Villa v Brighton...... Boro v Brighton all over again

[Thunder Bolt]

If we drop enough points for Villa to overhaul us, then chances are the likes of Reading and Norwich will too, and we'll finish well outside the top two anyway.

This.

Since Bruce took over at Villa,they've won three , drawn three.They have beaten Reading and Fulham. We on the other hand, have won four, drawn two, beating Brizzle and Norwich.
We have the better stats,and,until Friday night have been playing better.

And this.

It's too soon to predict who's going to be competing at the end of the season (apart from Newcastle).

 

[lawros left foot]

In fairness Villa are the best team we have seen this season and I fully expect them to be there or there abouts... Hopefully they will rue the early season form and we can just stay ahead of them! I believe Villa and Derby are the biggest threat to second place

I agree,they did look good, but,it was our worst performance,certainly at home,since Brentford,and according to the Villa fans,their best of the season.
We could have scored another couple as they could of, and even with us having an off day, they didn't look that much better than us until Grealish and Ayew came on.

 

[Hastings gull]

As I've posted elsewhere, we made up 11 points, a game in hand and about 20 goals on Middlesbrough over only 19 games last season.

It's a big ask for Villa, of course, but it's far from impossible.[/QUOTE0

Fully agree, but what luck with the fixture list - again. And it is Norwich away before that. We just have to make sure that we are not in the position like last year, when damaging defeats at places like Rotherham and a draw against Derby and Burnley ruined our chances. More easily said than done, of course, though as a squad we are much stronger this season, with January still to come. But then this league throws up all sorts of quirks, which is why we like it so much, I suppose. Three points against Fulham is an absolute must!

 

[Peter Grummit]

If we drop enough points for Villa to overhaul us, then chances are the likes of Reading and Norwich will too, and we'll finish well outside the top two anyway.

This.

It's in our hands. 90 points will be enough: at our current rate we will get 95.

15W, 10D 4L gives us 90. Villa would need 20W 8D 1L and make up 15 goals to overtake. They have won 4 games from 17 so far.

PG

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Look,Villa are way behind, have drawn a gazillion games and continue to draw now with Bruce in charge - us, Wolves, Brum.

Last year was a one in a million shitstorm, but of course one in a million chances always happen, tis the law of narrative

 

[Whoislloydy]

There's one main difference this season and it's a GD of +16 this early on. Last season we were playing catch up which inevitably cost us automatic.

Does anyone have a link to the Championship table after 17 games last season? Would be good to see the GD then as i know we didn't really kick on till after Christmas.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Villa taking points off teams just below us will be handy though won't it mates. Big ask to catch us now but can do us favours.

 

[spence]

There's one main difference this season and it's a GD of +16 this early on. Last season we were playing catch up which inevitably cost us automatic.

Does anyone have a link to the Championship table after 17 games last season? Would be good to see the GD then as i know we didn't really kick on till after Christmas.

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brighton-and-hove-albion/2015-2016/table/2015-11-22

 

[Whoislloydy]

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brighton-and-hove-albion/2015-2016/table/2015-11-22

Ahh bugger, for some reason my work have blocked statto. Any chance you copy and paste for me?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There's one main difference this season and it's a GD of +16 this early on. Last season we were playing catch up which inevitably cost us automatic.

Does anyone have a link to the Championship table after 17 games last season? Would be good to see the GD then as i know we didn't really kick on till after Christmas.

We were plus 9, so 7 goals better off so far.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

I cannot believe we are thinking about the end of the season this early on.

I thought that this season we would finish around 8th. I am loving where we are in the table but it will just take a few key injuries and we are in trouble.

We are in a great position but history has shown teams that have a great second half of the season and come from no where. I wouldn't be surprised to see QPR make a surge up the league, or someone like Forest turn a corner and get to the playoffs. I can also see us dropping a few points and if we go up automatically I can see it being tight.

Last year we discussed being clear by those last couple of games and it just didn't happen, I can't this time either. When the final whistle went at 'Boro i knew that we weren't going up. I just had a feeling it wasn't to be. Maybe I am too much of a pessimist...

 

[spence]

I cannot believe we are thinking about the end of the season this early on.

I thought that this season we would finish around 8th. I am loving where we are in the table but it will just take a few key injuries and we are in trouble.

We are in a great position but history has shown teams that have a great second half of the season and come from no where. I wouldn't be surprised to see QPR make a surge up the league, or someone like Forest turn a corner and get to the playoffs. I can also see us dropping a few points and if we go up automatically I can see it being tight.

Last year we discussed being clear by those last couple of games and it just didn't happen, I can't this time either. When the final whistle went at 'Boro i knew that we weren't going up. I just had a feeling it wasn't to be. Maybe I am too much of a pessimist...

Why would we finish 8th when we are stronger than last year? I fully expected us to be up there again.

 

[Jim D]

Worst case scenario - we just miss out on automatic on the last day of the season then we play them in the play offs. We would play them three games in a row.

Please tell me it can't happen.

If that were to happen we would probably finish 3rd and them 6th. Depending on the points situation it may be us playing with a deliberately weakened team (or maybe both). I'm sure that would go down well with the FL.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I cannot believe we are thinking about the end of the season this early on.

I thought that this season we would finish around 8th. I am loving where we are in the table but it will just take a few key injuries and we are in trouble.

We are in a great position but history has shown teams that have a great second half of the season and come from no where. I wouldn't be surprised to see QPR make a surge up the league, or someone like Forest turn a corner and get to the playoffs. I can also see us dropping a few points and if we go up automatically I can see it being tight.

Last year we discussed being clear by those last couple of games and it just didn't happen, I can't this time either. When the final whistle went at 'Boro i knew that we weren't going up. I just had a feeling it wasn't to be. Maybe I am too much of a pessimist...

If you look at the link to the Statto site, you'll see Boro Hull and Burnley were all up there after 17 games.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

If you look at the link to the Statto site, you'll see Boro Hull and Burnley were all up there after 17 games.

And Hull ( managed by Steve Bruce ) had an almighty wobble...

 

[GT49er]

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brighton-and-hove-albion/2015-2016/table/2015-11-22

Not a lot different, is it? - exactly the same points, GD +16 as opposed to +9. Still, not complaining about an extra +7 on the GD stat - would have worked wonders for us last season!

 

[Exile]

Villa taking points off teams just below us will be handy though won't it mates. Big ask to catch us now but can do us favours.

Indeed.

If (huge big IF) we maintain 2 points per game ourselves, then we'd very much like Villa to do the same.

 

[Wilko]

Villa are nearer relegation than they are to us! Even if they go on a good run, as long as we stay steady then their start to the season will probably be their downfall. I can see them making a play off place though. I am a bit worried about Reading at the moment, a team that has done the promotion thing from the champ on more than one occasion.

 

[Seagulltonian]

Are we safe from relegation yet?

 

[brakespear]

We could have scored another couple as they could of, and even with us having an off day, they didn't look that much better than us until Grealish and Ayew came on.

This - state our defence was in and the way all our attacks had to come down one side if they were in that much form they should have been able to put two or three in.