Bridcutt oh dear.

[Common as Mook]

Maybe I'm in the minority - but both were good for us and I'd liked to have seen it work out for them both. Shame it ended on a sour note but both were instrumental for a couple of seasons - playing some of the best footy I've seen at the club in a long while. And we pulled in 5m for the pair...


So where is the issue?

Yep. Some unbelievably precious people on the Gus and Bridcutt/Buckley threads

 

[Brovion]

Sure Bridcutt left in a pretty awful manner but people here saying that they didn't rate him must've never seen him play. In the first two seasons at the Amex he was an 8/10 every single game. In those seasons you could count the bad games he had on one hand and still be left with a few fingers spare.

Eh? I don't think anyone (except the Palace fan) said they didn't rate him whilst he was here. I think as Brighton fans we're pretty much universally agreed that he was great for us. Some are saying that the Championship is his level and he's been found out in the Prem, but that isn't the same thing at all as saying that they didn't rate him for us.

I thought he was great for us, one of my favourite players. And also I've no objections to players wanting to move on and test themselves at a higher level - but there are ways of going about it. Ulloa for example I will always have the warmest feelings for and I wish him all the very best. Bridcutt on the other hand ...... And yes maybe I'm being petty and emotional, but football is all about emotions.

 

[rool]

I saw it on Match of the day and this bit stuck out for me from the newspaper report:-

'Shortly after the final whistle he paused en route to the tunnel and half-turned, his gaze lingering on the near-empty stands in the manner of a man saying goodbye.'

I remember after the St Patrick's day game, when we were allowed to take our drinks back out to the seats for some reason, seeing Poyet do exactly the same thing. Despite our run of form at the end of that season he wasn't the same manager after that point.

 

[Bombadier Botty]

However, i guess Bridcutt especially wouldn't rue going to the prem. Footballers have short careers that can end at anytime.

And some would say that Bridcunt's is shorter than most!

Agree with Brovian, Ulloa I wish all the best in his career for being a man of honour and dignity. Bridcutt on the other hand...

 

[Simster]

Like someone has already mentioned Bridcutt made the right move to the wrong team whereas Barnes made the right move to the right club which favours his type of physical play.

Got to say that I'm really rooting for Burnley this season. Proper team, real fans.

Albion and Burnley really are best of chums these days. Firstly, they do us a favour by hold Reading last game of the season with their fans all laughing at the clackerstick waving gimps running onto the pitch. Then Ashley Barnes proves to be a snip for them, and could help them stay up.

The fans I have encountered visiting Burnley were ignorant rude wankers. Telling my wife to **** off back to Brighton just because we had beaten them. Personally I hope they get relegated and go bust.

Oh.

 

[Bombadier Botty]

I doubt if Bridcutt reads The Guardian, but I do...and oh dear it doesn't get any better for him...

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ruggles-sunderland-aston-villa-premier-league

Blimey that is some strong anti-Bridcutt sentiment! Louise Taylor is a Blunderland fan, but even so.

 

[ROKERITE]

For some reason the fans have been on Bridcutt's back almost from the moment he arrived. Even on Saturday he was the only player to be singled out for booing, although he was no worse than the rest of the rabble and at least always seems to be putting some effort in.
I'm afraid he (just like his manager) made a terrible career move.

 

[Lush]

Watching match of the day Bridcutt looked a shadow of the player he was when he was here, he was all over the place and seemed to pull out of tackles. Very strange.

Sounds familiar, just before a move to another club.

 

[fleet]

He will not come back to us after his lost focus, but will no doubt drop down to Championship soon and will do well.

 

[Simster]

I'd MUCH rather have Elliott Bennett back here than Liam Bridcutt. LB just seemed to lose it once his head had been turned and it doesn't sound like he's ever re-gained it.

 

[BensGrandad]

I'd MUCH rather have Elliott Bennett back here than Liam Bridcutt. LB just seemed to lose it once his head had been turned and it doesn't sound like he's ever re-gained it.

I agree but having said that we have missed him badly. Ince and Holla do not fill his boots as well as he did, good stand ins but not as good as the original.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I saw it on Match of the day and this bit stuck out for me from the newspaper report:-

'Shortly after the final whistle he paused en route to the tunnel and half-turned, his gaze lingering on the near-empty stands in the manner of a man saying goodbye.'

I remember after the St Patrick's day game, when we were allowed to take our drinks back out to the seats for some reason, seeing Poyet do exactly the same thing. Despite our run of form at the end of that season he wasn't the same manager after that point.

Wasn't that the game where he said it was the perfect way to leave a club, or similar sentiments?

 

[fat old seagull]

The fact is that we played the perfect style that he had been developed in. It suited him completely and he excelled in that role, doing an exceptional job and deservedly winning Player of the Season twice. On the few occasions he played for Oscar, he was asked to play a more expansive role and I thought he looked a different player. I don't believe he is capable of doing what Kayal, Stephens or Ince are asked to do.

When Gus left, he was convinced (by Gus) that him and Gus could do exactly the same at Sunderland. (I suspect because Gus genuinely believed that ALL his success at Brighton was down to himself !)
Unfortunately, it's a different team in a different league making different demands on him and he has been found wanting.

My sentiments exactly. Whilst I can understand a moving manager might like to take his stars with him, it's bloody naive of Gus to imagine they'd set the Prem on fire. It's a monumental step up, and why when we borrow from the Prem they are the only loanees that ever perform for us...ie Bridge, Upson, and more recently Bent. And for those doubting the the difference in quality check out Leicester, Burnley and QPR current league positions.

 

[Sheebo]

How were his performances ' comfortably PL standard ' ?
The standard within the Championship is well below that of the top division. Its like saying a batsman who is piling up the runs in county cricket is showing 'test match form '
You only truly know how a player is going to perform at a higher level when he is at that level. Bridcutt looked good for us fetching and carrying from the back four. His lack of pace was never really exposed and at the lower level lack of stature is less of a handicap.
The PL is full of big, strong, quick athletes. Bridcutt was clearly going to struggle and should be more comfortable back in the Championship, next season with Sunderland.

Of course you can't tell for sure but Bridcutt was consistantly much better than most championship players and ive seen a bit of live prem teams so I considered him easily good enough to make it when he was with us. It's easy for people to come on here and say 'he wasn't that good for us' to try and give themselves some sort of a pretend pat on the back - they were nowhere to be seen criticising Bridders when he was with us because he was absolutely immense week in, week out..!

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Of course you can't tell for sure but Bridcutt was consistantly much better than most championship players and ive seen a bit of live prem teams so I considered him easily good enough to make it when he was with us. It's easy for people to come on here and say 'he wasn't that good for us' to try and give themselves some sort of a pretend pat on the back - they were nowhere to be seen criticising Bridders when he was with us because he was absolutely immense week in, week out..!

'Absolutely immense week in, week out' until he just switched off in his final part season with us. He just doesn't seem to have switched back on again and whilst I would love to have old Bridders back, I wouldn't touch the new 'can't be arsed' model. The two should not be confused.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

For some reason the fans have been on Bridcutt's back almost from the moment he arrived.

After his debut against Newcastle they weren't. They were convinced they'd got an absolute STEAL.

 

[Sheebo]

'Absolutely immense week in, week out' until he just switched off in his final part season with us. He just doesn't seem to have switched back on again and whilst I would love to have old Bridders back, I wouldn't touch the new 'can't be arsed' model. The two should not be confused.

I agree mate. I was talking first 2 seasons at the Amex as 3rd season was a write off for various reasons....

 

[lawros left foot]

I loved Bridcutt while he was here, and as i said in an earlier post he was voted Championship player of the season by independent journos on The Football League paper, so if he was crap, he fooled a lot of people.
Having said all that, the way he left was at best, unprofessional, at worse, disrespectful to the club, the fans and our Chairman, so, for me I trust he will never come back here, and next time he is an opposition player at the Amex, I hope he is not booed, just ignored.

 

[Gary1]

Very good player for us as we played with a role for him that he just naturally grew into. Always had a doubt that he would be good enough for the next step up mainly due to his size and his lack of picking up the odd goal or two during a season. Shame it ended as it did as he would have been a shoe in for the captains role when Greer goes. Hopefully he finds a club where he can settle into the role that suited him here and can pick himself up otherwise it'll be another career down the toilet.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I agree mate. I was talking first 2 seasons at the Amex as 3rd season was a write off for various reasons....

Ha, fair enough then. When he got in to his stride with us, he was superb. I thought he was Prem in the making. Must say I genuinely don't see where it wrong as I thought his positional play, ability to close mark, tackle hard and outleap players a foot taller would see him through. But he just seems to have lost everything.