Who's afraid of the PL???

[Bob'n'weave]

Noticed a lot of threads and comments that mention the PL in reverence as if it is populated by aliens with three legs who are unbeatable. IMHO, apart from the big six, there are no teams that BHA couldn't beat. Comments like Duffy or the possible incoming lad from Derby 'are not PL players' or we need marquee (??) players is bollocks. CH has proven that its the team ethic that draws the best from the players, week in, week out. Am I being unrealistic, or did Hull, Stoke, Blackpool etc do something drastic to stay in the PL that I missed??

 

[dazzer6666]

Noticed a lot of threads and comments that mention the PL in reverence as if it is populated by aliens with three legs who are unbeatable. IMHO, apart from the big six, there are no teams that BHA couldn't beat. Comments like Duffy or the possible incoming lad from Derby 'are not PL players' or we need marquee (??) players is bollocks. CH has proven that its the team ethic that draws the best from the players, week in, week out. Am I being unrealistic, or did Hull, Stoke, Blackpool etc do something drastic to stay in the PL that I missed??

Even with the current squad I think we'd give several of the mid to lower table teams a decent game - from what I've seen we'd possibly be at least a match for anyone up to around West Ham. Agree only the top 6 look significantly better. Not afraid, but let's get there first.

 

[FatSuperman]

Am I being unrealistic, or did Hull, Stoke, Blackpool etc do something drastic to stay in the PL that I missed??

Blackpool? Don't think they stayed in the PL did they, straight down. Whatever they did it's sure not a model we should follow, given they are languishing in the fourth tier! Part of that is the idiotic owner to be fair, so doubt we'd have that issue!

 

[The Kid Frankie]

Can we get there first then worry about this?

 

[Mellotron]

Agreed. You have to be PROPERLY shit to get relegated from the Prem lately.

 

[junior]

Let's get there first eh?

The Palace trolls are going to have have a field day on here with some of the threads if we don't go up.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Its an amazing journey to get there full of joy and wins and goals as you smash the championship to bits, Then the following August you realise its back to another season of mostly doom and gloom and getting beaten week in week out albeit mostly by top teams. Not sure its all its cracked up to be once you get there although the money that Sky spunk at you must help.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Its an amazing journey to get there full of joy and wins and goals as you smash the championship to bits, Then the following August you realise its back to another season of mostly doom and gloom and getting beaten week in week out albeit mostly by top teams. Not sure its all its cracked up to be once you get there although the money that Sky spunk at you must help.

I see your point but, as I didn't start watching until 1990, the idea of watching Brighton in the top flight will be amazing. Yes, we would get thrashed by a few teams but going to Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal etc and knowing it's not just a big cup day out but a league would be amazing in my view.

Having said that, I agree with those saying let's not talk about it until it happens. Plenty can go wrong over the next five months and cost us promotion.

 

[Bozza]

The Big Bad Wolf - shit scared.
The Premier League - not so much.

 

[albionfan37]

Let's get there first eh?

The Palace trolls are going to have have a field day on here with some of the threads if we don't go up.

So what if they do? Blimey this is a BRIGHTON forum where we can discuss our current and future we are 8 points clear of 3rd we have only lost once to a top 6 team and they are the only team above us. We will be a prem team next yr and there is nothing to fear from any team from 10th down in the prem

 

[LamieRobertson]

Happy Christmas

 

[LlcoolJ]

The Big Bad Wolf - shit scared.
The Premier League - not so much.

I'm not even scared of that wolf. However, I have had a few Christmas ciders today.

 

[Mellotron]

getting beaten week in week out albeit mostly by top teams.

Stoke
West Brom
Watford
Middlesbrough
Burnley
Palace
Hull
Sunderland
Swansea
West Ham
Bournemouth
Southampton

Really?

Literally none of those are "top teams"...

 

[GT49er]

Even with the current squad I think we'd give several of the mid to lower table teams a decent game - from what I've seen we'd possibly be at least a match for anyone up to around West Ham. Agree only the top 6 look significantly better. Not afraid, but let's get there first.

'Giving them a decent game' isn't what it's all about though. Our current squad is excellent, no doubt - but whether we go up or not, there will be some different names in it next season. If we do go up, and want to survive and ultimately consolidate, of course we will need to improve our squad - that's plain common sense. We might love the current team/squad, but to think we'll just keep the same team and prosper in the PL is just a sentimental romantic dream.
Where we need to strengthen, who to keep and who to replace (and who to bring in)? - I've no idea, but I'm sure CH and the recruitment team will be on it already.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

'Giving them a decent game' isn't what it's all about though. Our current squad is excellent, no doubt - but whether we go up or not, there will be some different names in it next season. If we do go up, and want to survive and ultimately consolidate, of course we will need to improve our squad - that's plain common sense. We might love the current team/squad, but to think we'll just keep the same team and prosper in the PL is just a sentimental romantic dream.
Where we need to strengthen, who to keep and who to replace (and who to bring in)? - I've no idea, but I'm sure CH and the recruitment team will be on it already.

They will have ideas for January and the summer, whichever division we're in (and I think we can exclude League 1 now), but it is often surprising who does make the step up. I remember thinking certain players wouldn't make the step up when their team go up and being wrong (and vice versa) so it's not always the obvious names who make it.

 

[GT49er]

They will have ideas for January and the summer, whichever division we're in (and I think we can exclude League 1 now), but it is often surprising who does make the step up. I remember thinking certain players wouldn't make the step up when their team go up and being wrong (and vice versa) so it's not always the obvious names who make it.

Quite agree - that's why I'm making no attempt to speculate who goes or stays, and where we will make changes. People far more knowledgeable than me are being paid to do this!

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Got at least 24 championship matches to enjoy first.

The PL is far too far away to think about.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Quite agree - that's why I'm making no attempt to speculate who goes or stays, and where we will make changes. People far more knowledgeable than me are being paid to do this!

Exactly, and even they will get it wrong. I imagine, if we do go up, we'll make in the region of 8 or 9 signings. With that many players coming in, there will be at least one or two who don't work out, as with Manu last season.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

'Giving them a decent game' isn't what it's all about though. Our current squad is excellent, no doubt - but whether we go up or not, there will be some different names in it next season. If we do go up, and want to survive and ultimately consolidate, of course we will need to improve our squad - that's plain common sense. We might love the current team/squad, but to think we'll just keep the same team and prosper in the PL is just a sentimental romantic dream.
Where we need to strengthen, who to keep and who to replace (and who to bring in)? - I've no idea, but I'm sure CH and the recruitment team will be on it already.

Not a sentimental romantic dream at all. Yes we would need to improve the squad but don't write our current one off completely mate. Try telling every player at BHA they are not good enough for the PL. Some may agree, others would chin you. You make us sound like a Sunday league team

 

[Easy 10]

They way I see it, if we are in the Premier League next season then you're going to have 2 or 3 different "types" of games.

You'll have the games against the behemoths, the Chelseas and Man Citys, where defeat is almost inevitable and anything you can get is a huge bonus.
You'll have the games against the upper-middlers, the West Broms and Evertons, where you should hope to harvest a reasonable return, at home at least
Then you'll have the games agains the dross, the Hulls, Swanseas, Palace's, Burnleys, who you simply HAVE to turn over on a regular basis if you're going to make a fist of avoiding the drop.

So although the glamour games are the ones we'd all get excited about, its actually the games against the humdrum bottom-feeders which are FAR more crucial in the context of the mission to stay in the PL. Taking the points in those will be far more valuable in the long run.

It'll be fun, if we get there.