Good or bad time to play Blackpool?

[Rugrat]

Hard to break down? They've conceded more away goals than any other team in the championship!

Exactly ... hopefully the NSC nerves stay right here!

 

[Triggaaar]

I will be pleasantly surprised if we win them both. I do not see football as being like that. One does not always get what one 'deserves'.

Exactly. We've got to fancy our chances, but football's a funny old game. Chelsea must have been strong favourites to beat Sunderland, but they couldn't even manage a draw. Just need to be behind the team the whole way - support, not pressure.

 

[Magic City]

They've only won twice since the third of December, 19 losses out of 26 games. The wins were both at home, against what was at the time a struggling Millwall side and also Huddersfield who haven't won in a while. However, they did draw at home to Forest (before the rot kicked-in) and also away to Ipswich and QPR.

I'd say that it was a good time to play them, especially due to their injury crisis up front which has forced them to play Midfielder Neil Bishop as a striker, partnered by the out of from David Goodwillie. They even put on young Louis Almond against Burnley, a lad who's been on loan at Hyde this season - I assume that he didn't score many. Their use of young centre-half Harrison McGahey can also be seen as a positive for us, as well as Jack Robinson limping off on Friday evening.

The one thing that is certain, is that it won't be an easy game. Despite their free-falling, only now have Blackpool fallen into the bottom three. They know that they almost have to get something out of the game in order to put pressure on the teams above them, especially as Millwall are at home to Doncaster.

 

[Albumen]

It's a good time. They're terrible and in free fall so let's pick up the 3 pts and say thankyouverymuch.

 

[B52]

But again it isn't that simple and black and white. We might utterly batter both sides but then lose to a dodgy penalty, or we might lose 2/3 of our players to injury suddenly, or a sickness bug might hit the squad. If we simply don't TRY then obviously I agree with you, but football is rarely as straightforward as that. Such a huge amount of variables.

Which is why we all love it!!

 

[Deadly Danson]

Oscar's Albion make me nervous. You just never know when the next toothless performance is going to show up, when we could play until dark and still not look like scoring. It's unnerving.

You are literally just describing Brighton and Hove Albion FC. We've always been the same regardless of manager. Expect the unexpected.

 

[forumwayseagull]

Treat it like the Charlton game 3-0. Straight at them, no excuses, flat out...

 

[Mackenzie]

I will be pleasantly surprised if we win them both. I do not see football as being like that. One does not always get what one 'deserves'. I see a win in one and a draw in the other as likely which will take us to Nottingham Forest and anything can happen there. Our home record over the season does not suggest easy success in any home game, whatever the opposition, we are not that good !!! We need to battle and trust to the bit of luck any side needs.

Wise words.

 

[champion7]

Hard to break down? They've conceded more away goals than any other team in the championship!

True,but they've been involved in some high scoring games and we're not scoring many at home.

 

[lancyclaret]

Excellent time to play Blackpool - short on confidence they showed a bit more spirit against Burnley on Friday but it was a local derby and they only had ONE shot on target and that was in the 90th minute.

They had an 18-year-old - McGahey - making his debut and played veteran journeyman Neil Bishop - a defensive CM - as a second striker to support Goodwillie. Unless Fuller is fit, I cannot see them scoriung against you unless it is a defensive error.

They may be hard to break down but know even a point would still leave them in a very precarious position given their next match is Wigan (away).

 

[The Birdman]

It's not about the team we playing its about which Brighton team turns up on the day however I think for this run in the fans can be the twelve player and if the team stumble little the fans must continue to get behind them and help them over the line. If you one of the fans who just like to watch please make the effort to get behind the team just clap.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

True,but they've been involved in some high scoring games and we're not scoring many at home.

So which is it? High scoring or hard to break down? Yeovil needs wins and that'll suit us perfectly.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

So which is it? High scoring or hard to break down? Yeovil needs wins and that'll suit us perfectly.

I think Yeovil could, in theory, be relegated today though, which might make things slightly different.

Realistically, they'll be (mathematically) relegated when they play us, regardless of the result, as they need an awful lot to go their way.

I had no idea Birmingham were in trouble. I know they've been fairly useless for a long time, but I hadn't noticed they're just one point above the drop zone. Goal difference probably worth another point to them, but still.

 

[Surf's Up]

Blackpool can't buy a goal at the moment so expect the bus to be well and truly parked. That said, by all accounts they're not particularly good at parking the bus either so we have an opportunity today to boost our GD. Will we? As others have said this is the Albion we're talking about so I'm not holding my breath!

 

[Peter Grummit]

It's not about the team we playing its about which Brighton team turns up on the day however I think for this run in the fans can be the twelve player and if the team stumble little the fans must continue to get behind them and help them over the line. If you one of the fans who just like to watch please make the effort to get behind the team just clap.

Crowd need to be patient too. When we don't get an early goal fans tend to go quiet and then drift off for pie/pint from 35 mins. Loyal and patient support today please, no moaning (especially the bloke behind me!) as it transmits anxiety to the team.

PG

 

[imissworthing2]

From what I saw Saturday and reading on their forum I don't think they have the players to park the bus. The clubs in disarray and the players and fans are split.

It's bloody Christmas...........

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I'm not sure that Charlton are a very good example of a side 'parking the bus', yes they sat back - but then forgot to defend and left gaps all over the place. If Blackpool do the same then we could have a field day but surely they aren't that naïve? Ferguson will look to tighten things up, surely he won't have forgotten last seasons game at the Amex. Looking at the footage it reminds me just how they got punished for backing off. At times it was like a training game for The Albion.

I agree it will help if we can get an early goal or two because their heads may drop, I'm not sure they have the stomach for a fight once things start to go wrong. However we may need to be patient and let the goals come, the key for me is having one of either KLL or Buckley for 90 minutes, with pace our footie is so much more incisive.

Yes it would be great to replicate last seasons game but its even more important to get 3 points today, so an edgy 1-0 win will do.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

With respect, we really should be beating teams like Blackpool and Yeovil.

If I could write the script, we'd win both the next two and find ourselves in Nottingham with 6th place assured. Then OG could rest Len and try Hoskins and CMS from the start in case they're needed to make a contribution in the play-offs.

Brighton are the proverbial roller-coaster team - I can remember a period about 10 years ago where we rarely played in the same division two years running - so to have established some stability in the top half of the Championship is fantastic. However, we are due a change of division and I have a hunch this could be it.

Time will tell .....

As the say, like at the boy-scouts camp. the excitement is in-tents .....

 

[Don Quixote]

With respect, we really should be beating teams like Blackpool and Yeovil.

If I could write the script, we'd win both the next two and find ourselves in Nottingham with 6th place assured. Then OG could rest Len and try Hoskins and CMS from the start in case they're needed to make a contribution in the play-offs.

Brighton are the proverbial roller-coaster team - I can remember a period about 10 years ago where we rarely played in the same division two years running - so to have established some stability in the top half of the Championship is fantastic. However, we are due a change of division and I have a hunch this could be it.

Time will tell .....

As the say, like at the boy-scouts camp. the excitement is in-tents .....

How on earth can that be respectful? We have no right to beat any team.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Is anyone taking their tennis racket?