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Talking Point: The chance is there, Albion need to grab it [The Argus]



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Brighton 8049
Jun 5, 2011
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Albion need to seize the moment in the Championship promotion race.
The opportunity is there to finish in the top two and avoid the lottery of the play-offs.
They must try to grab it because, as Chris Hughton has acknowledged, it could be even tougher to get out of the Championship next season.
It is hard enough now. Second-bottom Charlton's win against second-top Middlesbrough on Sunday, coupled with Hull being held at home by MK Dons on Saturday, undelined victory cannot be taken for granted against anyone.
Unlike in the Premier League, where three points against Aston Villa has become the norm.
The Midlands heavyweights are in a mess. Villa fans are fearing the fate suffered previously by the likes of Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday - continuing a slide straight through to League One rather than bouncing straight back.
Their reservations are understandable. Much will depend on what happens at Villa Park in the summer.
Remi Garde does not strike me as the right man to get Villa out of the Championship. It would probably benefit the rest if the Frenchman remained in place, but it is not difficult to envisage change prompting a prominent showing from a club accustomed to top flight status.

The worst thing that could happen for Albion if they are still in the Championship in 2016-17 is Newcastle and Sunderland being relegated with Villa.
There would be little prospect of Rafa appearing in the technical area with the Toon at the Amex.
Benitez has a break clause in his contract. I cannot see Steve McClaren's successor 'slumming it' in the Championship if Newcastle go down.
Who ever is in charge at St James' Park next season would, nevertheless, be fully expected to deliver an instant return to the Premier League, just as Chris Hughton did a few seasons ago.
As for Sunderland, Newcastle's North-East neighbours would also be formidable candidates to recover Premier League status under the dependable Sam Allardyce, who steered West Ham back up via the play-offs.
For Albion's sake it would be preferable to see Hughton's old club Norwich succumb in the fascinating four-way fight for Premier League survival.
It will not matter to the Seagulls if they prevail themselves in the even more intriguing four-way battle to gain automatic promotion.
They have a genuine chance, at least of finishing runners-up.
It is going to be difficult to peg back Burnley. Their form at the top looks ominous, although Albion can reduce the gap between the teams to six points by beating Reading tonight and Burnley still have to come to the Amex early next month.
There is an inner strength about Sean Dyche's experienced leaders which suggests they will not fritter away the favourable circumstances they have created for themselves with six straight wins.
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They also have a big advantage over their pursuers in the form of two free-scoring strikers, Andre Gray and Sam Vokes.
Boro, by contrast, are in disarray right now, with manager Aitor Karanka's future under a cloud in recent days.
The pressure is well and truly on them after flopping in the play-off final last season and investing heavily in an attempt to make amends.
Their latest, high-value signing Jordan Rhodes has not fired so far and they are struggling to emerge from a poor run of form which has stretched to only three victories in the last 11 matches.
The pressure is on Steve Bruce at Hull as well. They stood by him after relegation last season.
Bruce is unlikely to survive if they miss out, which they are going to unless they rediscover their goal touch. They have drawn a blank in four of the last six league games.
That has been an issue too of late for Hughton's inconsistent Seagulls, but they will benefit one way or the other from Boro's clash with Hull at the Riverside on Friday evening.
They will benefit most by taking care of their own business, against Reading tonight and at MK Dons on Saturday.
Carpe diem Albion, carpe diem.

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