[Albion] Theoretical - earliest we could be in the bottom 3

chaileyjem said:

I'm a pretty positive / half glass full fan but to be fair last season with the same manager and most of the same players we went on a "horror" run where we won 2 games in 18.

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And how many were draws?

chaileyjem said:

I'm a pretty positive / half glass full fan but to be fair last season with the same manager and most of the same players we went on a "horror" run where we won 2 games in 18
and in 19/20 we had a run where we won twice in 19, and 18/19 we did a 2 wins in 18 run - the last 18 games of the season which resulted in Hughton's sacking,

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I find it strange that when the albion win 3 or 4 out of 5 some people instantly start talking about europe and the loss of players / manager and when we lose 3 or 4 out of 5 some talk about relegation and the loss of players / manager !
Even stranger is that sometimes it's the very same people !!!!
We are all on the same bus , let's enjoy that ride !

Nobby Cybergoat said:

Not sure why we're talking about relegation.

We're obviously not going to be anywhere near relegation. I don't think we'll be near Europe either.

The question we should be asking is, what is a realistic goal from here?

I think top half. That's where we should be aiming. It will be very hard, but we can do it.

If we can balance that with a decent cup run, and 4 or 6 points against Palace, then we'll surely have had the best season in our history

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Top half would be dreamland but still tough, 10th-14th would be big progress and maybe a tad more realistic.

We''ve had an unbelievable start points wise, but we still havent played any of the really big boys and whilst winning any game is hard, if youre completely candid about whom we've beat to date or even how, there isn't any major surprise in games we really shouldnt so to speak (like away at Liverpool last season).

We've faired pretty well away of late so to beat a bottom 6 club like Burnley and a newly promoted Brentford whilst both excellent results are not really shocks, conversely beating newly promoted Watford at home, outlclassed by a good Everton team and we beat Leicester at home after a lot of good play but also some pretty lucky decisions and certainly hanging on at the end, it was another stonking result but the footballing Gods were certainly with us yesterday.

We can only compete with the fixtures as is, and it is amazing to be 4th sitting pretty, after an amazing start, but realistically after tougher games away to this seasons top 4, Citeh, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manure combined with dips in form and Welbeck getting injured again! We're not going to stay up here :-(

Getting to 50 points + would be an amazing target/achievement (last season the last positon of the top half was Leeds in 10th on 59, Villa top of the bottom half in 11th on 55, Newcastle 12th on 45).

Tougher days ahead for sure, one game at a time and all that, but with this start hopefully looking over our shoulder wont be so prevelent as seasons past.

The bedwetters will get a few dryer nights and the lickers/happy clappers will be in nirvana!

peterward said:

Top half would be dreamland but still tough, 10th-14th would be big progress and maybe a tad more realistic.

We''ve had an unbelievable start points wise, but we still havent played any of the really big boys and whilst winning any game is hard, if youre completely candid about whom we've beat to date or even how, there isn't any major surpsrise in games we really shouldnt so to speak (like away at Liverpool last season).

We've faired pretty well away of late so to beat a bottom 6 club like Burnley and a newly promoted Brentford whilt both excellent results are not really shocks, conversely beating newly promoted Watford at home, outlclassed by a good Everton team and beat Leicester at home after a lot of good play but also some pretty lucky decisions and certainly hanging on at the end, another stonking result but the footballing Gods were with us yesterday.

We can only compete with the fixtures as is, and it is amazing to be 4th sitting pretty, after an amazing start, but realistically after tougher games away to this seasons top 4, Citeh, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manure combined with dips in form and Welbeck getting injured again! We're not going to stay up here :-(

Getting to 50 points + would be an amazing target/achievement (last season the last positon of the top half was Leeds in 10th on 59, Villa top of the bottom half in 11th on 55, Newcastle 12th on 45).

Tougher days ahead for sure, one game at a time and all that, but with this start hopefully looking over our shoulder wont be so prevelent as seasons past.

The bedwetters will get a few dryer nights and the lickers/happy clappers will be in nirvana!

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The betting markets currently have us 9th, for what they are worth

There are reasons to think things might get even better. Welbeck might not get injured. Lamptey might get back to his best.

I believe our start will be beneficial in another way. If we stay at the right end of the table teams in an around relegation will start to see getting a point off us a good point. So rather than those teams viewing us as a team they should/need to be beating they would sit in and hope to hold out for a point. That gives us less chance of losing but with our more ruthless streak also gives a greater chance of turning one point into three.

Reddleman said:

I believe our start will be beneficial in another way. If we stay at the right end of the table teams in an around relegation will start to see getting a point off us a good point. So rather than those teams viewing us as a team they should/need to be beating they would sit in and hope to hold out for a point. That gives us less chance of losing but with our more ruthless streak also gives a greater chance of turning one point into three.

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You might also start to see the Nicolas Gonzalez and Darwin Nunez of this world start to think Brighton is the fantastic up and coming club that it is and not some back up option.

Repeated what the OP said. DOH!

Nobby Cybergoat said:

Not sure why we're talking about relegation.

We're obviously not going to be anywhere near relegation. I don't think we'll be near Europe either.

The question we should be asking is, what is a realistic goal from here?

I think top half. That's where we should be aiming. It will be very hard, but we can do it.

If we can balance that with a decent cup run, and 4 or 6 points against Palace, then we'll surely have had the best season in our history

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The relegation talk is natural if only because we've spent a lot of time down at that end of the table since we got promoted. The year Leicester won the prem their main target going into the season was to get to 40 points - Ranieri brought it up at almost every interview. For quite a large part of that season their fans were often heard chanting 'we are staying up'. Perhaps we should do the same ...