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[Albion] So how do we survive next season?
- Thread starter Cheshire Cat
- Start date
herecomesaregular
We're in the pipe, 5 by 5
Would you really risk changing the wage structure too radically?
Fans want all these big signings but I'm worried about doing a Portsmouth or a Bolton.
Christ, look at the money already wasted on Locadia and Jahanbaksh (both of whom look likely to be mere bit part players rather than record signing quality).
Fans want all these big signings but I'm worried about doing a Portsmouth or a Bolton.
Christ, look at the money already wasted on Locadia and Jahanbaksh (both of whom look likely to be mere bit part players rather than record signing quality).
A lot to get off my chest tonight and this is as good a thread as any to unload...
To the untrained eye, this has been a turgid season: like wading through treacle at times. However, on balance, I think I'm still enjoying the Premier League experience. We had a day at Wembley where we were far from disgraced. The title was decided on our patch. Ticker tape. Blue skies. Spider cams at the Amex no less. And to top it all, a double over Palace and six points that ultimately preserved our Premier League status. Thanks Nig31s.
For those of us of a certain age (and most of us on here are) we have seen much, much worse. 17th feels like a long slog when you are in the thIck of it but, viewed through the retroscope, this remains a golden age to be a Seagull. There's still a frisson of excitement that comes from simply being at the top table.
So back to the OP's thread. I'm worried about Mr Hughton. I fear he has nursed something of an inferiority complex during our time in the Premier League. Last season there was a sense that we didn't really believe we belonged. This season that sensation has been on steroids. Even if it is plain for all to see, it is unconventional for a manager to baldly admit in interviews that we are not good enough and it hardly inspires confidence with supporters, let alone the squad.
This is the first time since Hughton joined us that we have failed to move up the league. That's fine. It's unreasonable to expect relentless progress. The only logical route of constant progress is our winning the league and only the most deluded among us sees that in the tea leaves. Despite the angst generated by Gus's comments, there is a ceiling for clubs such as ours. Precisely where it lies is up for debate but let's hypothetically say it's somewhere between 8th and 12th. There's only so much further we can realistically go without something seismic happening, such as inward investment from who knows where? Most of us would probably be uneasy with that so we have to be content with the steady, sensible, incremental progress we've experienced with Mr Bloom.
What stops me from getting too depressed about next season is the absolute certainty that we are owned by a benevolent soul with the club in his heart. Uncle Tony is clearly not in it for the money; or else he wouldn't have shelled out £250,000,000 of his own cash on the club. He has established an academy and brought in Barber and Ashworth; both of whom are hugely respected in their fields. Everything Bloom does in connection with the club is dedicated to leaving it in a better state than he found it.
As a rule of thumb, when things have been less than ideal, the club has sat down, worked out what went wrong and addressed it. Possibly the only exception to this was the Hyppia years, when he had to fall on his sword rather than be shown the door. I suspect this season has ensured that this will not happen again. Hughton has achieved his mission in keeping us in the Premier League history however; we have barely limped over the finish line and not with any great finesse. This probably means that Hughton will be on something of a shorter leash next season. A prolonged stay in the bottom three would not necessarily be tolerated. However, he has taken us to the very top and kept us there two seasons so he's probably earned enough credit to be allowed an underwhelming season.
So while we all clear off and do our various bits and pieces over the summer, the club gets busy. There's much to do. Recruitment remains an issue and it seems we are in search of some sort of identity.
Still, eh? There's always next year.
To the untrained eye, this has been a turgid season: like wading through treacle at times. However, on balance, I think I'm still enjoying the Premier League experience. We had a day at Wembley where we were far from disgraced. The title was decided on our patch. Ticker tape. Blue skies. Spider cams at the Amex no less. And to top it all, a double over Palace and six points that ultimately preserved our Premier League status. Thanks Nig31s.
For those of us of a certain age (and most of us on here are) we have seen much, much worse. 17th feels like a long slog when you are in the thIck of it but, viewed through the retroscope, this remains a golden age to be a Seagull. There's still a frisson of excitement that comes from simply being at the top table.
So back to the OP's thread. I'm worried about Mr Hughton. I fear he has nursed something of an inferiority complex during our time in the Premier League. Last season there was a sense that we didn't really believe we belonged. This season that sensation has been on steroids. Even if it is plain for all to see, it is unconventional for a manager to baldly admit in interviews that we are not good enough and it hardly inspires confidence with supporters, let alone the squad.
This is the first time since Hughton joined us that we have failed to move up the league. That's fine. It's unreasonable to expect relentless progress. The only logical route of constant progress is our winning the league and only the most deluded among us sees that in the tea leaves. Despite the angst generated by Gus's comments, there is a ceiling for clubs such as ours. Precisely where it lies is up for debate but let's hypothetically say it's somewhere between 8th and 12th. There's only so much further we can realistically go without something seismic happening, such as inward investment from who knows where? Most of us would probably be uneasy with that so we have to be content with the steady, sensible, incremental progress we've experienced with Mr Bloom.
What stops me from getting too depressed about next season is the absolute certainty that we are owned by a benevolent soul with the club in his heart. Uncle Tony is clearly not in it for the money; or else he wouldn't have shelled out £250,000,000 of his own cash on the club. He has established an academy and brought in Barber and Ashworth; both of whom are hugely respected in their fields. Everything Bloom does in connection with the club is dedicated to leaving it in a better state than he found it.
As a rule of thumb, when things have been less than ideal, the club has sat down, worked out what went wrong and addressed it. Possibly the only exception to this was the Hyppia years, when he had to fall on his sword rather than be shown the door. I suspect this season has ensured that this will not happen again. Hughton has achieved his mission in keeping us in the Premier League history however; we have barely limped over the finish line and not with any great finesse. This probably means that Hughton will be on something of a shorter leash next season. A prolonged stay in the bottom three would not necessarily be tolerated. However, he has taken us to the very top and kept us there two seasons so he's probably earned enough credit to be allowed an underwhelming season.
So while we all clear off and do our various bits and pieces over the summer, the club gets busy. There's much to do. Recruitment remains an issue and it seems we are in search of some sort of identity.
Still, eh? There's always next year.
Last edited:
Lindfield by the Pond
Well-known member
Bernardo has got some, really turned it on on a few occasions today. Quite impressed. But, yes some more pace needed.
Nixonator
Well-known member
The money wasted on them is nothing. We are due another enormous payout for staying in this league, with the guarantee of 3 years parachutes.
The wage structure doesn't need to change radically no, but there's little doubt that it needs to rise in order to attract a higher calibre of player.
Nobody is talking about wages in the 100k+, but we certainly need to be able to offer more than 40k which is paid in the Championship nowadays. That's the world we now find ourselves in.
Problem with chancing it on players like Locadia and Ali J is they may be on manageable wages, but who the feck is going to want to buy them if we go down? Whereas if we pay the going rate for a sure-thing, despite being on unsustainable wages, they are normally saleable if relegated.
Tyrone Biggums
Well-known member
Our "creative" players just aren't creative enough.
Not enough pace or skill to open teams up regularly.
Any wide out player gets turned into a wing back that spends more time defending than taking on the opposition defenders.
Not enough pace or skill to open teams up regularly.
Any wide out player gets turned into a wing back that spends more time defending than taking on the opposition defenders.
colonies man
New member
- Jul 30, 2011
- 488
Lost faith in Chris I’m afraid.We all know pace is lacking all through the team.Poor Glenn is a man clearly on borrowed time but without him we would be down today.Right back,midfield 1/2 for sure,wingers we need Solly to perform more regularly and a fit Jose then who knows? Finally a new keeper,I thought Matty had a good first half but a mare in the second.Weak hands on the 3rd and missing on the fourth.
Charlies Shinpad
New member
Yes but Burnley play with 2 upfront every game unlike us
Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk
I haven't seen the latest stats, but in March we were second bottom of the distance run league. Seems there is a fitness/effort problem or maybe its the park the bus tactics or a combination of both. Given the relative success of the U23s shouldn't we be looking to bring a few young players through rather than gambling in the transfer market?
We were told that the players had a hyper fitness regime in the summer to facilitate gengenpressing this season ... didn't seem to materialise though.
seagull_special
Well-known member
Gross and Izquierdo were massive misses this year and were pale shadows of themselves
Overly reliant on Dunk and Duffy to batten down the hatches always inviting pressure on defense
Physically we were not strong enough or fast enough on the counter
Risk averse the side pass as opposed to looking to dissect defenses
Overly reliant on Murray to score and to be honest, I think this season will have taken it’s toll on him
CH constantly priming us for defeat.
these are the issues that need addressing. On a more positive note. Love Bissouma and Bernardo. We survived and by the time August comes we will all be daring to go just don’t want another survival at any cost next year.
Overly reliant on Dunk and Duffy to batten down the hatches always inviting pressure on defense
Physically we were not strong enough or fast enough on the counter
Risk averse the side pass as opposed to looking to dissect defenses
Overly reliant on Murray to score and to be honest, I think this season will have taken it’s toll on him
CH constantly priming us for defeat.
these are the issues that need addressing. On a more positive note. Love Bissouma and Bernardo. We survived and by the time August comes we will all be daring to go just don’t want another survival at any cost next year.
maltaseagull
Well-known member
Surely a Brazilian would be better?
Just reviewing yesterday's replies.
If you had waited 30 seconds you would have seen my edit
(Bloody auto spell checker!)
GT49er
Well-known member
If we expect to get 2 fast and strong CMs, plus a striker, plus a RB all for £70M, we'll likely end up with no better than we've already got.
tigertim68
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2012
- 2,321
He Was also at fault for letting the ball go for a corner, which resulted in the second goal
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
I’d like to see us try and get the Cardiff keeper who really impressed me late in the season. I can’t help thinking that there have been quite a few crucial goals conceded by Ryan that bigger keepers would have often got to. I think he’s a good keeper but top corner stuff has him beaten most times.
Picky? Yes but just a thought and I don’t think we have good enough competition, although Button is certainly OK.
Is it heresy to say I don’t think any of our keepers are top class.
Picky? Yes but just a thought and I don’t think we have good enough competition, although Button is certainly OK.
Is it heresy to say I don’t think any of our keepers are top class.
Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
Couldn’t disagree more.
Ryan is shorter than other keepers but, I’d say, he’s the best keeper we’ve had for as long as I’ve been a supporter.
Australia’s No.1 and widely recognised as one of the best reflex keepers in the PL. he’s saved our arses on so many occasions this season that it’s mind boggling to hear all this naysaying. Of all the positions I could criticise on the pitch...his is right at the bottom.
Goalkeepers need to dominate the penalty area - he doesn't.