[Albion] Is Europe off the cards now?

[Marshy]

Very good post, the way some people have flipped on De Zerbi has been strange, will be nice to have a summer where we can keep the squad.

i do actually think unless ridiculous money comes in for Pedro we wont sell anyone.

Anyone flipping on De Zerbi is foolish.

I still say we have been superb this season given all the hurdles.

 

[Mellotron]

looking forward to them greatly

Now is when you see who you'd want in the trenches alongside you

 

[portlock seagull]

Was never realistically on. Said so months ago. It’s been a fine campaign though and future is bright

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

It has been off for months anyone that thought otherwise was deluding themselves.

 

[jackalbion]

I can't get my head round my own change of heart.
It goes completely against my ethos as an Albion customer, I'm usually the last one turning off the lights, when I'm 100% all in.

I think some of the comments have been a bit annoying, but nothing too much, so much this season, I've seen countless people say 'he's lost his passion', 'he wants out', 'he is gunning for barber and bloom' and I've never known a managers press conferences to be analysed so deeply. He has a different style to Potter and Hughton in that setting, I think people are looking too deeply into it. I can't lie, I was a bit irritated by his pre Liverpool conference, but in the same way when one of my mates says some stupid comment about something, and the next day I move on. I do think he's not ready for the next step however.

 

[BN41Albion]

Not likely now but we sometimes fare better against the better teams. Not too disappointed if we don't make it next season (not expecting it now anyway); strengthen a fair bit in the summer hopefully and go again next season with extended breaks between PL games as @Weststander says as well as youngsters going into the season with this season's experience behind them, and hopefully we'll be well placed to get back in Europe next season

I think we have to remember how many clubs of our size really struggle in the league when in Europe - many flirting with relegation during European season. We've done well overall this season imo all things considered (Europe and so neverending key injuries throughout the season)

 

[Dave the OAP]

I have a horrible feeling chelski will nip into 7th. Would be a monster game if we do them at the Amex.

 

[Stat Brother]

I think some of the comments have been a bit annoying, but nothing too much, so much this season, I've seen countless people say 'he's lost his passion', 'he wants out', 'he is gunning for barber and bloom' and I've never known a managers press conferences to be analysed so deeply. He has a different style to Potter and Hughton in that setting, I think people are looking too deeply into it. I can't lie, I was a bit irritated by his pre Liverpool conference, but in the same way when one of my mates says some stupid comment about something, and the next day I move on. I do think he's not ready for the next step however.

I genuinely can't put my finger on why, without being airy-fairy, guessing and probably downright wrong.
It started when he went to the dentist and didn't come back!
From then on, I dunno, I think I've just got tired of him and nothing has happened since to win me round to where I was and where I was happy.
In fact every single little thing has irked me more.

As said all very strange for me and completely out of character.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

It's comfortably the worst season for injuries I can remember as a Brighton fan. Please let me know of a season in the last 10-15 years that was worse. None come even vaguely close.

I would also argue it's about which players are injured. Yes, Newcastle have had a similar number of injuries but a number of times I've looked at their starting 11 with that in mind and seen that arguably 7/8 of their best 10 players were still available.

We have suffered more than nearly everyone so I think it is worth mentioning, and it's not an excuse when it's a fact. We would be higher up the table if our injury list was par with the rest of the league, no two ways about it.

Re: your other comments about RDZ and Bloom, I wasn't really talking about any of that. My point is being 1 point off Europe at this stage given everything is a very decent achievement, and we're definitely NOT out of the running for Europe at present. Doesn't mean we'll definitely qualify, but it would be daft to suggest we're not in the running.

Yes it is the worst injury season I can remember for us but nearly every other PL side will say the same thing about this season and whilst we have missed important players, I don’t think we’ve suffered any more than Newcastle, Brentford, Chelsea, Villa or Liverpool for example. I think it’s been overplayed to mask deficiencies in our play and form this season.

Having said that, I seem to be taking a different view from most last night in that I thought we played quite well and looked more solid and organised with a decent game plan than we have done for a lot of this season.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Newcastle only have 3 home games left to our 5.

One of which is against us.

 

[Javeaseagull]

I genuinely don't understand why Brentford are the baddies from last night.

This place reads like Brazil 1970 were playing Wimbledon.

They were at home, battling relegation, put on a good show against Man Utd and played the whole game like West Ham, wasting time from the start. Apart from that I can see where you are coming from!

 

[HeaviestTed]

Seeing England win the euros with dunky in the team will be more than enough excitement for us.

I’m gonna save up for the 25/26 season when we’ll be back in the Europa league!

(Note to self: edit this mid way through next season accordingly)

 

[Swegulls]

I genuinely can't put my finger on why, without being airy-fairy, guessing and probably downright wrong.
It started when he went to the dentist and didn't come back!
From then on, I dunno, I think I've just got tired of him and nothing has happened since to win me round to where I was and where I was happy.
In fact every single little thing has irked me more.

As said all very strange for me and completely out of character.

Those dentists, I've never liked them!

 

[Mellotron]

Having said that, I seem to be taking a different view from most last night in that I thought we played quite well and looked more solid and organised with a decent game plan than we have done for a lot of this season.

Agreed on this. With some of our better players not injured we probably would've won...

 

[LamieRobertson]

No.

 

[GJN1]

Surprised at how many people I've been seeing describe it as a disappointing season. What were people honestly expecting? It was always going to be tough adapting to European football- many a side before us have done a much worse job of maintaining premier league form in a European season

We've reached the knockout stages of the Europa League- winning our "group of death" along the way and maintained a top half premier league position despite those in and around us improving. There will be a lot of lessons learnt that we can take into next season and beyond. We may or may not yet make it another season of European football but to call the season a let down is short sighted to say the least.

It's not disappointing so much as anti-climactic. A great start, a great run in Europe and now everything just petering out into a mid-table finish. Just a bit meh, as my kids would say.

 

[GJN1]

i do actually think unless ridiculous money comes in for Pedro we wont sell anyone.

Anyone flipping on De Zerbi is foolish.

I still say we have been superb this season given all the hurdles.

I won't flip on RDZ if he doesn't flip on us. Deal?

 

[Mellotron]

i do actually think unless ridiculous money comes in for Pedro we wont sell anyone.

Do you not think big money could come in for Mitoma?

Mitoma and Pedro are the two I could see serious interest in, with an outside shout for Perv.

 

[maltaseagull]

Yes it is the worst injury season I can remember for us but nearly every other PL side will say the same thing about this season and whilst we have missed important players, I don’t think we’ve suffered any more than Newcastle, Brentford, Chelsea, Villa or Liverpool for example. I think it’s been overplayed to mask deficiencies in our play and form this season.

Having said that, I seem to be taking a different view from most last night in that I thought we played quite well and looked more solid and organised with a decent game plan than we have done for a lot of this season.

I think that our injury list while similar to several other clubs has had a massive impact on how we set up.
We had March and Mitoma on fire before injuries. We had Enciso scoring spectacular goals before injury. Estupinan was also lost for a long run of games.
The replacements were not as good and when we found a very good player (Hinshelwood) we then lost him too.

Without real pace out wide we have reverted to a much slower build up and too much faffing around in their penalty area.

 

[tstanbur]

Chris Hughton won five of his last 25 league games in the season he was sacked.

RDZ has won six of his last 24.

The difference is that Hughton didn't even try to win the other 20!