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[Albion] Merson doing a Souness.









Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,319
It’s also poor from a pundit to give an opinion like this when RDZ has constantly said about European football being the aim for the last few months. Pretty much every press conference. The ones that are done for the press…
 




B-right-on

Living the dream
Apr 23, 2015
6,717
Shoreham Beaaaach
What comment did he make after we won 6-0

He reiterated his point that the team RDZ put out shows that we don't want European football because if we did we'd have played our first team and won 12-0 and have a much better GD than our pretty pathetic showing at 6-0.

Followed by "pass the whisky mate and giz a sniff".
 




Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

I believe in Joe Hendry
Oct 4, 2003
12,029
Though Merson was very amusing and spot on with his derision over Sheffield United's promotion celebrations with their second place trophy - Yes they had a little trophy for coming second.


I agreed with the opinion in his rant, but typically, he still managed to make a bit of a mess of that, saying: "You don’t get a trophy for finishing second in the Olympics and that’s like the ultimate ultimate." You don't get a trophy for finishing first in the Olympics either Paul.
Not sure we can comment too much on celebrating second place with a trophy.
 

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Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,938
Surrey
I'm probably going to go against the grain, but I like Paul Merson...The guy is clearly not bright, but he's a football every man who lived the dream, saw stardom ruin his life and has now come back. He wouldn't proclaim to be anything other than a football man who happened to play the game at a high level.

Yes, he's often wrong but he's rarely obnoxious, and what is good about him is that he expresses football opinions that are often the prevailing opinion of the day.

So he looked at our team sheet and was.utterly baffled. I must have missed the thread that went "For the love of God, leave Caicedo and Ale Mac on the bench and let Billy Gilmour start instead". Or the one that said "I hope he starts Deniz Undav as he has the lowest minutes per goal at the club".

I hope he's wrong about Pedro, but surely he's allowed to express an opinion and Merson is the sort of bloke who would be the first to acknowledge he's been wrong about Brighton many times down last few the years.
 


Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,992
I'm probably going to go against the grain, but I like Paul Merson...The guy is clearly not bright, but he's a football every man who lived the dream, saw stardom ruin his life and has now come back. He wouldn't proclaim to be anything other than a football man who happened to play the game at a high level.

Yes, he's often wrong but he's rarely obnoxious, and what is good about him is that he expresses football opinions that are often the prevailing opinion of the day.

So he looked at our team sheet and was.utterly baffled. I must have missed the thread that went "For the love of God, leave Caicedo and Ale Mac on the bench and let Billy Gilmour start instead". Or the one that said "I hope he starts Deniz Undav as he has the lowest minutes per goal at the club".

I hope he's wrong about Pedro, but surely he's allowed to express an opinion and Merson is the sort of bloke who would be the first to acknowledge he's been wrong about Brighton many times down last few the years.
I actually like him, too and feel for him, given what he's been through in his personal life. But it goes back to being SO confident about an opinion that it comes back to bite you. Stelling even said about the fatigue factor (mentioned by RDZ) which is why the team got changed so much. Plus, as @sheebo said, the Gaffer mentions pretty much every press conference that the goal is to get into Europe. Why would he do that if Merson's theory is correct?

I can see the thinking behind what he said, but if he REALLY thought about it, he'd surely see it was nonsense, no?
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,938
Surrey
I actually like him, too and feel for him, given what he's been through in his personal life. But it goes back to being SO confident about an opinion that it comes back to bite you. Stelling even said about the fatigue factor (mentioned by RDZ) which is why the team got changed so much. Plus, as @sheebo said, the Gaffer mentions pretty much every press conference that the goal is to get into Europe. Why would he do that if Merson's theory is correct?

I can see the thinking behind what he said, but if he REALLY thought about it, he'd surely see it was nonsense, no?
Your last sentence is easily said after a six nil win, but imagine what people would have said if we'd lost 3-0 instead?
And he's paid to give confident opinions isn't he?
I just don't get why so many take an unintelligent pundit's views quite so personally. He got it wrong, he'd happily admit it. He is fully of gushing praise for the club so often too, if people hadn't noticed.
 


Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,992
Your last sentence is easily said after a six nil win, but imagine what people would have said if we'd lost 3-0 instead?
And he's paid to give confident opinions isn't he?
True, but my take - and probably many others - would be the rotation was down to fatigue, as opposed to a cunning plan to not get into Europe.

Of course it's all about opinions, but his was a pretty extreme one, given the circumstances.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,938
Surrey
True, but my take - and probably many others - would be the rotation was down to fatigue, as opposed to a cunning plan to not get into Europe.

Of course it's all about opinions, but his was a pretty extreme one, given the circumstances.
We have three* world class players. RDZ rested all three in the same match. I'm not gonna lie - my heart sank when I saw that, and I know full well I wasn't alone.

I'm not arguing that Merson's hunch that BHA didn't want Europe was laughable, but it was difficult not to be sympathetic to that mindset after reading the team sheet. It just seems odd that so many people are taking exception to this from an everyman pundit (but a proper football man) who doesn't pretend to be in the know.



*Actually I'd add Pervis to that list. I've certainly never seen a better full back at the club.
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex


Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,450
Oxton, Birkenhead
I reckon there is also an element of him being kept on by the decision maker because of the fear something will go terribly wrong after a P45.
Also, never underestimate the old boy’s network. It doesn’t just exist in the obvious places. It’s everywhere and in this case it colours a lot of football punditry discussion. Who is mate’s with who in football plays a big part in many debates.
 


Jam The Man

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
8,211
South East North Lancing
Unusual amount of vitriol for Merson here. True, he’s had a bad day with what he said but he’s been absolutely (and gushingly) praising us week in week out for the last two seasons. On that basis, I’m granting him a pass on this one.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
55,899
Faversham

That's embarrassing. That's only slightly less informed than four Yorkshire men discussing how hard their lives have been and how the young people of today wouldn't believe them if they told them.
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,029
Goldstone
Ironically, this thread basically shows the real reason they employ him. Sensible, informed punditry simply doesn't create the same level of engagement as Merson and his ilk.
So following this thread, are you expecting Sky Sports subscriptions to increase?
 








Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,029
Goldstone
looked at our team sheet and was.utterly baffled. I must have missed the thread that went "For the love of God, leave Caicedo and Ale Mac on the bench and let Billy Gilmour start instead". Or the one that said "I hope he starts Deniz Undav as he has the lowest minutes per goal at the club".

What's that got to do with it? His fellow pundits pointed out the obvious answer - our other players were knackered and needed a break. It was a team-sheet that surprised us all, but he really outdid himself to conclude that we deliberately wanted to lose, in order to miss out on the one thing that our club keeps saying is our aim.

That's not to say I don't understand your other reasons for liking him.
 


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