[Albion] Premier League 21-23/4/23

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Awful keeping from Pope.

 

[Scappa]

Kane managed to stay on his feet there - who knew that was even possible?!

 

[dolphins]

Ooo nearly six

 

[Acker79]

We're not gonna see double figures, are we? Come on, Spurs, come back and draw! That'll be hilarious. Think of all the early leavers! Think of the Toon's come down!

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Kane managed to stay on his feet there - who knew that was even possible?!

He did the same towards the end of the 1st half. It basically means he is on strike against the manager and owners.

 

[hart's shirt]

His friends/family frantically propping him up with 1.92.

Bearing in mind people voting can't actually select 0, he's probably over-achieving.

 

[dolphins]

6-1 now...

 

[pb21]

It basically means he is on strike against the manager and owners.

Working to rule.

 

[Acker79]

5-0 up after 20mins and it's only 6-1 as the clock ticks over 90mins. Disappointing.

 

[The Fish]

5-0 up after 20mins and it's only 6-1 as the clock ticks over 90mins. Disappointing.

Hard to maintain that level of intensity for 90 when the opposition isn't really doing anything. We had a few chances in the second half (Longstaff getting in the way of Dan Burn's first ever header on target) and if ASM had been fit I reckon he would have had a whale of a time against them.

Never seen a game like it, 22 minutes gone, 5-0 up, away fans leaving in their droves, the team looking likely to score with every attack.

Think we're looking good for getting into the Champions League now.

 

[Mellotron]

Dan Burn's first ever header on target

Ludicrous if true, but then I remember thinking he was surprisingly poor offensively in the air for us, given his size.

 

[The Fish]

Ludicrous if true, but then I remember thinking he was surprisingly poor offensively in the air for us, given his size.

I've no idea if it's true, just being hyperbolic while I re-watch the Spurs game with a massive Murphy-sized grin on my face.

 

[Mellotron]

Think we're looking good for getting into the Champions League now.

Annoyingly yes, you are.

We as a fanbase are finding it hard to not look at how the table would look if we had beaten Spurs as we fully deserved to. We'd be knocking right on the door of the top 4 with games in hand on all around us.

 

[The Fish]

Annoyingly yes, you are.

We as a fanbase are finding it hard to not look at how the table would look if we had beaten Spurs as we fully deserved to. We'd be knocking right on the door of the top 4 with games in hand on all around us.

Unfortunately poor refereeing has cost you to the benefit of the team that currently sits 5th. I would say, however, that it's more likely that Spurs plummet than hold onto that position. If you didn't have to play the top 4 in your run in, I'd have said there was a good chance of you getting into 5th. I know Newcastle are one, who is your other game in hand against? For what it's worth, I wouldn't be at all shocked if you were there or thereabouts for Europe next season as well. Chaos at Chelsea, Spurs and who knows what will happen to Liverpool.

The thing for me is, when Southampton were thought a 'well run club' because they were unearthing talent and bringing through young players, they couldn't do that and translate that into high league finishes. So, naturally, when the big boys came to cherry pick their best players, there wasn't much Southampton could do to keep them, especially as they needed that money to fatten out their income.

You're finding unbelievably talented footballers, getting to Semi Finals and legitimately competing for European football. So, if Chelsea were to come calling for Mitoma in the summer, you can justifiably tell them to f*** off. You don't need the money, you've finished above them, can give Mitoma European competition, and guarantee that not only will he play a lot, at a high standard, there won't be chaos behind the scenes either.

 

[Mellotron]

Unfortunately poor refereeing has cost you to the benefit of the team that currently sits 5th. I would say, however, that it's more likely that Spurs plummet than hold onto that position. If you didn't have to play the top 4 in your run in, I'd have said there was a good chance of you getting into 5th. I know Newcastle are one, who is your other game in hand against? For what it's worth, I wouldn't be at all shocked if you were there or thereabouts for Europe next season as well. Chaos at Chelsea, Spurs and who knows what will happen to Liverpool.

The thing for me is, when Southampton were thought a 'well run club' because they were unearthing talent and bringing through young players, they couldn't do that and translate that into high league finishes. So, naturally, when the big boys came to cherry pick their best players, there wasn't much Southampton could do to keep them, especially as they needed that money to fatten out their income.

You're finding unbelievably talented footballers, getting to Semi Finals and legitimately competing for European football. So, if Chelsea were to come calling for Mitoma in the summer, you can justifiably tell them to f*** off. You don't need the money, you've finished above them, can give Mitoma European competition, and guarantee that not only will he play a lot, at a high standard, there won't be chaos behind the scenes either.

Good points all.

Our run in is quite tough (our games in hand are effectively you, Man Utd and Man City - but we have Forest and Wolves this week, and Southampton still to come. Our final game is Villa which could be a shootout for some kind of European football in either/both cases.

I can see us finishing ahead of Spurs, it'll be close with Villa and Liverpool though. Right now I think I would take 7th, as much as 5th/6th would be great, any kind of European football for us is a huge deal.

It also means - as you say - a higher chance of holding on to Mitoma/Caicedo/Mac Allister. I think I am resigned to us losing ONE of them this summer (as our model does seem based on one big money sale per season), but hopefully not much more than that.

You're right, we're definitely wary of what happened to Southampton. Hopefully we can learn from that cautionary tale, but it's still going to be bloody hard maintaining a top 8-10 status for the next few seasons. De Zerbi has also made a couple of small hints about wanting reassurances from our owners about ability to compete for signings/retaining players.

As for Newcastle, it's all a bit ahead of schedule isn't it?! A decent team sure but I don't think many had you down as definitely crashing the top 4 as quickly as this. Thoughts?

 

[The Fish]

Good points all.

Our run in is quite tough (our games in hand are effectively you, Man Utd and Man City - but we have Forest and Wolves this week, and Southampton still to come. Our final game is Villa which could be a shootout for some kind of European football in either/both cases.

I can see us finishing ahead of Spurs, it'll be close with Villa and Liverpool though. Right now I think I would take 7th, as much as 5th/6th would be great, any kind of European football for us is a huge deal.

It also means - as you say - a higher chance of holding on to Mitoma/Caicedo/Mac Allister. I think I am resigned to us losing ONE of them this summer (as our model does seem based on one big money sale per season), but hopefully not much more than that.

You're right, we're definitely wary of what happened to Southampton. Hopefully we can learn from that cautionary tale, but it's still going to be bloody hard maintaining a top 8-10 status for the next few seasons. De Zerbi has also made a couple of small hints about wanting reassurances from our owners about ability to compete for signings/retaining players.

As for Newcastle, it's all a bit ahead of schedule isn't it?! A decent team sure but I don't think many had you down as definitely crashing the top 4 as quickly as this. Thoughts?

Forest, Wolves and Southampton should all be torn apart quite comfortably when you still have something to play for.

Villa look on fire at the minute. They absolutely battered us, and yes we were terrible, but they were outstanding. Liverpool are such a weird club right now, they could batter Man Utd one game and limp to a loss to Bournemouth the next. European football is massive, the extra money obviously, but also how attractive you are to your own players and new ones too.

Which of those three would you be the least upset about losing (if you had to lose one).

I have to admit I don't know loads about your ownership structure, I think Bloom is sole owner. If that's the case, would Bloom want to seek investment from outside partners to bring more cash into the club?

Way, way ahead of schedule. I said before the takeover we'd be 5yrs away from Europe, let alone Champions League. If you'd told me we'd be top 4 with a team where Jacob Murphy and Sean Longstaff have featured in every league game I'd have laughed in your face. The improvements are there to be seen in every single player. They've all improved under Howe, they must have for us to be planning Champions League trips already. Joelinton gets a lot of headlines for his improvement, but it's been there for every single player.

It's serendipitous that our first full season under this new regime has come in the same season as 3 'big clubs' and a stack of midtable clubs are having, by their standards, a shitter. I think we are where we are on merit, but perhaps if Leicester, Everton, West Ham weren't as rank as they are we might be 3-4 pts worse off, and Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs might be the same? Dunno.

Huge test for the new owners this summer, do they stay a bit safe; add some quality but don't go crazy, almost planning for a fairly early exit from the CL and focus on the domestic game. Or do you spend a fortune, bring in a host of new players, gambling on progressing deep in all the competitions?

 

[Mellotron]

Which of those three would you be the least upset about losing (if you had to lose one).

I have to admit I don't know loads about your ownership structure, I think Bloom is sole owner. If that's the case, would Bloom want to seek investment from outside partners to bring more cash into the club?

It's an absolutely brutal one. I think in terms of what we have in the squad, I'd say Mac Allister is the most replaceable. He's utter class and love him, but I think the other 2 would both be bigger blows in terms of how much they affect games regularly.

It's been funny though, we thought the same about Bissouma but Caicedo was even better, there was a point really not that long ago where we were totally reliant on Trossard for creativity and then Mitoma came along (admittedly we did miss Trossard on Sunday, I will say that). See Cucurella and Estupinan also, a definite upgrade.

Owner - yes it's Tony Bloom, solely. Well this is becoming the question now, how far can Brighton go with his money alone? My understanding is that he is a billionaire multiple times over, but even with that I don't think he can realistically compete with oil barons and the like.

I have to think he's considered getting investment, however I don't think he would be willing to cede any control/direction of the club whatsoever - not in a megalomaniacal way, but that we as a fanbase all feel very strongly (given our past) about our club being owned by a Brighton fan, a man who is genuinely Brighton through and through. He has spoken about wanting his son to inherit the club one day.

If we continue to be run well my guess would be that we will aim to continue being a top 10 Prem club, basically.

 

[crodonilson]

Breaking news just on SSN, a stony faced Vicky Gomersall informing us that Spurs are reimbursing match tickets from their game at Newcastle alongside a full throated apology from the players for their conduct.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Villa v Fulham must be the World Cheats Championship. Do they actually have any time to play football?

Well see tonight. Leeds players were going over in the first half on Saturday, as ifshot.

 

[Javeaseagull]

It's an absolutely brutal one. I think in terms of what we have in the squad, I'd say Mac Allister is the most replaceable. He's utter class and love him, but I think the other 2 would both be bigger blows in terms of how much they affect games regularly.

It's been funny though, we thought the same about Bissouma but Caicedo was even better, there was a point really not that long ago where we were totally reliant on Trossard for creativity and then Mitoma came along (admittedly we did miss Trossard on Sunday, I will say that). See Cucurella and Estupinan also, a definite upgrade.

Owner - yes it's Tony Bloom, solely. Well this is becoming the question now, how far can Brighton go with his money alone? My understanding is that he is a billionaire multiple times over, but even with that I don't think he can realistically compete with oil barons and the like.

I have to think he's considered getting investment, however I don't think he would be willing to cede any control/direction of the club whatsoever - not in a megalomaniacal way, but that we as a fanbase all feel very strongly (given our past) about our club being owned by a Brighton fan, a man who is genuinely Brighton through and through. He has spoken about wanting his son to inherit the club one day.

If we continue to be run well my guess would be that we will aim to continue being a top 10 Prem club, basically.

I’ve seen this before, talk of outside investment. What for? You can only put in what is allowed under FFP so even though Saudi have unlimited funds they can’t splurge it all on players even if they wanted to. Anyway we have seen what happens (Chelsea) when you do. It doesn’t end well!