Just what exactly are you expecting this coming season

[BBassic]

Just one expectation for me: That every player works their bollocks off for the team in every game. If they do that and we go back down I can have no complaints.

 

[Hiney]

P38 W10 D10 L18 Pts 40

=

First season success

 

[Gabbafella]

I expect that before kick off on the first day is the only time we will see the top half of the table, most likely popping in and out of the bottom 3 for most of the season and with any luck we will be strong enough to survive for another season in the premier league.
As others have said, a few batterings, a surprise win or two against the big boys, a couple of embarrassing results against palace and hopefully enough to beat the drop.

 

[London Irish]

What do I expect? Us to show a similar level of application and desire that Burnley showed - otherwise what's the point of turning up?

 

[Betfair Bozo]

My completely uneducated guess is that we will buy a midfielder and a striker from abroad for a combined sum of around £20m and on wages that will not exceed what the top earners are on.

Much has been made of the inflated transfer fees but the wages for "proven Premier League players" are absolutely not worth paying and not sustainable for any period of time if we want to build the foundations for a properly run club to flourish.

There is/was a thread on here about Javier Hernandez. How about Arnautovic, also gone to West Ham. I was amazed to learn he was on around 80k a week at Stoke. Even more so to read his wage at West Ham is to eclipse the 100k a week they pay Andy Carroll. I can't say I have ever considered him to be anything more than an average Premier League footballer so rather than asking can we compete on wages I would rather we didn't attempt to.

No idea how we'll go this season, we'll get a clearer picture after the September fixtures.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Not even going to think about it until we've built our squad for the season. That's not a cop out, just that we could bring in a horde of new signings or none and equally so could 19 other teams. Pointless until either 1st September or at least the eve of the 1st game

 

[Justice]

I expect that before kick off on the first day is the only time we will see the top half of the table, most likely popping in and out of the bottom 3 for most of the season and with any luck we will be strong enough to survive for another season in the premier league.
As others have said, a few batterings, a surprise win or two against the big boys, a couple of embarrassing results against palace and hopefully enough to beat the drop.

Nice to see someone with a positive attitude.

 

[Arthur]

I expect us to get battered at least 8 times get a few draws and a few wins,with the current squad

Pretty much how I feel. I think we've got a reasonable chance of staying up but I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't. If someone offered me 4th bottom now I'd take it.

I do however think we'll see several posts like this one....

To have loads of fun seeing how we do on the pitch with a team of players rewarded for their achievements of the last 2 years with the chance to play against the most ludicrously overpriced, ludicrously overpaid (not necessarily the best - we'll see) footballers money can buy - bolstered by a few signings who fit in with wage structure and team spirit ethic and inspired by the best manager this club has ever had. To back Hughton 100% for the whole of the season regardless of results. And on a personal note, to get as many gigs as possible sorted around the away games despite not knowing till five minutes beforehand when they are going to take place thanks to Rupert bloody Murdoch!

It's a no win situation really. If we do well people will crow that we've done better than people expected on a Xth of the budget of most teams. If we struggle then it'll be against "overpaid", "premadonnas" that have ruined the game in this country.

Morality seems to go out the window when its your own club.

I'm just looking forward to seeing the club I support in the top division and all that goes along with it from the little stuff like my nephew being able to collect Brighton stickers to us playing against some of the best players in the world and everything in between.

 

[Wardy]

To be honest I have no real expectations. Twenty years ago we could only dream that one day we would be playing top flight football again. The years between losing the Goldstone and getting promotion to the premier league have been an amazing roller coaster of a ride. We are now in one of the best stadiums in the country about to start what is sure to be a difficult season. I am 100% positive that we will have a few games where we get battered and played of the park. However, I am also certain that we will have some games where we nick 3 points against the run of play against the 'big boys'.

No matter if we stay up or go down, it will be another chapter in the history of our club and one that in 20 years time we will be able to turn round and say 'I was there, I was part of it.'

 

[Nixonator]

We are not in the same situation as Burnley, we have players that will be highly sought after if we go down.

Dunk is older than Keane, he will be 26 going on 27 this time next year. He will move. Knockaert is too good a player for the Championship and as much as he loves the club and we love him I can't see him spending another season there. If March does well this season which I think is very likely he will also move. Gross only moved here because he wants to test himself in the PL after the Bundesliga. Stephens will move. There's even a chance the likes of Kayal and Duffy may get tempted away by PL football if they perform reasonably well.

In other words, we will get picked apart and those stating that we need to keep the squad #together so we can bounce back with the same players are in for a shock. Still possible to bounce back up with the windfall mind, but it will take a significant rebuild.

Still, I have a positive outlook for the season ahead. For the reasons above I think we will survive, we have some very good players and with a couple of quality additions I can see us surprising a few, including our own fans. We have too competitive a team and manager to capitulate in 20 odd games. My only fear is too many draws.

 

[hart's shirt]

After a few losses, I expect some fickle fans will be calling for Hughton's resignation in the belief that Premier League football is more important than loyalty.

 

[withdeanwombat]

I'm expecting not to get a ticket for any game.
I'm expecting every player to put in total effort in every game no matter how results are going.
I'm expecting some supporters to turn on the team and the management.
I'm expecting a lot of time hiding behind my sofa watching the Albion on telly.
I'm expecting it to be a very hard season.

I'm hoping for the best.

 

[Albumen]

A lot of moaning from around me.

 

[crabface]

Relegation

 

[Braggfan]

We're favourites to be relegated for a reason and it will be a tough season, but relegation's not a certainty. We only have to be better than 3 teams and I think we're capable of doing that. Having said that, with Spurs, Palace (who'll be itching to send us down), Man U and Liverpool as four of our last five games, whatever chance we have of survival will have to be sorted by that first week of April.

 

[carteater]

I expect us to go down, but at least go down fighting, rather than do a Boro or a Hull last season.

Then hopefully, Hughton stays for the season after, we buy in some new players with the parachute payments to replace those who inevitably leave (say Knocky and Dunk), and challenge for autos, go up and stay there, like Burnley did.

 

[Seagulltonian]

I'm expecting an exciting season.
And some surprising performances, when we get unexpected wins against the "bigger" teams. And a few tonkings for good measure as well!
Two reasonable cup runs.
And NO mid-table mediocrate! We'll be fighting relegation or be a complete surpirse package, and be up the top of the table!
Roll on August the 12th!

 

[Blazing Apostle]

Apart from Albion games will be mostly watching Championship footie as far more entertaining

 

[b.w.2.]

17th


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[Seasidesage]

Are you expecting the albion to stick to a wages structure that prices us out of the " top" players? -

]Yes but I also expect it to loosen somewhat or we have no chance of survival

Are you expecting us to sign players to develop through the academy into potential first teamers some time in the future?

Absolutely or we may as well pack up.


Are you expecting us to sign more foreign players?

Yes there is little or no value locally in this market

Would you be happy for us to sign unproven players who have never played in the premier?

Yes it constitutes our best chance of survival

If a proven premier player came up for sale, what would be and acceptable amount of money to spend on a fee?

Impossible to say. We should concentrate on players with a resale value as we can only improve through incremental gain through selling players and reinvesting.


Should we go down the Leeds United route and spend to keep us in the top flight, or try and follow the reading model of hoping that your players that took you up will keep you there?

A happy medium with sustainability at it's core. But it took a lot of time and money to get here. We have to protect our status if at all possible.

Would you be happy if the extra windfall from the premier league was used in part to repay Mr Bloom's fantastic investment in the club?

How could you argue against? But I hope and expect TB to take a longer term view on that.