None of the options listed - RDZ will leave "by mutual consent" next month.
[Albion] Where is this all going...?
- Thread starter Mike Small
- Start date
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We keep saying this, but will it really happen? It feels like we will have another disappointing season. You can look towards the future, but can you ignore the present?
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 12,120
No ambition
Fati and Dahoud seemed like excellent choices - Milner did not.
We offered £40m for Colwill.And when Chelsea refused to sell, brought in Igor.
Verbruggen was a typically Brighton deal - but not exactly under the radar.
And then what about Joao f***ing Pedro??
The club's ambition is not the challenge.
Peacehaven Wild Kids
Well-known member
Well, this.
I don’t ask for much, for me, we’re in a mini league with Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham, Palace et el. After reading and hearing how good we are and how well run we are I look at the league table, see Bournemouth above us, tut loudly, mumble “fuckin ell” to myself and then open another beer.
League Cup finalist next year. You heard it here first.
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 12,120
I will start the season with the same ambitions
However last season's football was the best I have ever seen us play.
- Beat Palace
- Stay up
- Finish above Palace
However last season's football was the best I have ever seen us play.
Unfortunately bmuffs budget is bigger than ours. With their new manager and billionaire owners I predicted they would finish above us and was laughed at very loudly on this board earlier on in the season.
JetsetJimbo
Well-known member
- Jun 13, 2011
- 1,166
When I look at the team sheet that started last night, I feel like that's a team that would be lucky to finish mid-table. But if I put Mitoma, March, Caicedo, and Mac Allister in there, it becomes a side with top-6 potential. That's why I don't see any reason to snipe at De Zerbi. With the resources he's had available this season, mid-table is probably about right.
Then, when I look at last night's team sheet and add the players we were seriously linked with but couldn't get over the line -- such as Colwill, Kudus, and KDH -- I also see a really competitive team. That's why I don't see any reason to snipe at Bloom or the board. The ambition is clearly there, or we wouldn't have been going after those players in the first place.
This season ended up being a perfect storm of too many games, too many injuries, and too much bad luck in the transfer market and on the pitch. The only area in which I see a reason to question any decisions made is the January window; arguably we should have strengthened. But we did try. We'll never know how the second half of the season might have gone with KDH and Osman in the squad. And I can see how, from Bloom's perspective, overpaying in January didn't make sense when a lot of clubs are going to have to sell their home-grown players in the summer to meet FFP requirements.
But despite that, I don't feel as badly about this season as a lot of you seem to. We topped our Europa group, beating two former European champions on the way. We finally (FINALLY!) got the thumping win against Palace that our recent performances against them have deserved. We've watched players like JPvH and Buonanotte grow from wide-eyed nippers to established Premier League stalwarts. And we've taken on our first-ever European campaign without ever falling into relegation danger (which is not what usually happens when clubs our size qualify for Europe). These are all things we should be celebrating, and I think we would be celebrating them more if our blistering start hadn't got all of us dreaming (including me; if I'm really honest, especially me).
I expect RDZ to stay next season unless he gets an offer from Bayern, which is starting to look unlikely. And I expect Bloom to be very active in the transfer market this summer, hoovering up all those talented home-grown players that clubs in FFP distress will be desperate to sell.
All of which means I'm actually very optimistic for the future, despite our current poor form. I think that by the time the summer transfer window is over, we're going to have a squad of formidable young talents who'll see this club good for the next 5 years or more.
Then, when I look at last night's team sheet and add the players we were seriously linked with but couldn't get over the line -- such as Colwill, Kudus, and KDH -- I also see a really competitive team. That's why I don't see any reason to snipe at Bloom or the board. The ambition is clearly there, or we wouldn't have been going after those players in the first place.
This season ended up being a perfect storm of too many games, too many injuries, and too much bad luck in the transfer market and on the pitch. The only area in which I see a reason to question any decisions made is the January window; arguably we should have strengthened. But we did try. We'll never know how the second half of the season might have gone with KDH and Osman in the squad. And I can see how, from Bloom's perspective, overpaying in January didn't make sense when a lot of clubs are going to have to sell their home-grown players in the summer to meet FFP requirements.
But despite that, I don't feel as badly about this season as a lot of you seem to. We topped our Europa group, beating two former European champions on the way. We finally (FINALLY!) got the thumping win against Palace that our recent performances against them have deserved. We've watched players like JPvH and Buonanotte grow from wide-eyed nippers to established Premier League stalwarts. And we've taken on our first-ever European campaign without ever falling into relegation danger (which is not what usually happens when clubs our size qualify for Europe). These are all things we should be celebrating, and I think we would be celebrating them more if our blistering start hadn't got all of us dreaming (including me; if I'm really honest, especially me).
I expect RDZ to stay next season unless he gets an offer from Bayern, which is starting to look unlikely. And I expect Bloom to be very active in the transfer market this summer, hoovering up all those talented home-grown players that clubs in FFP distress will be desperate to sell.
All of which means I'm actually very optimistic for the future, despite our current poor form. I think that by the time the summer transfer window is over, we're going to have a squad of formidable young talents who'll see this club good for the next 5 years or more.
I think they need to end the season and have a reset. RDZ needs to decide what he wants and be honest in his decision making. The body language of the players looked bad last night, heads down. If he stays he needs to come back with a renewed commitment and stop talking about the f*king club in the middle of the season and do his dealings directly with Tony and Paul.
Lallana and Milner are beyond past it. Either become coaches or do one. We have enough other experienced players now.
Proper investigation into injuries and getting everyone back fit. At the start of the season it was 'oh its the Premier league, everyone is the same, we've all got huge injuries, it was the world cup and length of season' etc. Then slowly but surely other clubs managed their injuries and ours seemed to get worse. All of our most pivotal attacking players out for the majority of the season. The goals drying up and our passing game becoming cyclical and turgid ain't a mystery.
Veltman, Lamptey, Webster, lallana, Milner -
(possible reprieve for veltman as 4th choice CB)
Transfer window - requires at least one quality right back, quality job ready central midfielder (two if Moder joins the waved off gang), and potentially a striker if Ferguson shows no signs of recalibrating his arse with his elbow (perhaps a more experienced striker on loan and Ferguson out on loan).
Lallana and Milner are beyond past it. Either become coaches or do one. We have enough other experienced players now.
Proper investigation into injuries and getting everyone back fit. At the start of the season it was 'oh its the Premier league, everyone is the same, we've all got huge injuries, it was the world cup and length of season' etc. Then slowly but surely other clubs managed their injuries and ours seemed to get worse. All of our most pivotal attacking players out for the majority of the season. The goals drying up and our passing game becoming cyclical and turgid ain't a mystery.
Veltman, Lamptey, Webster, lallana, Milner -
(possible reprieve for veltman as 4th choice CB)Transfer window - requires at least one quality right back, quality job ready central midfielder (two if Moder joins the waved off gang), and potentially a striker if Ferguson shows no signs of recalibrating his arse with his elbow (perhaps a more experienced striker on loan and Ferguson out on loan).
TWOCHOICEStom
Well-known member
Really don't like this line. We've got more ambition than any club out there. We just try to do things the smart way rather than lobbing millions at a problem and hoping it'll work.
But I think this season showed the board that we can't apply that mindset to quite the extent we've done so. The loan of Fati for me felt like a sweetner to appease both RDZ and the fans and that has been a disaster. And we were naive to think we didn't need to replace Caicedo/MacAlister with proven talent. I would say we've learned a lot this season.
I'm glad we didn't just chuck millions at whoever RDZ wanted, I'm ok with a bit of a naff end to our first season in Europe with a ton of lesson's learned along the way.
De Zerbi has made it pretty clear that he'll be off whenever he fancies so I think it's right we don't let him steer the club. He works for Tony Bloom, not the other way round. This idea that he hasn't "been backed" or whatever and the talk about "the club's policy" irked me. RDZ isn't thinking long-term because he's thinking about himself. I'm ok with Tony spending less to try to make it work in a different way and finding out at the expense of our league position. Next year we will be better.
Like I say I think we'll have learned an awful lot this year. And next season I think RDZ will be with us and be a better coach. We'll buy better players. Won't spunk on useless loans and I hope to God we have less injuries on the training field. I think we'll push for Europe again.
It's a fair question.
Peacehaven Wild Kids
Well-known member
Just to clarify, I’ve got no sense of entitlement over “a team like Bournemouth” it’s just when I look at the table I tut loudly.
Next season is shaping up to this:
Our stalwarts are past their best.
Our brightest stars are long gone.
Members of our new class are hit and miss.
There is a lot of dead wood in what is already a big squad.
Some experienced ex PL league clubs are coming back up.
Many fans with over inflated expectations.
Possible managerial change.
Anyone expecting smooth progress is dreaming.
We will be towards the lower reaches.
[This isnt slating the club, btw, it’s just what tends to happen with clubs of our size after a few years in the prem)
Our stalwarts are past their best.
Our brightest stars are long gone.
Members of our new class are hit and miss.
There is a lot of dead wood in what is already a big squad.
Some experienced ex PL league clubs are coming back up.
Many fans with over inflated expectations.
Possible managerial change.
Anyone expecting smooth progress is dreaming.
We will be towards the lower reaches.
[This isnt slating the club, btw, it’s just what tends to happen with clubs of our size after a few years in the prem)
portlock seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,777
On that basis I hope we finish 17th
All of this.
Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ
Hove / Παρος
I think there'll be a mutually agreed parting of ways
um bongo molongo
Well-known member
The problem with the ‘injuries back’ solution is the same as it was in Jan/Feb - we’ll get new injuries. Gross, Dunk, JPVH been virtually ever present this season. The squad isn’t strong enough and we need a significant refresh and some tough decisions. Lallana, Milner, Lamptey, Moder, Webster, Fati all need upgrades. I don’t think we’ll do that, which is why I’ve gone for the bottom option.
Hometownglory
Well-known member
- Jan 12, 2014
- 647
This summer is next season defining.
Insel affe
HellBilly
Clearly the only right answer is
"We improve and after a good summer and injuries back, we have a good start next season under RDZ"
Anyone voting for anything else, is missing the fact we have been ravaged by injuries and playing makeshift teams week on week for what seems like since Christmas. We are still top half and beaten every team put in front of us at least once in Europe on our very first campaign.
Stop wetting the Fkn bed.
"We improve and after a good summer and injuries back, we have a good start next season under RDZ"
Anyone voting for anything else, is missing the fact we have been ravaged by injuries and playing makeshift teams week on week for what seems like since Christmas. We are still top half and beaten every team put in front of us at least once in Europe on our very first campaign.
Stop wetting the Fkn bed.
I've got a slight feeling of this too. Or an Italian job becomes available and its a convenient return. I'm personally hoping we buy a few players, he gets his mojo back and we come flying out of the blocks.
He is building for the future...
De Zerbi 'proud' despite heavy Brighton defeat
Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi says he is proud of his young players despite their 4-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester City at the Amex.
www.bbc.co.uk