Jones told seagulls.co.uk that Albion are fully committed to progressing in the FA Cup.*
In a week where some managers have called the competition a ‘distraction’, the Seagulls’ assistant head coach expressed his and the club’s desire to go far, starting with Reading this weekend.
He said, “Brighton have a fantastic history in the Cup and we are proud of that. The FA Cup is a little bit special and when I played at Withdean we were grafting, trying to get to the third round and hoping for a big club.*
“The only time we did it when I was here was when we drew Tottenham and it was brilliant. I always remember that game, the anticipation of it and we are looking forward to this weekend’s tie.*
“The third round is probably as eagerly anticipated as the Final because it is when lower league clubs have the chance to face bigger clubs; the Premier League sides come in along with the Championship ones, so it still has that bit of magic.*
“Some people say it has taken a bit of romance out of it (Albion v Reading being an all Championship tie) but it is still the Cup. There is no real story to it in terms of a lower league club against a Championship side or us against a Premier League club but it will be a very good game.*
“Championship games at the Amex are proving to be decent encounters and we are looking forward to it this weekend.”
Meanwhile Jones has called upon Albion’s players to strike earlier in contests at the Amex in order to gain more control of games.
“We have to get the goals early so sides have to come out at us and we have to take advantage of our home crowd because they are fantastic.*
“When it is rocking then the Amex is the best in the Championship and most the way up the Premier League, so we have to reward them by getting back to winning ways at home.*
“We believe we are a good side and anyone at the Bournemouth game the other day, without being disrespectful, will see we should have won. We definitely had enough chances and possession to win the match and if I am honest we have to be more clinical.*
“Performance-wise we have been good and there is no way you can come in and cane anyone after the game against Bournemouth.*
“The energy we showed, the chances created and the variation we showed were excellent but it just didn’t happen. We hit the bar, the post, there were ricochets and it was the same against Charlton. I felt we could have won that as well.”
Original article
In a week where some managers have called the competition a ‘distraction’, the Seagulls’ assistant head coach expressed his and the club’s desire to go far, starting with Reading this weekend.
He said, “Brighton have a fantastic history in the Cup and we are proud of that. The FA Cup is a little bit special and when I played at Withdean we were grafting, trying to get to the third round and hoping for a big club.*
“The only time we did it when I was here was when we drew Tottenham and it was brilliant. I always remember that game, the anticipation of it and we are looking forward to this weekend’s tie.*
“The third round is probably as eagerly anticipated as the Final because it is when lower league clubs have the chance to face bigger clubs; the Premier League sides come in along with the Championship ones, so it still has that bit of magic.*
“Some people say it has taken a bit of romance out of it (Albion v Reading being an all Championship tie) but it is still the Cup. There is no real story to it in terms of a lower league club against a Championship side or us against a Premier League club but it will be a very good game.*
“Championship games at the Amex are proving to be decent encounters and we are looking forward to it this weekend.”
Meanwhile Jones has called upon Albion’s players to strike earlier in contests at the Amex in order to gain more control of games.
“We have to get the goals early so sides have to come out at us and we have to take advantage of our home crowd because they are fantastic.*
“When it is rocking then the Amex is the best in the Championship and most the way up the Premier League, so we have to reward them by getting back to winning ways at home.*
“We believe we are a good side and anyone at the Bournemouth game the other day, without being disrespectful, will see we should have won. We definitely had enough chances and possession to win the match and if I am honest we have to be more clinical.*
“Performance-wise we have been good and there is no way you can come in and cane anyone after the game against Bournemouth.*
“The energy we showed, the chances created and the variation we showed were excellent but it just didn’t happen. We hit the bar, the post, there were ricochets and it was the same against Charlton. I felt we could have won that as well.”
Original article