What Peter Begrie thinks

[Brighton Breezy]

Whether we had managed to get by without him for large chunks of this season or not does not mean we won't miss Liam Bridcutt. And just because he didn't come back into the team and look a world-beater following long term injury does not mean he wasn't suited to Oscar's style. We will never know whether he would have had as big an impact under Oscar as he did under Poyet but my guess would be that a player as good at retaining the ball as Bridcutt would have thrived in a team set up to keep the ball.

I am not saying it was wasn't right to sell him, just that the people claiming we won't miss him are wide of the mark. ANY team at ANY level would miss their two time player of the year.

 

[albionalex]

Obviously we didn't want to sell either player. We didn't have much choice.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Obviously we didn't want to sell either player. We didn't have much choice.

Indeed. A hugely important point Beagrie fails to take into account.

 

[Gwylan]

I'm more concerned about losing Ashley's other skills like holding the ball up while support arrived (average) or his tracking back (poor).

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

 

[surlyseagull]

So the other clubs bought well and spent a shed load .....has he heard of the dreaded FFP probably not .

 

[The Wizard]

Peter Beagrie is a massive knobhead. That is all I know right now, time will tell how Januarys shenanigans effect our season...

Also, 'thebillyboy's post about Barnes work rate and hold up play. I'm not sure even amongst the most ardent Barnes bashers I ever heard someone say he had a poor work rate

 

[TonyW]

Peter Beagrie, ha ha - top pundit!

 

[Acker79]

Some and some. I'm not convinced our losses last season are an explanation for this window. We still had money to spend, as evidenced by the offers for Grabban and Clayton.

I don't see us finishing top six at the moment, but don't think top 10 will be as difficult for us as he seems to think.

But really, there can be no denying our squad is weaker, and the transfer window was a disappointment.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I never like Beagrie's analysis anyway, and this seems like his usual poor research.

Anyway, in 14 days, on Feb 20th, any loan players signed will be available through to any playoff final. I think we'll get 1 or 2 in.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Seem to remember we once tried to sign Peter Beagrie...many moons ago...

 

[Questions]

I quite like Beagrie and I think he isn't that wide of the mark there. I dont think we had much choice with Bridcutt and Barnes but we are weaker now surely. i hope I'm wrong but I would be gobsmacked if we make the top 6. Reading are getting stronger now and we wont catch Burnley, Forest or Derby. The other two have long gone. I still think Wigan will come late as well.

 

[Gullys Cats]

Begrie =

 

[hoveboyslim]

Simplistic and naive to say the club allowed both to leave. Bridcutt's head was turned with an opportunity to play in the Premier League and play with the manager that gave him a great opportunities at Brighton. Barnes's departure seems to be more complicated - if Grabban had signed then his departure wouldn't have been so great, coupled with that, Barnes was allowing his contract to wind down and the club (hopefully) have learnt from the Murray debacle.

Yes we have suffered (but I never thought we would be ready for the play-offs this year with a new manager who has never experienced this country). But to say the club allowed them to leave.... no.

 

[British Bulldog]

Whether we had managed to get by without him for large chunks of this season or not does not mean we won't miss Liam Bridcutt. And just because he didn't come back into the team and look a world-beater following long term injury does not mean he wasn't suited to Oscar's style. We will never know whether he would have had as big an impact under Oscar as he did under Poyet but my guess would be that a player as good at retaining the ball as Bridcutt would have thrived in a team set up to keep the ball.

I am not saying it was wasn't right to sell him, just that the people claiming we won't miss him are wide of the mark. ANY team at ANY level would miss their two time player of the year.

If your looking at the Bridcutt of old who was back to back player of the season then yes we do miss him as any team would, If your talking about the Bridcutt of this season then he went missing long before we sold him so letting him go is not really going to impact on this season as you can't miss what you never had.
If Stephens proves an able replacement for Crofts and likewise Spanish Rodney for Barnes, then the only area we're weaker in is central defence and it looks like Oscar wants to address that in the loan window.

 

[blockhseagull]

I have to guess that Beagrie doesn't really watch us or have any real deep knowledge of how we play.

Yes they are both a loss and to say we won't miss either would be a lie. However Bridcutt hasn't really featured this season and Ashley has been as guilty as anyone for missing chances.

We have one of the best defensive records in the league yet score the fewest goals, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out where we need to improve. Getting Orlandi, Buckley and Ulloa fully fit and in form is the key to us pushing up the table and if we can get that I would guess the loss of Liam and Ashley won't be felt as hard.

 

[Grombleton]

What Barnes goals? I'm sorry but 5 goals (including 2 penalties) doesn't amount to that much of a loss. I'm more concerned about losing Ashley's other skills like holding the ball up while support arrived (average) or his tracking back (poor) I can't see how Albion lost that much really, OG must have realised Mr Barnes wasn't in his plans and got rid. A decent League One striker, a decidedly average Championship one.
Bridcutt? That's another story, but if a bloke wants away it's always best to let him go and get the best deal you can.

It may be 5 goals, but that's currently 1/6th of all our goals this season - quite a lot in real terms.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

If your looking at the Bridcutt of old who was back to back player of the season then yes we do miss him as any team would, If your talking about the Bridcutt of this season then he went missing long before we sold him so letting him go is not really going to impact on this season as you can't miss what you never had.
If Stephens proves an able replacement for Crofts and likewise Spanish Rodney for Barnes, then the only area we're weaker in is central defence and it looks like Oscar wants to address that in the loan window.

Went missing or was returning to full match fitness and adapting to a new system after a long time out? Could have been the later. Look how Ulloa has struggled to recapture his top form since returning from injury.

Apart from perhaps Upson, Bridcutt was our best player. Having him back, fully fit and adapted to Oscar's style would have been a huge boost - bigger than any signing we made.

As I said, I can fully appreciate why he was sold. I just think people are perhaps employing wishful thinking to suggest we won't miss him.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

I have to guess that Beagrie doesn't really watch us or have any real deep knowledge of how we play.


He obviously hasn't seen much of us this season as we haven't been on telly as much. It's possibly telling that the last time we were, AFCB away, Bridcutt came on at half time and Ashley Barnes scored a cracker. As has been said, it's not this season's Liam Bridcutt that we will miss and we couldn't have last season's as the poor chap was "not focused enough" to play football for us during the transfer window. Beagrie appears to have forgotten that. Time will tell whether we miss Ashley Barnes or, more accurately, time will tell whether we should have paid him a similar wage + signing on fee that another club offered him. You can't just skirt over the finances ffs.

 

[blockhseagull]

I have to guess that Beagrie doesn't really watch us or have any real deep knowledge of how we play.


He obviously hasn't seen much of us this season as we haven't been on telly as much. It's possibly telling that the last time we were, AFCB away, Bridcutt came on at half time and Ashley Barnes scored a cracker. As has been said, it's not this season's Liam Bridcutt that we will miss and we couldn't have last season's as the poor chap was "not focused enough" to play football for us during the transfer window. Beagrie appears to have forgotten that. Time will tell whether we miss Ashley Barnes or, more accurately, time will tell whether we should have paid him a similar wage + signing on fee that another club offered him. You can't just skirt over the finances ffs.

Well I'd like to think anyone giving an 'expert' opinion would have done a bit more research than one TV game !

Barnes and Bridcutt certainly made us a more solid side but my point is that isn't our issue, it's the creative side of the game that we are struggling with at the moment.

 

[British Bulldog]

Went missing or was returning to full match fitness and adapting to a new system after a long time out? Could have been the later. Look how Ulloa has struggled to recapture his top form since returning from injury.

Apart from perhaps Upson, Bridcutt was our best player. Having him back, fully fit and adapted to Oscar's style would have been a huge boost - bigger than any signing we made.

As I said, I can fully appreciate why he was sold. I just think people are perhaps employing wishful thinking to suggest we won't miss him.

In my opinion Bridcutt went missing as all his attitude told me was he just wanted to gain some match fitness to ready himself for a move to Sunderland and as soon as he'd achieved that he had no interest in playing for us, His focus ( or lack of it ) made a remarkable recovery to put in the sort of debut he did in Sunderland's big local derby.