Well I'd like to think anyone giving an 'expert' opinion would have done a bit more research than one TV game !
I think he is basing his view on what he has seen of us on telly, he is hardly going to be an Amex regular is he. It's all rather pointless anyway. Of course we would be better if we had the Bridcutt that starred for his new club last weekend but we hadn't seen that from him this season for various reasons. And, you are right, we are lacking creativity and that is what needs addressing. David Rodriguez might prove to be an answer. But what you can be sure of is that Peter Beagrie knows nothing at all about him.
Peter Beagrie is one of the few TV analysts that seems to have any grasp of the league outside the premier league. I doubt he just bases his views on the televised games, it's not the impression I've had of him over the years.
Do you know, I would have agreed with you until this rather naive and ill-informed piece. Just comes across as another chuck cash at it merchant.
Do you know, I would have agreed with you until this rather naive and ill-informed piece. Just comes across as another chuck cash at it merchant.
He seems to think Brighton had a choice in selling them when, in reality, Barnes wasn't going to sign a new deal and would leave for free and Bridcutt wanted to leave. Disappointingly naïve view from an otherwise informed pundit.
We did have a choice.
Yes, the financial cost of not selling Barnes isn't a great choice, but it would have been a trade off, taking the hit on the transfer money for his on field contribution (I think it's no coincidence that since Barnes left ulloa has become more isolated leading to us scoring one goal in four league games).
Bridcutt was still under contract and we could have refused to sell. Neither of us can predict if bridcutt would have been professional once the window closed and he was stuck here, if he would have knuckled down and put in his best performances to draw the offer we want, or sulked and under-performed or just refused to work, but that is a risk you take when choosing to keep a player who is under contract. It worked out for Liverpool, maybe it would have worked out for us.
I think Bridcutt would have been fine if he had stayed. But I don't think we would have got as high an offer come the summer.
Would you be questioning him if he praised us for signing a key player from Charlton and a new ulloa in Rodriguez who could fire us into the play offs if he has the same effect as ulloa last season?
Have you actually been to a Brighton game? In 47 years of watching Brighton, I'd say that Barnes' defensive work is better than any other of our striker's. I'm really hard-pressed to think of anyone who's had Ashley's appetite for tracking back and hounding the opposition.
Whatever you say about his goals, his defensive qualities can't be faulted
The idea that people are disagreeing with Beagrie on the basis we won't miss our two time player of the year or Ashley Barnes' goals is wishful thinking.
Barnes may have only scored five goals this season - but that is only one less than Ulloa and more than most of our team.
I understand why we sold them both. I think the club made the correct decision in both cases. But to say we won't miss either or their input over the coming weeks is wrong in my opinion.
That depends on their replacements. Incer has been fantastic, and SD2 is an unknown. There is a good chance the latter will contribute more than Barnes, at least as a striker who scores goals. We shall see.
Maybe not, but we would have a stronger squad as we chase the play offs. That is the choice of the club, keep the player and retain a strong squad, possibly getting a lower transfer fee in the summer and possibly getting promotion ourselves, or sell the player for a bit more money and end up with a weaker squad that reduces our chances of promotion if we can't get replacements.
That is the clubs choice. Time will tell if they made the right one.
Sadly money doesn't have the ability to run on the pitch and kick a football.
So yeah, he's probably right.