[Albion] Hughton

[Return of the Rev]

Surely Mike Bailey could do a job
Or Jimmy melia?

 

[Mo Gosfield]

If we pick up no more away points this season (extremely likely given our form and the opposition still left to play) our away points this season will be the same as last season. Therefore no progression. Home points will almost certainly be less unless we win almost every last home game (which 100% won’t happen).
Given we will end up on less points this season than last, how can you call that progress? All I want is better performances and attitudes and ultimately more points, none of which have happened.

Not sure how you can call us above average this season - everyone would agree we haven’t performed (regardless of points and position) “above average” this season by any stretch of the imagination.

One sign of progression would be our performances v the Big Six. They are the benchmark for the division.
Last season we got zero points away against them and seven points at home. This season we have got ( so far ) zero points away and four points at home. We have left to play Tottenham and Arsenal away and Man City at home. That means no more points this season v the Big Six.
We are no more competitive against them, particularly away from home, than we were last season. We have a stronger squad but last night's timid and abject surrender shows that we are still throwing in the towel v the Big Boys. We are easy meat for them. We sit back, try and soak it up and wait for the inevitable moment when we get picked off. We are not good enough to defend for long periods. We are a side with too many frailties and mistakes in us. Last night, we played like an already relegated team, with no stomach for the fight. Once Chelsea scored, we all knew, in our hearts that it was game over. One shot at goal, late on, when Chelsea had got bored, was the sum total ( just like Southampton ) It was so bad it was like a training exercise for Chelsea.
I expected to lose last night. I expected a little bit of desire and passion. The pre-match talk from the manager was hollow. The players looked dis-interested and outclassed. Going through the motions of an inevitable defeat. Strange team selections. Strange substitutions and non-substitutions. Away fans pouring out with over 10 minutes to go told the real story. All shrugging shoulders, all questioning why they bothered to take time out to witness that abject surrender to an under-par Chelsea side, who coasted to their easiest victory of the season. If Chelsea had really gone for it, it would have been 5 or 6.
If the players had the Semi Final on their minds, I've got news for them. City are much better than Chelsea and Chelsea won in second gear last night. It was so easy, all the home fans got bored and left with 10 minutes to go, as well.
Timid, turgid, sterile tactics. Underperforming players. Frustrated fans.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

As a contrast to our feeble efforts v the Big Six....what about this v fellow strugglers this season.

Fulham.....2 games 1 point
Saints.......2 games 1 point
Burnley.....2 games 0 points
Cardiff.......1 game 0 points

Impressive eh.

 

[Driver8]

“It will have to be a team I think can do the club justice, and the best opportunity we have of getting something. Those chances are very slim.”

Hughton’s pre-Man City pep talk. Hardly going to get the players in the right frame of mind conceding defeat before the game has even started.

 

[Icy Gull]

“It will have to be a team I think can do the club justice, and the best opportunity we have of getting something. Those chances are very slim.”

Hughton’s pre-Man City pep talk. Hardly going to get the players in the right frame of mind conceding defeat before the game has even started.

Well that’s motivated me for my trip on Saturday

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Out from me. Dire dire football. He doesn’t have a clue how to play any other way unfortunately.

Sadly, in agreement.

 

[Whitechapel]

If we were to move on from Hughton I’d love us to go for Marco Rose.

He’s made Salzburg one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe and has made some deep runs in the Europa League. However surely he must be looking at what he’s achieved there and thinking that he’s taken them as far as he can. A new challenge in the worlds biggest league might appeal to him.

 

[Bladders]

Phil Thompson on SKY has just said how well Chelsea have played. No complaints about Sarriball tonight.

He also said Brighton have done OK. Two worldly goals in the second half, and Giroud's wasn't bad in the first half either.

If we had players like Hazard, Kante, Hudson-Odoi, Luis, Azpilicueta and all the others, we might be able to do better. But they would be quite expensive....?.

Those Chelsea players you mention wouldn’t get near our starting XI until they have learnt to defend properly


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[Stat Brother]

I guess the much derided Norwich fans were right all along.


I big high 6 to those guys.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Its the level headed manager that keeps us going after games against sides of Chelsea's talent.

Far less pressure on Saturday, and I have faith that CH will have the players up for the three big home games coming up.

 

[APACHE]

I'm not going to say sack CH this season, but something has got to change. 8 points from 33 since the start of 2019 is very very poor when you look at who we've played. To turn up at nearly every PL game and play nearly the same tactics, home and away, will get you most likely nothing. After 2 seasons in the PL these tactics have been found out big time and I get the feeling from watching the players that the fight is draining out of them. If we manage to survive there has to be a complete mindset change for next season, no more building up the opposition before games and no more little old Albion just glad to be in the PL.

 

[The Kid Frankie]

Hughton’s quote to The Argus following last nights game;

“I haven’t picked my team for Saturday yet. It’ll be a very difficult game for us, and we’ll be up against a lot of what we came up against tonight.

“It will have to be a team I think can do the club justice, and the best opportunity we have of getting something. Those chances are very slim.”

I’ve had a pop on here at people being too negative and not enjoying the dizzy heights we are at in comparison to a few years back. But truth be told I cannot believe what he said there. What sort of message does that send to the players - and the fans paying out of their arses to watch us go to make up the numbers on Saturday? He has pretty much admitted defeat three days before the game is even played. Don’t get me wrong - we all know what he is saying is accurate - but for us to stand any chance he needs to inspire some kind of faith that a miracle can happen. Imagine if a boxer said the same before a fight? You wouldn’t bother watching. Even fighters with no chance at all will say ‘I believe I can win.’

I am so demoralised by that comment...

 

[Aveacarlin']

Gus

Who was at the game last night.

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[banjo]

Who was at the game last night.

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I was only joking.

 

[Stato]

Not sure how you can call us above average this season - everyone would agree we haven’t performed (regardless of points and position) “above average” this season by any stretch of the imagination.

I thought that was fairly clear from my post. By the end of two seasons, more than half of the teams promoted over the last six years were relegated. We're five points clear of that and haven't been in the relegation places at all this season, so look like beating the mean. This year has been a struggle and we have seen the Chris Hughton we saw when he first took over: stay organised and don't give anything away. It wasn't pretty, but it stopped us getting relegated from the Championship and allowed us to build. He's a pragmatist and this will involve frustration for those who want to see attacking football. It's hard to stomach that we don't expect anything from a game as soon as the top six take a lead, but if Chris can continue to keep us above the drop, Dan Ashworth can continue the work that has been started to give us long term sustainability in terms of attracting and producing young players. We have brought in a lot of under 23s this year and currently sit second in the PL2: above Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham. Continued progress there would seem to be Tony Bloom's intended route for taking Brighton forward. In the meantime, we will just have to put up with the utterly tedious process of watching the best squad we've had in thirty years compete to stay in the Premier League and play at Wembley in an FA Cup Semi-Final..

 

[Wozza]

Some guy on Facebook: “Did you fans [Hughton apologists] make excuses when our ground was sold from underneath us?”

Proper

 

[zefarelly]

We have thus far failed this season, cup run aside. we're a point worse off than the same time last year and with current form won't make 40 for the season. THis years form is attrocious, relegation form in spades.

Something needs to change over the summer . . . . whether its forced by relegation or not is a big question no one can answer. It's in out own hands . . . . our own hands which are shaking like a shitting dog!

 

[Lever]

Levels have been to low.

Who manages those levels?

Hughton.

Rather simplistic pronouncement. What do you mean by 'levels'?

 

[seagullwedgee]

There are only two dimensions that CH talks about on the training ground, and in post match interviews.

One is ‘them levels’. And the other is ‘those areas’.

Here is an example of them being used together: “we didn’t hit them levels in those areas”.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Rather simplistic pronouncement. What do you mean by 'levels'?

'Levels' is a term Hughton uses to collectively and some time individually blame the team at just about every post match interview.
He is quick to blame the team, but who manages and organises that team and asks them what style to play through training, pre match and at half time?

He does.

He needs to seriously sort his own levels out.