The 2015/16 Slump (those of a nervous disposition look away now)

[Papa Lazarou]

Agreed - surely if anywhere, it's RB where we're a bit weak, Bruno is the only properly recognised RB...? And is 36...

I thought Liam Rosenior was more of a RB than a LB, but was able to cover both?

 

[Mellotron]

I thought Liam Rosenior was more of a RB than a LB, but was able to cover both?

When I think about it, I have no idea. Maybe because his initials are LR I thought LB. That's the sort of level my brain works at.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

When I think about it, I have no idea. Maybe because his initials are LR I thought LB. That's the sort of level my brain works at.

Does that mean (somehow) that Dale Stephens and David Stockdale are pretty much the same person to you?

 

[Mellotron]

Does that mean (somehow) that Dale Stephens and David Stockdale are pretty much the same person to you?

Development Squad players, right?

 

[GT49er]

I thought Liam Rosenior was more of a RB than a LB, but was able to cover both?

Liam is a superb LB, as he demonstrated time and time again last season (although of course according to some he was wasted there as he should have been playing RM, apparently.....instead of Knocky??). We have it on good authority that he is possibly an even better RB; hopefully he is nearly ready to step in for Bruno if necessary. If not, we've got young Hunt - if we can't slot a youngster into the first team once in a while, what's the point of having them?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Development Squad players, right?

Of course.

Is Knockaert an attacker?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

When I think about it, I have no idea. Maybe because his initials are LR I thought LB. That's the sort of level my brain works at.

He said at one press conference that he expected to be the best right back in the Championship when he signed for us. Then he met Bruno.

 

[Mellotron]

Of course.

Is Knockaert an attacker?

He's certainly a weapon.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Updated 17/12:

Game 20 was the first of the seven game run where we gained just three points out of 21 and fell from 1st to 6th.

Game Number: 2015/16 points total (position/opp) - 2016/17 points total (position/opp)

When the seven match run began: 41pts (1st) - 38pts (2nd)

Game 20: 42pts (1st, Derby) - 42pts (2nd, Leeds) - level with 15/16
Game 21: 43pts (2nd, QPR) - 45pts (2nd, Blackburn) - 2 pts ahead
Game 22: 43pts (3rd, Boro) - 48pts (2nd, Birmingham) - 5 pts ahead

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Table - 22 games comparison
Last

This

 

[Bodian]

Apart from the differences already highlighted (injuries and so on), the biggest thing for me this year is who we are beating. Last year, as we know, we really struggled against in-form teams - especially those in the top six. But this year that all feels different. We keep meeting teams that are just coming into form, or on a good run (Leeds, Fulham), and teams in or around the top six. And you think 'this will be tough'; but we keep beating them.

Not only does this bode well for the rest of the year, but it must be quite dispiriting for the other teams. Reading for example, must have been thinking on Saturday 'we've gained a few points on them', only for it suddenly to disappear, leaving them thinking 'what do we have to do??' instead. And as we know, a lot of football is in the mind, and I think we have that mindset this year.

As Saturday's goal celebrations showed - these players want it.

The psychology is also different from this time last year in that we struggled in the run up to our bad spell and you could feel a slump coming. It doesn't feel like that to me this year.

 

[Dick Head]

Anyway, wasn't last season a season to consolidate, to improve on the year before, and finish mid-table?

 

[Bozza]

He said at one press conference that he expected to be the best right back in the Championship when he signed for us. Then he met Bruno.

Maybe it was a different one, but I remember this from Sky from when he signed:

Firstly, he must battle the popular Bruno for the right-back slot and Rosenior needs no reminding of the Spaniard’s quality – he’s on record as an admirer. "Bruno is a player that I’ve always rated," he says. "I voted for him as the Championship right-back of the year in the season that I was promoted with Hull. Technically, he’s a fantastic right-back."

Link: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...-brighton-full-back-on-championship-challenge

 

[Mellotron]

The psychology is also different from this time last year in that we struggled in the run up to our bad spell and you could feel a slump coming. It doesn't feel like that to me this year.

Last season a lot of our wins were by one goal, and it didn't feel sustainable - small margins. And so it proved.

Ridiculous that I'm saying this really isn't it, as we finished with 89 points! Another reason it feels we are more aware than pretty much anyone else in this divison what it'll take to get up automatically.

 

[casbom]

Last season a lot of our wins were by one goal, and it didn't feel sustainable - small margins. And so it proved.

Ridiculous that I'm saying this really isn't it, as we finished with 89 points! Another reason it feels we are more aware than pretty much anyone else in this divison what it'll take to get up automatically.

And that is why I think we will the League above Newcastle, they don't know this kind of pressure. How will they react? We've got that experience (and heartache) and that's driving us on to these extra points which previously we wouldn't have got.

 

[Driver8]

I think those two tables nail it. We are far superior defensively than we were last season. Just look at the goals against column!
Also, at this stage at least, it was a much tighter division than this year.

Last year there were three stand out teams but three into two doesn't go as we found out. This year there are two. Simple as that.

 

[Mellotron]

And that is why I think we will the League above Newcastle, they don't know this kind of pressure. How will they react? We've got that experience (and heartache) and that's driving us on to these extra points which previously we wouldn't have got.

This and last season together is such a mammoth, superhuman effort from our squad and staff. I hope they don't turn up to the Prem (IF we get there!) knackered...

 

[Papa Lazarou]

It might help if I included the point total for last season as well!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Apart from the differences already highlighted (injuries and so on), the biggest thing for me this year is who we are beating. Last year, as we know, we really struggled against in-form teams - especially those in the top six. But this year that all feels different. We keep meeting teams that are just coming into form, or on a good run (Leeds, Fulham), and teams in or around the top six. And you think 'this will be tough'; but we keep beating them.

Not only does this bode well for the rest of the year, but it must be quite dispiriting for the other teams. Reading for example, must have been thinking on Saturday 'we've gained a few points on them', only for it suddenly to disappear, leaving them thinking 'what do we have to do??' instead. And as we know, a lot of football is in the mind, and I think we have that mindset this year.

.

It MUST be starting to piss off the fans of the others! If you're a Reading fan you'll be looking at the fixtures each week, thinking "Ooh, Brighton have got Fulham - might drop points there", "Brighton have got Norwich, won't win that", "Brighton have got Leeds...", "Brighton have got Birmingham..." and each week we grind the results out.

I saw a tweet from a Newcastle fan, I think after the Blackburn game, that just said "****ing hell Brighton. Take a ****ing game off won't you"

 

[Mellotron]

They won't admit it in interviews, but I reckon some of our players have got their eyes on first place...