[Albion] The Evolution of Bobby Zamora

[BUTTERBALL]

I was so happy to see Bobby come back and I knew if he could stay fit he would do well and I think that has been the key, Hughton has managed him brilliantly. Was gutted when he left but this is like a dream to see him banging in the goals at the Amex all these years later. My all time Albion hero with a great love for our club scoring goals - it doesn't get any better.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I was beyond excited when he signed but I had a little worry when he played his first game for us and he looked, lets say, slightly unfit.....


Yet in 3 months or so he is quicker, sharper, looks physically SLEEKER and of course retains his brilliant footballing ability and brain.

Yesterday was a masterful performance in being a target man. Play it to his feet and you know, 99% of the time, he will make the right decision with it. Some of his hold up play was just Textbook.

 

[Springal]

I love watching Bobby because he has a brilliant football brain. The way he can bring the ball down and others into play shows his class and experience we have rarely seen. Also has that goal scorer ability to be in the right place / time.

Also scored a few with his right leg now too

 

[Driver8]

IF we go up surely BZ will be the only Albion player to play for us in promotion teams from all three divisions?

 

[pasty]

How far is he off 100 Albion goals? Think I read somewhere last week he is in the 80's

 

[crookie]

How far is he off 100 Albion goals? Think I read somewhere last week he is in the 80's

Think they said 88 on Soccer Saturday

 

[Brighton Mod]

I would take my father to Withdean and he would observe that Bobby Zamora was thinking two seconds ahead of everyone else in the team, Bobby went onto a bigger a club, my father was of course correct.
He returns to us this season with some doubters bemoaning his speed, stamina etc. and yet I see he is still two seconds ahead of everyone else in his thinking. His goals have nothing to do with luck, he positions himself in the box and when he and the ball are there its always dangerous for the opposition.
Whilst warming up before his return to the pitch at the Amex, having never kicked a ball here, there were huge cheers and an ovation. My partner turned to me and said why are they cheering he hasn't done anything yet, to which I replied 'he doesn't have to just coming back is enough'. What an acquisition, he can do no wrong this is a fairytale!

 

[Pavilionaire]

This deal is turning out better than either party could have expected. Bobby's nouse in the penalty area is of the highest quality, he's always had that, for me it was a no-brainer summer signing and, yes, there's en extra 10% in my goal celebration when it's Bobby.

 

[glasfryn]

I would take my father to Withdean and he would observe that Bobby Zamora was thinking two seconds ahead of everyone else in the team, Bobby went onto a bigger a club, my father was of course correct.
He returns to us this season with some doubters bemoaning his speed, stamina etc. and yet I see he is still two seconds ahead of everyone else in his thinking. His goals have nothing to do with luck, he positions himself in the box and when he and the ball are there its always dangerous for the opposition.
Whilst warming up before his return to the pitch at the Amex, having never kicked a ball here, there were huge cheers and an ovation. My partner turned to me and said why are they cheering he hasn't done anything yet, to which I replied 'he doesn't have to just coming back is enough'. What an acquisition, he can do no wrong this is a fairytale!

you will notice he nearly always takes a step backwards just before he scores, expecting the ball to come to him, thats what you call experience.
to my shame I voted for him NOT to come back, but then I never get the scores right either.
if you cut him you will find his blood is blue and white as well

 

[Simster]

I thought it was a mistake signing him. I thought his time had passed, he'd come on occasionally, try almost too hard, and add nothing except the ability to hold the ball up. Honestly, i worried we were paying for an older Chris O Grady with a better touch.

Don't get me wrong, I was a STH for the first Zamora era, I know how good he was for us and I still believe he could have played regularly for the country. But last season was such a clusterfck I really thought his signing was desperate.

I cannot tell you how happy I am that was so, so wrong. And I don't need to, because anyone who was similarly cynical will know. [emoji106]

If we go up, Zamora will go down as the club's greatest club man. People will sing his name 30 years from now. He is on the verge of eclipsing Peter Ward I think.

 

[1234andcounting]

He is on the verge of eclipsing Peter Ward I think.

Very much agree with this. To have had two top class goalscorers who scored for fun in their primes with the club and then returned to add a few more, and who both absolutely love the club has been tremendous. I didn't think anyone would surpass Wardy as the all time Albion legend, but a few more interventions from BZ, or one crucial one (eg title winning or play off deciding goal) will swing it for me.

The crucial difference between Bobby and the other strikers we have, and that is not to criticise Hemed, Baldock or anyone else is, it seems to me that Bobby knows he is going to score, the others are just hoping they will.

 

[Hillian1]

Never wanted to see him back for fear of him struggling, I wanted the memories to be only good ones.

How very wrong I was, I'm beginning to wonder if he's going to give me even better memories.

 

[hart's shirt]

His goals have nothing to do with luck, he positions himself in the box and when he and the ball are there its always dangerous for the opposition.

Absolutely right.

For the Albion equalizer yesterday, he didn't follow the ball in towards the goal with the covering defender, but rather waited in space just outside the 6 yard box for the ball to come out. He then had all the time to pick his spot.

You can be a second slower in pace on the field, but still make up for it by thinking two seconds quicker than other players.

Rolling their defender to be through on goal and force the foul for the red card was just another example of Zamora's football brain.

Years of experience playing at the top level twinned with a predatory touch.

He's the thinking man's striker.

 

[Simster]

I didn't think anyone would surpass Wardy as the all time Albion legend, but a few more interventions from BZ, or one crucial one (eg title winning or play off deciding goal) will swing it for me.

Last game of next season at home to Palace. We need to win to stay up, Palace need a draw.

Hughton brings on Zamora with ten minutes to play and a thumps home the winner from outside the box with five minutes left, in front of the North Stand. Cue pitch invasion. Zamora chair lifted off the pitch in celebration by the fans at the end of the game.

 

[Triggaaar]

What's his return rate so far compared to other champ strikers?

I've no idea about other strikers, but I make it a goal every 96 minutes of play so far (time he's on allowing for injury time etc).

 

[Triggaaar]

I thought it was a mistake signing him. I thought his time had passed, he'd come on occasionally, try almost too hard, and add nothing except the ability to hold the ball up. Honestly, i worried we were paying for an older Chris O Grady with a better touch.

Don't get me wrong, I was a STH for the first Zamora era, I know how good he was for us and I still believe he could have played regularly for the country. But last season was such a clusterfck I really thought his signing was desperate.

The reason I didn't think it was desperate is that we didn't go straight for him, as if he was our main target. We went for the targets we were always going to go for, Bobby approached the club, and eventually Chris agreed, knowing the cost wasn't too high, and that Bobby was here to add something extra, not be the main focus of our attack.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

BZ has that natural striker's instinct for being in just the right place at just the right time. It's not something you can teach. Even with much of his mobility gone, he's such a huge asset to the club. Who says you should Never Go Back?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Let's not forget the evolution of a certain goalkeeper that kept us in it yesterday.

 

[Triggaaar]

Here's a question for you. Do you go that little bit more mental than usual when Bobby scores? I mean compared to a goal by another Albion player of course!

I did for his first goal at the Amex, but not yesterday, yesterday they were all fairly equal.

Here's a question for you - when did Brighton last have 3 strikers score in one game?

 

[essbee]

His first touch and control have always been, and still are amazing.