Hughton's biggest test since being at the Albion?

[oldboyroy]

2 games the players have let themselves the manager and supporters down... Lincoln and Huddersfield compared to determination and grit against Wednesday a player down so the players know they have to put things right and they will

 

[LamieRobertson]

I think the cracks are starting to show and we might be about to be found out.

Same as last night then?


https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?347957-The-beginning-of-the-end

 

[bWize]

2 games the players have let themselves the manager and supporters down... Lincoln and Huddersfield compared to determination and grit against Wednesday a player down so the players know they have to put things right and they will

I wasn't too fussed about Lincoln as I was convinced all the energy was being focused the game against Huddersfield... To be fair Huddersfield were on fire from the off and looked more like a top premier team! By far the best team over 90 mins I have seen us play in a good few years whilst both teams being in the same division. I'll be surprised if they are not promoted and if it isn't this season it will be next if they keep their squad and manager together.

How we respond at Brentford is going to be the real indicator I think.

 

[jamie the seagull]

By the same token. When was the last time we lost when Dale Stephens was in the starting line up?

Brighton league record when Stephens starts
P:17
W:14
D: 3
L: 0

11 clean sheets..

 

[NooBHA]

Brighton league record when Stephens starts
P:17
W:14
D: 3
L: 0

11 clean sheets..

WOW - That's some record he has got

 

[neilbard]

If he plays Hemad and Murray up TOP I shall SCREAM

If he plays Kayal & Norwood in midfield we just as well give Brentford the 3 points now!

 

[dazzer6666]

Stolen from one of the facebook pages but sums it up maybe.....

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I think the cracks are starting to show and we might be about to be found out.

 

[Nixonator]

By the same token. When was the last time we lost when Dale Stephens was in the starting line up?

Incredibly, around this time last year vs Cardiff

Edit: he also scored our only goal of that game

 

[Triggaaar]

I think the cracks are starting to show and we might be about to be found out.

I'm guessing you know less about football than killing foxes.

 

[durrington gull]

If he plays Hemad and Murray up TOP I shall SCREAM

And we'll lose again

 

[OzMike]

Why isn't Stephens playing ?

 

[atomised]

Stephens is injured.

 

[scousefan]

I think this is the wrong way to put it. Hughton HAS proven himself as a manager. He turned the team round and avoided relegation. Last year his team made a fantastic start and then recovered well from a bad December-January run caused by injuries to key players. We recovered when they came back and/or January signings had an impact.

The key issue right now is something that at this moment Hughton can't do much about. Does the squad have the fitness and strength in depth? Last year we lost key players and went on a losing run. This year it doesn't yet look so bad, but the cracks have been showing as soon as we lose certain players - or they lose form. Personally I feared the worst at both Preston and Huddersfield. If the team is similarly depleted I will fear the worst at Brentford.

Our fate will depend on the likes of Bruno, Stephens, Kayal, Rosenior, Bong and others all getting and staying fit quickly. Overall I think we have the resources to get out of this league now. A couple of untimely injuries (or even suspensions) might tip the balance. (Imagine if it had been Stockdale rather than Maenpaa who got injured). We can't put this all on Hughton. The best recent decision he has made was to recall Walton) He's working well with what he's been given. To be fair the club also seem to have spent what they can within their means. I just hope it's enough!

 

[OzMike]

I think this is the wrong way to put it. Hughton HAS proven himself as a manager. He turned the team round and avoided relegation. Last year his team made a fantastic start and then recovered well from a bad December-January run caused by injuries to key players. We recovered when they came back and/or January signings had an impact.

The key issue right now is something that at this moment Hughton can't do much about. Does the squad have the fitness and strength in depth? Last year we lost key players and went on a losing run. This year it doesn't yet look so bad, but the cracks have been showing as soon as we lose certain players - or they lose form. Personally I feared the worst at both Preston and Huddersfield. If the team is similarly depleted I will fear the worst at Brentford.

Our fate will depend on the likes of Bruno, Stephens, Kayal, Rosenior, Bong and others all getting and staying fit quickly. Overall I think we have the resources to get out of this league now. A couple of untimely injuries (or even suspensions) might tip the balance. (Imagine if it had been Stockdale rather than Maenpaa who got injured). We can't put this all on Hughton. The best recent decision he has made was to recall Walton) He's working well with what he's been given. To be fair the club also seem to have spent what they can within their means. I just hope it's enough!

Just about sums it up, we can't afford squad rotation so rely on players staying fit all season which is always risky.

 

[W.C.]

He had a test last season when we lost 5 games in a row, not scoring one goal.

I hadn't forgotten our blip, but I'd forgotten it was that bad!

 

[banjo]

I think he knows what he's got to do. He's not done that badly so far. Top of the league.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

CH will have learnt that he may, depending on the opposition, need to tweak his tactics in the absence of Stephens. That's no crisis.

 

[oldboyroy]

I wasn't too fussed about Lincoln as I was convinced all the energy was being focused the game against Huddersfield... To be fair Huddersfield were on fire from the off and looked more like a top premier team! By far the best team over 90 mins I have seen us play in a good few years whilst both teams being in the same division. I'll be surprised if they are not promoted and if it isn't this season it will be next if they keep their squad and manager together.

How we respond at Brentford is going to be the real indicator I think.

agree totally although I was disappointed with Lincoln as the players should of been good enough to win the game and momentum kept going.. however Brentford is important now and hopefully a win tomorrow and all will be forgotten

 

[darkwolf666]

He had a test last season when we lost 5 games in a row, not scoring one goal.

Was gonna let this one slide, as I know we already have a site pedant, but as others are now saying "oh yeh, forgot that" - I feel I should correct the error.

We did indeed go 5 games on the bounce without scoring, but one of those games was actually a 0-0 draw - strangely enough at Brentford. So in fact we only lost 3 in a row, after the draw with Brentford.