[Albion] Reasons To Be Cheerful - Sort Of!

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ROSM

ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
7,604
Just far enough away from LDC
lawros left foot said:
Personally, I think that anyone who is critical of the team/Club for our dismal record against the bottom 6 clubs this season, that doesn’t at least acknowledge our quite horrendous injury record as a factor is being disingenuous. To still be in the hunt for Europe after what has been a season with unprecedented absences for a variety of injuries, is, to my mind, exemplary.
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When we played wolves at home, Southampton at home, Ipswich at home, Leicester away, I thought we had pretty much a full squad available. Most of what we would now call our 1st choice 11 were in the squad with maybe 1 or 2 out or limited by injuries which is normal for all teams. Same goes for when we failed to have a shot against Brentford's reserve keeper at Xmas.

Yes we have had appalling injuries in the second part of the season but that doesn't so much explain these results.

As I've said elsewhere, this season has been a curate' s egg i.e. good in parts. But I've been very critical at not getting the best out of what was available - the last 2 games have been much much better for that. The previous 4 not so.
 




ROSM

ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
7,604
Just far enough away from LDC
nickjhs said:
Oh Please stop with the hyperbole. I asked a question, followed by a statement showing why I thought what you had said was unreasonable.
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I'm not sure it's unreasonable

It's pretty well known that the chairman aims for a cup semi final and Europa league as stretch targets. (Top 10 and quarter finals are targets)

That we haven't achieved either of the stretch means we haven't overall performed at best. On some occasions we have underperformed. On others we have over performed (beating 4 out of the traditional big 6 at home). Beating west ham, fulham and bournemouth at home is as expected. But in a season where so many of the big 6 have also underperformed it's a chance to meet those stretch goals missed.

I'm happy to engage with anybody who has different opinions. I only have a concerns when they start misrepresenting facts. Which I don't think I have done (and to be fair neither have you).
 


Jim in the West

Jim in the West

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 13, 2003
5,110
Way out West
OK, this season won’t be quite as good as 22/23, our BEST EVER season in 124 years! But it’ll come close. And if you look back at 22/23, we still had a few downers (1-5 at home to Everton, 4-1 loss at Newcastle where we barely got over the halfway line). But the big thing about 22/23 was the relative lack of injuries, and an incredible midfield (Mac Allister, Caicedo and Gross played most matches).
Despite having a new, inexperienced manager, a bunch of young players new to the EPL, and horrendous injuries, we are not far off our points total from 22/23 (theoretically we could almost match it!)
 


chaileyjem

chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
15,387
ROSM said:
I'm not sure it's unreasonable

It's pretty well known that the chairman aims for a cup semi final and Europa league as stretch targets. (Top 10 and quarter finals are targets)

That we haven't achieved either of the stretch means we haven't overall performed at best.
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Not sure TB has ever said what our “stretch targets” are. (A regular top ten club, a cup run - being what I thought was the club goals widely known)
Or what failing to achieve them means for TB - is it “we haven’t performed at best” or “mediocrity”

This is very different to any of us hoping including TB , a few months ago , that we’d make the cup final or get the top 7. When ofc it looked possible that we might. And now being rightly frustrated that we haven’t. (Cos we lost or drew some games we arguably shouldn’t have done).

But the season verdict, and let’s wait three games, is judged against that longer term context I imagine. (Almost certainly a top 10 finish and a decent cup run)
 


Flounce

Flounce

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2006
6,712
Such a shame there is so much discord amongst us fans on here when we really are still living halcyon days as Albion fans. Entrenched positions seem to be the order of the day. Me? I’m just plain fickle, especially immediately after games but standing back and looking at the big picture all is very rosey isn’t it?

Did I say, I loved NSC anyway though?
 




Justice

Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
22,926
Born In Shoreham
ROSM said:
When we played wolves at home, Southampton at home, Ipswich at home, Leicester away, I thought we had pretty much a full squad available. Most of what we would now call our 1st choice 11 were in the squad with maybe 1 or 2 out or limited by injuries which is normal for all teams. Same goes for when we failed to have a shot against Brentford's reserve keeper at Xmas.

Yes we have had appalling injuries in the second part of the season but that doesn't so much explain these results.

As I've said elsewhere, this season has been a curate' s egg i.e. good in parts. But I've been very critical at not getting the best out of what was available - the last 2 games have been much much better for that. The previous 4 not so.
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It’s because people like to use stats instead of the game they have just watched. What the hell do injuries have to do with being 2-0 up against Wolves and committing so many players forward in injury time? Maybe we score if Weiffer doesn’t mess up the pass although he really should be going to the corner flag.
 


N

nickjhs

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 9, 2017
1,762
Ballarat, Australia
ROSM said:
I'm not sure it's unreasonable

It's pretty well known that the chairman aims for a cup semi final and Europa league as stretch targets. (Top 10 and quarter finals are targets)

That we haven't achieved either of the stretch means we haven't overall performed at best. On some occasions we have underperformed. On others we have over performed (beating 4 out of the traditional big 6 at home). Beating west ham, fulham and bournemouth at home is as expected. But in a season where so many of the big 6 have also underperformed it's a chance to meet those stretch goals missed.

I'm happy to engage with anybody who has different opinions. I only have a concerns when they start misrepresenting facts. Which I don't think I have done (and to be fair neither have you).
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For clarity, do you think being content with our present standing is "accepting mediocrity" ?
 


Nobby Cybergoat

Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
9,930
I just think so much of the maddening inconsistency is due to the age profile of our team. Ayari is a good example. Goal and a terrific performance one week, unexplainable cock up the next week. He's learning on the job, you learn by your mistakes and in the PL, your mistakes cost you points.

Similarly players like Wieffer, that cock up was because of inexperience at this level of football. Verbruggen is very young for a first choice keeper in the PL.

The way I look at it, we play a team with 7 players younger than 24. We get all these benefits of youth. Energy, ambition, fearlessnes. Plus the lack of £200k per week salary demands and the potential to sell for a large fee. In return, we're going to have to put up with a lot of ups and downs as they learn their trade right in front of our eyes.
 




B

Brian Munich

teH lulZ
Jul 7, 2008
913
Tom Hark Preston Park said:
Like I say, we know what we're watching, while we're watching it. Same as we always did. And for large chunks of the season it's been pretty insipid, even if the stats suggest it's been pretty wonderful. Fact check: it hasn't been all that, however much you spin it with stats
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Honestly, if you fell into a pool full of tits you'd find something to moan about and end up sucking your thumb.
 


el punal

el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
12,984
The dull part of the south coast
Justice said:
It’s because people like to use stats instead of the game they have just watched. What the hell do injuries have to do with being 2-0 up against Wolves and committing so many players forward in injury time? Maybe we score if Weiffer doesn’t mess up the pass although he really should be going to the corner flag.
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Unfortunately, several of our matches where points were dropped were caused by individual errors at crucial times (I know, stating the obvious!). Examples being Wolves at home, Leicester away, the penalty conceded against Newcastle. The critical times being in the closing minutes and therefore not having the chance to rectify the situation. It’s so frustrating but I temper that with reverse fortunes of the opposition doing similar and allowing us to take the points. Namely the home games against Fulham and West Ham.

As Gus used to say - “Thas fuba!” :thumbsup:
 








Justice

Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
22,926
Born In Shoreham
el punal said:
Unfortunately, several of our matches where points were dropped were caused by individual errors at crucial times (I know, stating the obvious!). Examples being Wolves at home, Leicester away, the penalty conceded against Newcastle. The critical times being in the closing minutes and therefore not having the chance to rectify the situation. It’s so frustrating but I temper that with reverse fortunes of the opposition doing similar and allowing us to take the points. Namely the home games against Fulham and West Ham.

As Gus used to say - “Thas fuba!” :thumbsup:
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Individual errors true but why those tactics in the first place 2-0 up see the game out.
 






Mellotron

Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
33,012
Brighton
The time to judge Hurzeler is towards the end of NEXT season, IMO.

We'll surely be more fortunate with injuries next time round...?!

There is reason to believe we will see a number of players improve next season - we seem to be a really good club for players to develop at.
 


BadFish

BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
19,916
Mellotron said:
The time to judge Hurzeler is towards the end of NEXT season, IMO.

We'll surely be more fortunate with injuries next time round...?!

There is reason to believe we will see a number of players improve next season - we seem to be a really good club for players to develop at.
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You mean give a young manager time to develop himself and the young players we have at the club?

Give a manager more than 2 transfer windows to get the players he needs so he can develop his style?

It's a bold idea but I'm not sure it will catch on (for some of our fan base anyway).
 


H

Home and Away

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2018
722
Most clubs/countries in the world never win anything. We are one of those clubs. For us a win would be a place in Europe and something like League cup would be an absolutely amazing achievement.
 


B

Balders

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2013
563
Justice said:
It’s the home form that’s the problem it’s not exactly fortress Amex. For every other side looking to achieve something the likes of Leicester and Southampton at home are 3 easy points we make a bollocks of it every single time. We even take the lead and still manage to f*** it up.
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Bournemouth lost at home to Ipswich
Fulham drew at home to both Ipswich and Southampton
This is NOT a Brighton specific thing, as much as you like to think it is, because it fits your agenda......
 




B

Balders

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2013
563
ROSM said:
I'm not sure it's unreasonable

It's pretty well known that the chairman aims for a cup semi final and Europa league as stretch targets. (Top 10 and quarter finals are targets)

That we haven't achieved either of the stretch means we haven't overall performed at best. On some occasions we have underperformed. On others we have over performed (beating 4 out of the traditional big 6 at home). Beating west ham, fulham and bournemouth at home is as expected. But in a season where so many of the big 6 have also underperformed it's a chance to meet those stretch goals missed.

I'm happy to engage with anybody who has different opinions. I only have a concerns when they start misrepresenting facts. Which I don't think I have done (and to be fair neither have you).
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"That we haven't achieved either of the stretch means we haven't overall performed at best."

That's totally dependent on how you define what a stretch target actually is - if by not reaching it, we haven't performed at our best, then by definition we have to be at our best to attain a stretch target. Personally, I'm not sure that's how stretch targets work.....
 




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