I am sure I'll be flamed for being negative, but I think I'm being realistic. I think we have overachieved this season especially at the start due to the Amex effect and momentum from last season. I honestly think we won't do as well next season, unless we get some players in who can actually play the Gus way at Championship level. I think it is fairly obvious that we have very few players who play the way Gus wants to play. Our possession game worked in league 1 because of the lack of pace of the opposition, but at this level we need players who can play at a higher tempo and catch teams on the break. Most of the time (especially in the last few games) we find ourselves misplacing passes and even when we are retaining possession, we cannot break teams down because we play at such a low tempo it allows the opposition to get back in numbers. All I am saying is I think it will take a couple of seasons to source a whole squad who can play possession football at Championship pace, and I do not automatically expect us to make the play offs next year, just because we've had a good season this year.
I think some people need to lower their expectations ahead of next season...
- Thread starter stss30
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Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Those that sit behind us at the Amex might be in for a severe shock next season if this happens.
bristolseagull
Well-known member
Agree. I'm confident we'll finish lower than 10th next year. Too many decent sides had shocking seasons (Leeds, Leicester, forest etc) v v tough division. Two more years of mediocrity followed by a play off season push....
I can't see Forest improving next season... I actually believe they will be relegation candidates... Won't/can't spend and Cotterill is crap... just my opinion of course.
Gus may have a rabbit to pull out of the hat and surprise us all, but i think a slow build is the way forward. I like many would love to go up asap, but the budget needs to reflect our takings (no overspending chasing rainbows). And if we have shown anything we shown that brighton fans have patience.
Well in Gus's own words we have to improve each season, or he'll go elsewhere, so by that reckoning we need to finish higher than 10th or he'll be off !
ATFC Seagull
Aberystwyth Town FC
Looks to me like you will have the same top 10 (swapping the 3 promoted teams for the prem clubs coming down, perhaps with Ipswich/Leeds thrown in, can't really see any promoted League 1 sides doing amazingly well) again next year. As we've seen this year, the margins between automatic promotion, the playoffs or a dull end of season 10th place are pretty small.
I think we should expect to be in this pack of 10/11/12 next year, but whether or not we find our way into the playoffs or promotion, will be down to individual games and probably a lot of luck to be honest.
I think we should expect to be in this pack of 10/11/12 next year, but whether or not we find our way into the playoffs or promotion, will be down to individual games and probably a lot of luck to be honest.
GoldWithFalmer
Seaweed! Seaweed!
The thing is we could improve and finish in a lower position..
- Thread starter
- #11
Off where though?
Who knows ? You'll have to ask him !
Yeah, finishing lower than 10th and probably less points would be a massive improvement.
GoldWithFalmer
Seaweed! Seaweed!
or 11th in a really strong division on a higher number of points having a sluggish start with new players taking a while to settle and flying the last 3 months of the season having made a FCA Semi final appearance and just missing out to Man U for a final spot on penalties and finally playing well as Gus would like at last...?
- Thread starter
- #15
But if we're playing better football, it would be an improvement. This is what I mean, I think people need to be more realistic, it will be a very hard league next year.
GoldWithFalmer
Seaweed! Seaweed!
Think that is what Gus will be aiming for,position wise may not come into it for the short term
- Thread starter
- #17
The thing is, we don't create enough chances for a 20 goal a season striker. If we create goal scoring chances in the box I personally think CMS would put them away.
I agree with this. To suggest that we should settle for the same position next year, which also implies that's what we will be planning for is shortisighted. This idea that we need to spend 3/4 years in this division before 'plotting' an assault on the premiership is ludicrous. It seems to suggest that we shouldn't get promoted too soon because we'll get relegated first season. I very much suspect that if we get promoted after 3 years in the championship the odds are that we will get relegated the next season. There will be a transition phase where we may have to accept being a bit of a yo yo club for a few years but with the added benefits of the premiership money and parachute payments. The other Albion is probably a good example of this.
Finchley Seagull
Well-known member
I agree with this. I think we have to aim to improve year on year and to improve on this year, we have to be challenging for a top 6 finish next year. What Gus has said is as long as the club are improving, it will take a fantastic offer to tempt him. If we aren't improving, presumably an offer from a team like Wolves would seem more tempting. Can't really argue with that in fairness.
I think the retained list will be interesting this week. If 8 or 10 players are released/transfer listed, I think we can assume Gus has got close to the budget he wanted and will be able to compete for the players he wants (no guarantee we will get them as there will still be teams with bigger budgets around). If only a couple are released/transfer listed, it suggests the money is not in the budget and we will get a couple of signings but the squad will be largely the same.
Given the resources, we should be a reasonably attractive option to players. A good place to live, club on the up, new stadium and now expanding it, soon new training facilities and a possible tilt at promotion to the Premier League. I think to improve significantly on this year, we may need to break our transfer record again and certainly spend big on a central midfielder, striker and possibly a goalkeeper. Could be an interesting couple of weeks when we find out who is staying/going.
brightonmark1234
Well-known member
if we are going to do as-well as this season we need 5 or 6 quality signings