The curious thing is the amount of DRAWS. We have the most draws of any side in the division (TEN). Last season I remember thinking De Zerbi really isn't one for draws, we would usually win or lose. I can't think of many of those draws where we have deserved to lose this season though, and a few we would've won if not down to our under 14s.
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[Albion] Is Europe off the cards now?
- Thread starter Josh Dowsett
- Start date
Next up Wolves are playing West Ham, Newcastle at Fulham and we're playing Arsenal.
That's pretty much the reality of the rest of our season.
This team has squandered the 'easy' points and now only have the hard yards.
The tracker has us 11th - I've seen nothing to suggest the tracker is wrong.
The only difference between the teams, last night, is our 5 wins at the start of the season.
Exactly my point. Thanks for making it better than me!
Can we stop the injuries excuse thing, it’s getting really boring. All sides have suffered this season and Newcastle and Wolves particularly, quoting two of those teams above, have been just as or more unfortunate than us this season.
Our form for the last six months, a long time, certainly does not give RDZ the right to be making public demands of Tony or be in the running for jobs like Bayern, Liverpool or Barca. He needs to get his head down, turn our form around and prove he is an elite manager as he’s certainly not done that this season.
I think its over for this year now, yeh. A few too many draws in winnable games, a familiar tale really.
There are a lot of real positives to take though - we have an insanely young squad, featuring some very talented players. Much as when Potter was in charge some of them like Ferguson, Joao Pedro, Baleba & Enciso rather than firing us into Europe but then being picked off by bigger teams will instead be here next season, and I am looking forward to seeing what they can all do with another year of experience under their belts.
We all, and surely now also the club, know the areas that need strengthening - midfield, fullbacks. We've probably also learnt a lesson about how many wide players we should keep at the club vs loaning out. Next year we wont have to contend with such a busy schedule and can have a real go at both cups. One thing I am wary of is I expect Gross will want to leave this summer, and will be very difficult to replace. The club is going to have to do much better over the summer than it did last summer in acquiring midfielders, or next season could be another frustrating one.
For all the hate of De Zerbi on here in recent weeks, he has taken a squad much worse in many regards than the ones Potter was given and delivered a very strong season, eclipsing anything Potter achieved, even if it hasn't hit the highs of last season.
I think we are still very well positioned for the coming couple of years, whoever is in charge. And if it is De Zerbi, that would be no bad thing. Lets just give him some better midfielders and enough wingers to make his system really shine.
There are a lot of real positives to take though - we have an insanely young squad, featuring some very talented players. Much as when Potter was in charge some of them like Ferguson, Joao Pedro, Baleba & Enciso rather than firing us into Europe but then being picked off by bigger teams will instead be here next season, and I am looking forward to seeing what they can all do with another year of experience under their belts.
We all, and surely now also the club, know the areas that need strengthening - midfield, fullbacks. We've probably also learnt a lesson about how many wide players we should keep at the club vs loaning out. Next year we wont have to contend with such a busy schedule and can have a real go at both cups. One thing I am wary of is I expect Gross will want to leave this summer, and will be very difficult to replace. The club is going to have to do much better over the summer than it did last summer in acquiring midfielders, or next season could be another frustrating one.
For all the hate of De Zerbi on here in recent weeks, he has taken a squad much worse in many regards than the ones Potter was given and delivered a very strong season, eclipsing anything Potter achieved, even if it hasn't hit the highs of last season.
I think we are still very well positioned for the coming couple of years, whoever is in charge. And if it is De Zerbi, that would be no bad thing. Lets just give him some better midfielders and enough wingers to make his system really shine.
Newcastle and West Ham only have 3 home games left to our 5. The points tally for 8th this season could be quite low so do still have a chance.
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.
That'll be Arsenal, Villa, Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea - a haul.
Yes, but let's not try to pretend this season is anywhere like the end of the Hughton era!! God that was painful....the 0-5 at home to Bournemouth, followed by the 0-2 against an absolutely woeful Cardiff. That Wolves match!! Even that awful match against Newcastle a few weeks later where we treated them like world-beaters. It was excrutiating to watch.
And I wouldn't categorise the Europa opponents as poor - Marseille are into the last 8 of the Europa League. AEK are second in Greece, and stand a decent chance of winning their league. Ajax had a bad start. We all agreed when the draw was made that it was tough (but exciting!). It wasn't just about the strength of the opposition - it was the whole concept of playing European football - the travel, the number of matches, the Thursday/Sunday thing.
papachris
Well-known member
It might actually suit us better to play Arsenal because they don't normally employ the low block which we always struggle with
Marshy
Well-known member
no its not off at all its still on, and it was not really a poor performance.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 14,631
TBH - the whole idea that ALbion's form , however , you frame it - could argue that Di Zerbi should be sacked is pretty ridiculous so i was just joining in !!
PS: I know you want to downplay the UEL achievement but Haven't we beaten relatively recently four !! of the teams in this years Europa League quarter finals under RDZ !!
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jackalbion
Well-known member
- Aug 30, 2011
- 4,936
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 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.
Coldwaltham Seagull
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2024
- 133
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.
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.
Its not going to suit us better to play Arsenal than Brentford theyre going to destroy us
Marshy
Well-known member
looking forward to them greatly
