[Albion] NEW: Barber on Hughton, and our big signings.

Nixonator · May 11, 2019

Machiavelli said:
I'm with you all the way. Despite what many are saying on here, I really didn't think we played that well in the first half of the season, and those three wins in a row were gritty, rather than being good, we were resilient. Wolves battered us, but somehow we kept them out.
We really need to sign some quality in this window. Ideally, RB, dynamic or sitting CM, striker are key. Beyond that, we might pick up a loan, and then some promising talent that Ashworth knows. I remain to be convinced that CH will get the best out of better players, but will support him all the way.

Wolved battered us at home? I hope you mean away.

They had one clearcut chance in that game from memory, when Doherty should have scored.

It's all very well talking about the times we were lucky to suggest how much worse it could have been, but what about the times we were unlucky to draw/lose? I have not watched a season where we have been denied as many penalties in years.

We lost to Liverpool once to a dubious penalty, and again to one of our raw and inexperienced players making an error from a free kick in our own half.

The thing that stands out to me above all else, is how frail our team is mentally when up against it. But you could argue that this was the first time we've been in any real danger of dropping into the relegation zone since promotion, so the experience will be useful going forward. Like the fans, I think we looked at our fixture list and thought "we're bound to get some points in those home games which will comfortably see us over the line" and complacency took over. You can't do that in this league, every game you have to get what you can no matter how well you start.

Icy Gull · May 11, 2019

Nixonator said:
Wolved battered us at home? I hope you mean away.

They had one clearcut chance in that game from memory, when Doherty should have scored.

It's all very well talking about the times were were lucky to suggest how much worse it could have been, but what about the times we were unlucky to draw/lose? I have not watched a season where we have been denied as many penalties in years.

We lost to Liverpool once to a dubious penalty, and again to one of our raw and inexperienced players making an error from a free kick in our own half.

The thing that stands out to me above all else, is how frail our team is mentally when up against it. But you could argue that this was the first time we've been in any real danger of dropping into the relegation zone since promotion, so the experience will be useful going forward. Like the fans, I think we looked at our fixture list and thought "we're bound to get some points in those home games which will comfortably see us over the line" and complacency took over. You can't do that in this league, every game you have to get what you can no matter how well you start.

My memory of the Wolves game is that it was the first game at the Amex that we actually set up like the away team. In hindsight it was a very astute move by CH, at the time it really pissed me off.

Gwylan · May 11, 2019

Nixonator said:
We lost to Liverpool once to a dubious penalty,

Some blue-tinted glasses there: that was a clear penalty, a rather foolish tackle by Gross

Nixonator · May 11, 2019

Icy Gull said:
My memory of the Wolves game is that it was the first game at the Amex that we actually set up like the away team. In hindsight it was a very astute move by CH, at the time it really pissed me off.

Didn't they sign a player while in the Championship which exceeds our record transfer in the PL?

They are finishing 7th, I think he did well to recognise their quality so early.

Weststander · May 11, 2019

forumwayseagull said:
Obviously a striker has to be the priority! ( and a new no 10 as AN has hinted at twice now) then as you stated the RB and CM

Centre midfield/no.10 should be the club’s priorities. We manage to just about chisel out enough points, DESPITE having no pace and little creativity in CM. We are unable to control matches as a result.

Nixonator · May 11, 2019

Gwylan said:
Some blue-tinted glasses there: that was a clear penalty, a rather foolish tackle by Gross

My memory isn't what it used to be :lolol:

Icy Gull · May 11, 2019

Nixonator said:
Didn't they sign a player while in the Championship which exceeds our record transfer in the PL?

They are finishing 7th, I think he did well to recognise their quality so early.

As I say he made the right decision, although I didn’t see it at the time.

Machiavelli · May 11, 2019

Nixonator said:
Wolved battered us at home? I hope you mean away.

They had one clearcut chance in that game from memory, when Doherty should have scored.

It's all very well talking about the times we were lucky to suggest how much worse it could have been, but what about the times we were unlucky to draw/lose? I have not watched a season where we have been denied as many penalties in years.

We lost to Liverpool once to a dubious penalty, and again to one of our raw and inexperienced players making an error from a free kick in our own half.

The thing that stands out to me above all else, is how frail our team is mentally when up against it. But you could argue that this was the first time we've been in any real danger of dropping into the relegation zone since promotion, so the experience will be useful going forward. Like the fans, I think we looked at our fixture list and thought "we're bound to get some points in those home games which will comfortably see us over the line" and complacency took over. You can't do that in this league, every game you have to get what you can no matter how well you start.

1, I wouldn't trust your memory on that Wolves game. See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45924059

2, I haven't said we were lucky to win those games, I said we didn't play that well, despite being resilient. I've also said that we were unlucky in certain games on this very thread (especially Watford and Burnley at home). I agree that we should have had plenty of penalties (and even mentioned the most blatant one against Burnley on this thread), the one we got against Arsenal was our first in five months.

3, not so sure that was a dubious penalty, Gross hauled Salah back. We were very good against Liverpool away (and United, Spurs and Arsenal).

4, I think you're right about the complacency. We really need to re-establish fortress Amex next season.

NooBHA · May 11, 2019

Nixonator said:
Wolved battered us at home? I hope you mean away.

They had one clearcut chance in that game from memory, when Doherty should have scored.

It's all very well talking about the times we were lucky to suggest how much worse it could have been, but what about the times we were unlucky to draw/lose? I have not watched a season where we have been denied as many penalties in years.

We lost to Liverpool once to a dubious penalty, and again to one of our raw and inexperienced players making an error from a free kick in our own half.

The thing that stands out to me above all else, is how frail our team is mentally when up against it. But you could argue that this was the first time we've been in any real danger of dropping into the relegation zone since promotion, so the experience will be useful going forward. Like the fans, I think we looked at our fixture list and thought "we're bound to get some points in those home games which will comfortably see us over the line" and complacency took over. You can't do that in this league, every game you have to get what you can no matter how well you start.

Good synopsis

Nixonator · May 11, 2019

NooBHA said:
Good synopsis

Well, I was corrected on a couple of points. I still don't remember being particularly troubled by Wolves at home though despite what the stats indicate. Unlike the last time we played them at home in the Championshup when they had 10+ successive corners in the dying minutes.

dazzer6666 · May 11, 2019

Blue Valkyrie said:
Totally agree with you on Ali J. As for the others mentioned...

Schelotto - Injured, no chance of moving on before January.

Suttner - Surely sold this summer.

Kayal - May depend on whether Pröpper goes to Ajax or not.

Towell - Don't think we'll take up the option, or if we do it'll be with a view to getting a sale fee.

Hemed - Out of contract, "walks away on a free".

Locadia - We'll try to sell, surely.

Steele - Big competition next season from Walton ( is he off, though ? ) and Sanchez.

We need to sign a striker or two that means Murray doesn’t get much of a look-in. We’re fooked if we have to rely on him again.

chaileyjem · May 12, 2019

Johnny RoastBeef said:
So upon reflection I hope that next season we get dumped out of the cup early, this season's cup run was great, but did it distract the players from the more important job of league survival?

If winning in cup games or a cup run results in poor performances, how come after the 5th round v Derby we then put in one of our best attacking away performances at Leicester (15 shots, most touches in a penalty box until Arsenal), and then secured the 2 wins v Hudds and Palace.

Blue Valkyrie · May 12, 2019

chaileyjem said:
If winning in cup games or a cup run results in poor performances, how come after the 5th round v Derby we then put in one of our best attacking away performances at Leicester (15 shots, most touches in a penalty box until Arsenal), and then secured the 2 wins v Hudds and Palace.

It's no co-incidence that the wheels fell off our season after the cup tie at Millwall on March 17th, and it took until April 20th to re-attach them. The underlying reason ? Wembley on April 6th - something the club as a whole had no experience in dealing with.

Stat Brother · May 12, 2019

Blue Valkyrie said:
It's no co-incidence that the wheels fell off our season after the cup tie at Millwall on March 17th, and it took until April 20th to re-attach them. The co-incidence ? Wembley on April 6th - something the club as a whole had no experience in dealing with.

Behave

The wheels fell off early to mid December when CH moved away from his comfort blanket selections, included 2 'inside forwards' but refused point blank to drop Murray.

Then inexplicably stood motionless as his empire burned around him, eventually relying on a poor team beating a shitehouse team just to save his own skin.

Blue Valkyrie · May 12, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Behave

The wheels fell off early to mid December when CH moved away from his comfort blanket selections, included 2 'inside forwards' but refused point blank to drop Murray.

Then inexplicably stood motionless as his empire burned around him, eventually relying on a poor team beating a shitehouse team just to save his own skin.

I forgot we are still supposed to be calling for Hughton's head.

Stat Brother · May 12, 2019

Blue Valkyrie said:
I forgot we are still supposed to be calling for Hughton's head.

Maybe not today.

But as he's emptied his 'account', 0-0 (with no shots on target) v Sheffield Utd in September will come as a sharp reminder to most.

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 12, 2019

Triggaaar said:
Careful, Icy Gull will call you arrogant, condescending and argumentative

But....but, I am!

And yet.....I doubt that [MENTION=19]Icy Gull[/MENTION] would actually ever call me so.

Funny old world.

:lolol:

Triggaaar · May 12, 2019

sussex_guy2k2 said:
The issue I have with your comment is double sided. One, there’s absolutely no point in putting forward names when they’ll have absolutely no bearing on who would become our manager were CH to be replaced. Such talk is basically on the same level as “I’d rather like Messi to come play for us” in terms of how productive and sensible it is.

Although I've not said people can't complain without having a replacement in mind, it is a valid question to ask, since that's the position we're in. You have to think we'll get someone better if you're calling for him to go, and it appears the club (Mr Bloom & co) have decided there isn't anyone better, so what is it that the doubters know that the club doesn't?

And point two, the other side have filled our time with as many cliches, from “he’s done so well with a limited budget”, to “give me a name who could do better”, to “he kept us up against all odds”.

Although you've exaggerated your quotes (no one has said 'against all odds', and I'm not sure anyone has said 'he's done so well' either), the positive replies have been in response to over-the-top criticism.

These are the other end of the spectrum in the sense that they’re too positive and overlook just how poor we’ve been for much of this season, whilst also overlooking how little progress there’s been on the pitch.

Too positive? How is this positivity damaging our club? Positivity is good - fans getting behind the team helps the team do well.

If Bloom and his advisors decide we can get a better manager, then that's what will happen, and we'll support whomever they bring in. But that's not happening - they've decided the best man for the job is Chris.

sussex_guy2k2 · May 12, 2019

NooBHA said:
I think you attacked a very good post with not to much substance in your reply.

You put it forward well but there wasn't any content to it.

Brighton in the second half of this season tried to over reach too early before they were ready for it.

We all watch the men's first team and that's all that fans are concerned about.

Brighton have a great Chairman and backroom staff behind that; however, the are fighting on about 4 different fronts. They are trying to progress the women's side of the game. They are trying to expand the Academy and youth squads. They are trying to expand their influence in the local community in general and they want to progress the first team.

It is really hard to try and fund all of these things all at once but we are trying to and Brighton are novices at this level of football.

We sort of saw an opportunity with say 10 games to go with a points cushion to play more expansively. In hindsight it was too soon. We learn from that and move on and do it at a nose sustainable pace from now on.

That's my thoughts anyhow.

There wasn’t any real content in his post. The point is that there are two ways to look at this. I’m a BHA fan, not a CH fan. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Chris has done a decent job up to a point. But it also doesn’t mean I don’t think there comes a point where there has to be actual improvements. And I’m sorry, but I don’t think there’s been enough improvement in the first team this season (arguably none at all), and that comes down to the manager.

You can look at this so called bigger picture all you want, but the product I’m paying for is the men’s first team. And from January onwards we’ve been awful, with our redemption only coming when we regress back to our Championship team. That isn’t progress. And maybe you and others are happy with a lack of progress, but I’m not.

So it begs the question which I’ve asked numerous times across a number of threads which no one seems to be able to answer. How far do we have to fall before the CH loyalists put their loyalty for the manager behind their loyalty for the club?

What we do agree on is that we have a great chairman and the club is a well run business asset generally. And what I will always do is support the club at games, unconditionally. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy with the product I’m being sold in this entertainment industry and it doesn’t mean I think CH has done anything to prove he can develop our club beyond what it is. Maybe you’re happy with what we are. Maybe TB is too. But I’d be seriously worried if people at the top of our club are happy after the latter 50% of this season.

Triggaaar · May 12, 2019

Rugrat said:
I'd argue that we got lucky (the three 1-0's were spectacularly fortunate, and you can look at the stat's). All just an opinion of course, no facts!

We've definitely not been lucky. Some games have gone our way (like the 1-0s), others have gone against us, but the bulk of the big decisions have been against us.

I suspect that the three teams coming up next season are going to be far more capable than the three going down and unless we up our game (and by that I mean performances), then I can't see we have a prayer of staying up

Yes, it looks like it's going to be tough.

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