That great start

[Questions]

Really raised expectation limits to ridiculous levels. When I look back to last season I can recall 6 or 7 games (Brentford, dags, exeter etc) when we were pretty fortunate to gain all the points. Those teams had plenty of possession and chances but could not quite do the business, whilst this season - and Jesus we must have known all this - teams have far greater quality and are going to hurt us much more when they have their good periods, as of course they will.
This division is tough..... lets see if Leiceter`s 12 million spent and huge wages sees them stroll it.

 

[Mendoza]

I honestly think this is still a good start. If we played these 12 games with a more even spread of wins, draws and defeats most fans would be happy. We are 2 points off automatic promotion, its not that bad.

 

[stss30]

It is still a good start. But when you think we should have clung on to all three points against Blackpool, Leeds and Millwall you feel that we should be up there, hey ho.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Need to be far more clinical in killing a game off. Still a decent start tho.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I honestly think this is still a good start. If we played these 12 games with a more even spread of wins, draws and defeats most fans would be happy. We are 2 points off automatic promotion, its not that bad.

Agree completely, change those Cardiff / City wins to a Leeds / Palace home wins and we would all be mutch happier.

The problem is, looking at our run of fixtures now it's difficult to see where the points are coming from Watford (A) and Barnsley (H)?

 

[Icy Gull]

The questions I ask myself are

Am I being entertained
Do we look as though we have enough quality to survive in this division

As long as I can keep answering Yes, I'll be happy

We could not keep going at the rate we have over the last 12 months indefinitely.

My only real disappointment is that we let Murray go and Palace are benefitting. Gus shot us in the foot big time there imo. Don't give a shit about the attitude, he did us proud last season and is EXACTLY what we are missing up front. Rumour has it that Gus found him difficult to manage, he should have persevered.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

As shit as our results have been lately, we are still only 2 points from 2nd place...

 

[Simster]

My only real disappointment is that we let Murray go and Palace are benefitting. Gus shot us in the foot big time there imo. Don't give a shit about the attitude, he did us proud last season and is EXACTLY what we are missing up front.

Totally agree. Murray brings an awful lot to a team - he scores goals and his hold up play is excellent. We'd be comfortably 2nd or perhaps up there with Southampton if he was still here. Instead he's playing in front of paltry crowds and we're misfiring - it's all wrong.

 

[Questions]

It is still a good start. But when you think we should have clung on to all three points against Blackpool, Leeds and Millwall you feel that we should be up there, hey ho.

I don`t think its as easy as that though sam. Blackpool had 2 spells of 20mins or so against us when they were generally on top, Leeds were 2 up at one point and last night was 50/50 for the most part. Even when we beat Posh 2-0 there was very little in it. The games are going to be close this season and apart from Cardiff I don`t think we`ve totally bossed anyone. With WHU, B`ham and Saints to come soon don`t expect any easy points anyone. We could easily easily lose all those 3 against very decent sides.

 

[Brovion]

It is still a good start. But when you think we should have clung on to all three points against Blackpool, Leeds and Millwall you feel that we should be up there, hey ho.

I don't usually like those type of 'if only' thoughts as all clubs have them (and by the same token we could have only drawn with Doncaster). But the truth is you're right, if only some tiny little bits of certain games had gone our way we'd be 1st or 2nd now. Ok we're not, and it's no use crying over spilt milk, but it does show that were not THAT far off being a decent side for this division. If all the defeats had been like Palace and all the wins and draws had been hideously lucky, against the run of play and due to outrageous refereeing decisions in our favour, THEN I'd be worried.

 

[seagullondon]

The problem is, looking at our run of fixtures now it's difficult to see where the points are coming from Watford (A) and Barnsley (H)?

The thing with this division is it is so unpredictable the points can and will come from anywhere. Some of the results you see are just extraordinary. Look where Peterborough are now!

 

[Icy Gull]

One thing is certain, this is a fantastic division with hardly a dull side in it. It seems anyone can beat anyone and Saints are currently the class of the division. Palace have made mugs of the bookies and our rivalry is firing on all cylinders again. We are watching the team in a state of the art stadium. There really is very little to moan about but reading some of the threads and comments you could almost think we were propping up the 4th division and playing at Gillingham again

 

[Mendoza]

Totally agree. Murray brings an awful lot to a team - he scores goals and his hold up play is excellent. We'd be comfortably 2nd or perhaps up there with Southampton if he was still here. Instead he's playing in front of paltry crowds and we're misfiring - it's all wrong.

Scoring goals isnt really a problem, its the midfield and defence disappearing when we have taken the lead. Murray would have scored goals, but we still would not be able to defend the lead he would have given us.

We've scored in pretty much every game, we have been in the lead in 10 of the 12 league games, and managed to win just 5 of those 10 games

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

We've scored in pretty much every game, we have been in the lead in 10 of the 12 league games, and managed to win just 5 of those 10 games

A shocking stat in the cold light of day.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I honestly think this is still a good start. If we played these 12 games with a more even spread of wins, draws and defeats most fans would be happy. We are 2 points off automatic promotion, its not that bad.

Exactly. And what a pleasure it is watching us at the Amex. These are great days.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

One thing is certain, this is a fantastic division with hardly a dull side in it. It seems anyone can beat anyone and Saints are currently the class of the division. Palace have made mugs of the bookies and our rivalry is firing on all cylinders again. We are watching the team in a state of the art stadium. There really is very little to moan about but reading some of the threads and comments you could almost think we were propping up the 4th division and playing at Gillingham again

Agree with much of what you say but I think its important to seperate the off-field and the on-field activities. Just about everybody is rightly thrilled with the new stadium but at the same time there's a general concern about the lack of bite in midfield and defence.

 

[The Large One]

Exactly. And what a pleasure it is watching us at the Amex. These are great days.

La belle epoque, and only going to get better.

Another pint of Liquid Optimism please, landlord

 

[kalinski]

One thing is certain, this is a fantastic division with hardly a dull side in it. It seems anyone can beat anyone and Saints are currently the class of the division. Palace have made mugs of the bookies and our rivalry is firing on all cylinders again. We are watching the team in a state of the art stadium. There really is very little to moan about but reading some of the threads and comments you could almost think we were propping up the 4th division and playing at Gillingham again

absolutely

 

[Icy Gull]

Agree with much of what you say but I think its important to seperate the off-field and the on-field activities. Just about everybody is rightly thrilled with the new stadium but at the same time there's a general concern about the lack of bite in midfield and defence.

I agree that Gus does seem to be slow in rectifying what most fans see as being our weakness, because I can't believe he can be happy with our slow build up, lack of ability to hold a lead, and the way we can leak goals. If some of the the fans on here had their way though he'd be changing the team after every game and would have sacked Harley at half time and Ankergren at full time last night

 

[JCL666]

I think this still rings true

"We are Brighton and we've got an identity. We play one way - it doesn't matter where or against who."

Adapting new players to that can be problematic. Especially trying to maintain it for 90 minutes in every game and when things go bad. It will take time.

Keep the faith