about how good you are it's luck , decisions and injuries.
White Fan man
New member
- Oct 25, 2020
- 75
Ben White played a few games in centre midfield when Kalvin Phillips was injured. He was nothing special as a midfielder, did a job, but that's all. More than 40 games he played as the right-sided centre back. He reads the game well, intercepts well and released the ball early to start our attacks. One thing we have noticed this season from the pundits is that none of them watched us much last season and spout nonsense about Bielsa burnout etc. His first season the problem was Roofe was our main striker and he got injured and Bamford wasn't fully fit having missed a large chunk of the season and there was also the mental issue of getting promoted after 16 years outside the Premier. What Bielsa is really good at is identifying where players should play and then improving them individually. If you asked any Leeds fan before they were promoted would Bamford and Jack Harrison score 25 premier league goals between them nobody would have believed you. Then when you consider how good Stuart Dallas has been, Luke Ayling - our goalkeeper had only played 10 games for us before promotion. Strujik had only played 5 times (more in midfield than defence). Plus his 4 major signings - raphinha, Koch, Llorente and Rodrigo have only been on the pitch together for 19 minutes. Bielsa has transformed the entire club and city. Our U23's only got Cat A status last year but romped the Premier League 2. They play in exactly the same style as the first team. To finish top half in the EPL is difficult. Apart from West ham the top 6 aren't going anywhere soon. Then you have Arsenal and Spurs who are massively wealthy clubs. Can't believe Everton will be as bad again next season and Villa have spent well over 200 million during the 2 years since they were promoted. Like all recently promoted clubs the first target is to remain in the division. Anything on top is a bonus.
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Machiavelli
Well-known member
The only thing I disagree with is the Bielsa burnout thing. You seemed to suffer from it in his first season and, as much as it wasn't expressed well, there was something in Carney's point about lockdown assisting you. The reaction up there was misogynistic -- and, if you hang around long enough on here, you'll find that we have a fair few of those on here too.
We earnt our right to get out of the Championship, and were desperately unlucky in 2016/17 and had the knowhow the following season, plus Murray in his pomp. The Championship is relentless and, again, there's something in the Bielsa burnout that you won't get in the PL, especially if you strengthen your squad.
As much as I can laud what we did in the Championship, you've done better in one PL season than we have in the four we've been in there. I lost money on you getting relegated. You've been a breath of fresh air, and relentless in a different way to what I've just indicated: more qualitative than quantitative. Bamford has just been superb, and is a model pro and has been transformed by Bielsa. Rafinha has been one of the purchases of the season (although I've been less impressed with the others). Ayling, Dallas and Harrison just play with an incredible intensity (which might be a better word than relentless to describe you).
We played well last season IMHO, and deserved a higher finish, and there's been a lot of debate about xG on here. I'm of the view that there's something developing here too, with several exciting young players coming through, and our academy really yielding -- its had a Cat A status for a while longer than you, and it's only now beginning to repay the investment. We also seem to be developing a cracking scouting system with a global reach. But there are challenges ahead, with two prominent to my mind. First, we need to sort out our strikeforce: ideally re-sign Welbeck (but if he's insisting on a 3 year deal and/or silly money, we might have to walk away), and attract a better goalscorer (this is where our xG might come into play). Second, we need to ensure we get decent fees/deals for the stars we sell. I'm more confident on this, because our chairman knows how to play a hand. I think we'll sell Bissouma this summer, with White an outside chance. Next summer, White will probably go and maybe one of Lamptey and Sanchez. They're all cracking young players.
Southern Scouse
Well-known member
- Jul 21, 2011
- 2,095
Top ten finish without White and Biss? Not going to happen I’m afraid. We seem to have progressed from being a yo-yo club to a team who should be safe in the league with ambition’s of breaking into the top ten.
You simply cannot do that if you sell our two best players, hoping to fill the gaps with younger up coming prospects as you’ll more than likely slip down into that relegation group at the bottom and start yo yoing again.
Brighton at this moment cannot afford the quality of player needed to replace those two, whatever the price as we don’t have that statue as a club to entice similar ones of equal quality.
Biss seems stuck on to arse and White could probably choose who he wants if he gets a chance to shine in the Euros.
If Tony really expects a top ten finish selling both players wouldn’t on the face if it help his cause.
You simply cannot do that if you sell our two best players, hoping to fill the gaps with younger up coming prospects as you’ll more than likely slip down into that relegation group at the bottom and start yo yoing again.
Brighton at this moment cannot afford the quality of player needed to replace those two, whatever the price as we don’t have that statue as a club to entice similar ones of equal quality.
Biss seems stuck on to arse and White could probably choose who he wants if he gets a chance to shine in the Euros.
If Tony really expects a top ten finish selling both players wouldn’t on the face if it help his cause.
Robinjakarta
Well-known member
Good post. Those are two of the best players we have ever had. If we can absorb losing both, not flirting with relegation and getting more points next season, that's a huge achievement.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Biss is going to be a big, big loss, but I think we'll compensate in other parts of the pitch, because we won't find a direct replacement immediately. Caicedo might be of similar quality and style, but won't be for a while. Moder looks as though he might be similar in terms of quality, but not style.
I think we could absorb the loss of White quite easily. At most, we can only play 3 CBs, and Veltman, Dunk and Webster are good enough.
I'm not disagreeing with your overall point though. We need to be careful about selling players, while also being similarly sharp in terms of buying and developing them.
Baldseagull
Well-known member
Baldseagull
Well-known member
Not just a football Genius, also a top class town planner, and the inventor of the bucket.
I know what you’re saying, and it’s probably the standard logic followed by most clubs. But we are never going to buy a ready made replacement for Biss or White. That’s not the model we’re following.
Whenever we sell we will have succession planning already prepared. We will buy young, cheap, talented prospects and aim to develop them into top flight internationals.
Why so negative?!