Let's get one thing straight....

[liam82]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

 

[hitony]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

Great post fair play

 

[Paddy Finucane]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

This with Bells on!!! 3 wins in 17 ..... Anyone else would be long gone.....

 

[stss30]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

Top, top, post. Explains the situation perfectly.

 

[Hillian1]

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

These two lines sums up EXACTLY how I feel right now.

If we keep playing the way we do with no alternative people will think twice about coming.

 

[Silkster365]

Great post - balanced view and a lot of good points in there.

 

[sagaman]

I have followed the club through thick and thin since Goldstone via the hated Gillingham and the eccentric Withdean.
Seems to me that the Championship is probably the right level for BHA but would be good to try the Prem

Very disappointing that following a good stat to 2012/3 with more pace being injected GPs selections and formations are increasingly puzzling. Worry is that we do not seem to be progressing this season despite very many personnel changes.

No magic formula and maybe some Jan transfers will do it. My money is another mid table which compared with a few years ago would be satisfactory.

However it does pout the achievements of Messrs Coppel and McGhee with much more limited resources at Withdean into perspective

 

[Arkwright]

Totally agree. January is a massive month for the side and Gus.

I'm on the fence for Gus' future at the club and can see both sides. Now is not the time for knee jerk reactions, let Gus buy and sell accordingly and see how the second half of the season pans out. I really feel that relegation is not going to happen and we will end up mid table but if Gus has the right players in situ come May and we are playing the style of football that Gus and the coaching staff want let him carry on if not May is time to shake hands and part company.

I really do feel that the club, players, staff and fans are still coming to terms with Championship football, the fantastic Amex Stadium and the forthcoming training facilitity and last the increased income of monies, I hate the term but it is a "journey" and we are going to have to come to terms with the highs and lows. Yesterday was a low however after the January window I am confident that we will see many highs.

Keep the faith.

 

[mune ni kamome]

We signed Dobbie in the last window in a blaze of glory and high hopes, now here we are at the next window and the guy's hardly played

 

[Barn Door Billy]

You are correct sir. We are extremely frustrating at the moment.

 

[Murray 17]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

Spot on. For me it is his inflexibility to play other systems, and this may be the reason why he has not/ may not get a top job. I'm not a great fan of CMS but he basically plays on his own up front, and 25000 people can see every week that we are usually woeful in front of goal. Yes, things go for us occasionally, Bristol City, for example, but after 15 minutes yesterday that game had defeat written all over it. I'm not one of the 'Gus out' brigade, but the frustration of watching this each game is starting to tell.

 

[shaolinpunk]

I don't have a problem with possession football if it is possession with a purpose rather than possession for the sake of it which it often appears to be

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

I'm no JCL, not that it matters, I fully appreciate where we have come from and what Gus has achieved but we are here in the present and that's what matters.

The club is sowing the seeds for a successful future with or without Gus, he is not the messiah and neither is he invulnerable from criticism.

I like many other are not particularly bothered we are 10th in the championship, neither am I bothered if we don't achieve promotion this season, I do believe slow progress in the long run serves you better.

BUT

it is becoming increasingly frustrating watching the Albion, at least at home. In my humble opinion it is hard to see how we have progressed at all in the last 12 months with a supposedly better squad.

Our football is for the large part totally boring and flatters to deceive, we pass with no pace and conviction, we are clueless in the 18 yard box, we don't score from corners or free kicks if we are lucky to score at all.

4 wins at home stretching back to April, all of those bottom sides, no come from behind win since Doncaster in August 2011, these statistics should not be overlooked and are shameful.

Poyet is one of these modern days managers that wants to over complicate what is a simple game, I'm all for possession football, the basic idea we have right but it's executed in a poor fashion, we've all seen it and most of you know what I'm talking about whether you agree or not, we move so slowly forwards we are easy and predictable to defend against.

In football you have to have a plan B, you must be able to adapt to a changing situation and you must be able to mix up Play.

After 15 minutes against Watford it was a downward spiral and we pretty much got what we deserved.

Poyet's transfers have all been questionable, Murray we know about with the benefit of hindsight, however to be fair if we had a choice between him and Mackail-Smith back in 2011 most of us would have been happy enough at the time.

What is Crofts adding to the side, Dobbie?? ( never the player we needed ) Hammond?, Harley? Mackail-Smith constantly played out of a position, he should be picking up the ball through the middle he aint gonna score working in from the wings, total waste of money which I blame Poyet for, last season Paynter and Vokes!!

January is going to be make or break, Poyet can't afford any more light weight failures and I think just saying we need a player or 2 and we will be all right is crap, the fundamental problem is the way we set up to play and how we approach and adapt to games, it worked in league 1, to a degree it worked here but teams have now worked us out and we make it easy for them, we have been saying the same thing all season and nothing has changed.

How many games this season have you really enjoyed? 2 or 3? I'm a mug and have been coming for years and no doubt will continue to do so even if there are only 5000 of us rattling around in the West stand, what do the other 20,000 who come each week to be entertained think? maybe they don't care? and those of us that really do have been swallowed up and are not visible.

Where I sat at Withdean the air would have been blue today based on that performance but by and large where I sit now people accept it.

I wish I could see another way around this I like Poyet, I want him to be a success and I have held back but at this moment I'm struggling.

Stop making sensible posts - gus must not be critisised

 

[melias shoes]

well written and well thought out post. I agree with you.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Th trouble is we are on the crest of a wave with attendances at the moment, so many new fans and non stereotypical football fans that have felt inclined to come no doubt in part to the stadium and general positivity around the Club. Serve up the level of entertainment people received last night for too long and that wave will soon break and we'll be shedding potential fans left right and centre.

More then at anytime the football we are playing now needs to be exciting to get as many people hooked as possible and I can't see anyone getting hooked on the experience from last night.

 

[somerset]

This with Bells on!!! 3 wins in 17 ..... Anyone else would be long gone.....

Nobody really wants him to go, but if we dont pick up by close of play February, I would hazard a guess he may be shown the door to give the new guy some time to turn around what could easily be a relegation battle by then, surely.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Though I agree with the sentiments of the OP, I think it's also fair to point out Gus has also brought in Bridcutt, Buckley, KLL, the Pole in Goal, Greer, Calderon, Bruno, Vicente, and Orlandi who are all quality.

 

[the wanderbus]

Th trouble is we are on the crest of a wave with attendances at the moment, so many new fans and non stereotypical football fans that have felt inclined to come no doubt in part to the stadium and general positivity around the Club. Serve up the level of entertainment people received last night for too long and that wave will soon break and we'll be shedding potential fans left right and centre.

More then at anytime the football we are playing now needs to be exciting to get as many people hooked as possible and I can't see anyone getting hooked on the experience from last night.

It's not just potential fans that will be lost. I was among 4 long term STH's last night( one since 1972) and there was a general consensus that if the current dire football continues renewing, for the first time, will not be a given.

 

[the wanderbus]

Though I agree with the sentiments of the OP, I think it's also fair to point out Gus has also brought in Bridcutt, Buckley, KLL, the Pole in Goal, Greer, Calderon, Bruno, Vicente, and Orlandi who are all quality.

Greer is a wanker, the most negative part of a very negative side. Bruno is a liability , he may look good storming forward but his distribution at times is woeful and he is forever being caught out of position,

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

It's not just potential fans that will be lost. I was among 4 long term STH's last night( one since 1972) and there was a general consensus that if the current dire football continues renewing, for the first time, will not be a given.

I didn't want to say anything about that but I'd hope people would be a bit more loyal. TBH other than the beer and pies I totally dread going to the Amex at the moment and have completely lost my mojo with the Club. It make me sad that im going to every game with such a negative attitude, never used to be like that even when we were very very shit. Will keep going though like a battered wife.