[Albion] Up Yours, Pundits!

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't remember us being that tipped to go down
Until football stopped for two months it did look pretty likely, I don't think the pundits could have predicted a pandemic

First thread I found searching under relegation

https://www.northstandchat.com/show...down-as-finishing-bottom&highlight=relegation

 

[Arthur]

Every year the teams that come up are often argued as having great chances of doing better than the three that went down. A lot fans on here are being dismissive of Leeds' chances next year, but because of their history of being a big club, and the dominance they showed in the championship, a lot of pundits will view them as having a great chance of a top half/mid table finish. West Brom are a yo-yo club who have some premier league pedigree and there's always a sense that teams like that 'will have learned from their previous relegation and will do better this time'. They were the same arguments with Norwich and Villa last year.

"The ones that are just missing out on relegation this year will struggle next year and with the strength of the teams coming up, I worry for them" is the sort of punditry that will happen every year. If we're always just missing out on relegation, it will be said of us every year. I wouldn't be suprised if us, whichever of villa/watford/bournemouth survive, and whoever is promoted from the play offs make up most pundits/bookies bottom three for next year.

From what I've seen over the last few weeks I don't think Leeds or West Brom are much to worry about. Brentford have been the team I've been impressed with. But its into the realms of cup football now so it could be any of the 4. Once again the championship didn't fail to deliver with a team coming from no where into the play offs last minute so I certainly wouldn't bet against Swansea doing it.

You've only got to look at the current wankfest about Leeds in the media to support they will be fancied to do ok next year. I doubt they will. A general rule of thumb is two of the three that come up will struggle. So they'll be down there I expect......as will we again justifying the bookmakers and pundit fancying us to go down.

 

[LlcoolJ]

You could say that for Leeds more than any of the other potential relegation candidates. They did very well in a pretty poor Championship, had barely any injuries and used a very small number of regular players. A bit of bad luck on injuries, burn out from a different pace in the Prem... we'll see.

Hopefully their bigness will protect them

See also Sheffield United this season and Leicester when they won the title. If you don't have a balanced squad then all it takes is two or three major injuries and the team is drastically weakened.

I think we're getting much better in that respect but you still need that bit of luck.

 

[GT49er]

First thread I found searching under relegation

https://www.northstandchat.com/show...down-as-finishing-bottom&highlight=relegation

There was another thread with links (to The Athletic?) where all the journos gave their predictions for relegation - and all but one of them had us down for relegation. Not so annoyed about that - we are only bobbling about just above the relegation zone most of the time, and we'd only just avoided relegation in 2019 - but what was annoying was the the comments; they clearly had no knowledge of the club at all.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There was another thread with links (to The Athletic?) where all the journos gave their predictions for relegation - and all but one of them had us down for relegation. Not so annoyed about that - we are only bobbling about just above the relegation zone most of the time, and we'd only just avoided relegation in 2019 - but what was annoying was the the comments; they clearly had no knowledge of the club at all.

You're right, it is lazy journalism. Last year, especially when Chris Hughton was sacked, it was easy to write us off.

 

[FatSuperman]

EDIT: Weird delayed double-post situation x

 

[Lower West Stander]

You're right, it is lazy journalism. Last year, especially when Chris Hughton was sacked, it was easy to write us off.

Most journalism in the mainstream media is pretty lazy. You have to go into the quality publications in any sector be it sport, business, politics etc, before you can any proper information or insight.

Journalists are just wordsmiths saying things to get readership up. They can come up with a lot of crap because they are accountable to no one in their judgement.

 

[Silverhatch]

Most journalism in the mainstream media is pretty lazy. You have to go into the quality publications in any sector be it sport, business, politics etc, before you can any proper information or insight.

Journalists are just wordsmiths saying things to get readership up. They can come up with a lot of crap because they are accountable to no one in their judgement.

As is football punditry. So lazy and unprofessional it's not true. Happy to wax-lyrical about the top six-eight but utterly flummoxed when discussing #teamslikebrighton

 

[nickbrighton]

Its just lazy "journalism" . It doesn't take a great deal of thought to look at the table at the end of the season and just simply make assumptions based on the standings. The fact that in that great sports journalist Garths team of the week, we had "somehow managed to claw our way out of the relegation zone", an area of the table that we hadnt seen since August 2017, shows how much time the pundits actually spend researching and thinking about what they spout.

Ive watched BT Sport, Sky Sport, and BBC for live games since restart and while the BBC are head and shoulders above the rest in terms of presentation and at least entertaining presenters (Souness has to be the worst studio pundit out there) by far the most knowledgeable and least biased are the NBCSN presenters. They seem to give a balanced view of all 20 clubs and have at least done some research. With Brighton, they frequently said that as Potter was completely changing the style, he had done a good job and that the depth and quality of the squad were increasingly good,and that they expect a more successful season next time. It also seems true about the other teams outside the top six, and commentary wasn't all about the top six teams and the players lockdown hair cuts! I nowwatch NBCSN even if there is a free to air broadcast from SKY or BT

 

[Acker79]

From what I've seen over the last few weeks I don't think Leeds or West Brom are much to worry about. Brentford have been the team I've been impressed with. But its into the realms of cup football now so it could be any of the 4. Once again the championship didn't fail to deliver with a team coming from no where into the play offs last minute so I certainly wouldn't bet against Swansea doing it.

You've only got to look at the current wankfest about Leeds in the media to support they will be fancied to do ok next year. I doubt they will. A general rule of thumb is two of the three that come up will struggle. So they'll be down there I expect......as will we again justifying the bookmakers and pundit fancying us to go down.

Yeah, you're basing that on what you've seen. Most pundits will lazily be basing their opinions on the team name and how much they recognise them, where they finished in the table. They won't be basing it on actual performance, trends, growth in club/squad/ability etc.

I'm not saying the pundits are right, just that they are predictably lazy with their predictions each season, and that includes teams who have no great premier league or european history aka #teamslikebrighton who are a place or two outside the releagation zone each year, will always find themselves predicted for the drop (and to be honest, fans can be too, I'm sure during one of the recent matches there was a thread about how much tougher it will be next year - the ones coming up being stronger, the other strugglers pushing on and improving while assuming we stand still).

 

[Blackadder]

It isn't true: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40908332.

And look who were second,

I went to that Leicester game. It wasn't a pleasant experience. We did well to keep it down to 2-0.

 

[Jim in the West]

From what I've seen over the last few weeks I don't think Leeds or West Brom are much to worry about. Brentford have been the team I've been impressed with. But its into the realms of cup football now so it could be any of the 4. Once again the championship didn't fail to deliver with a team coming from no where into the play offs last minute so I certainly wouldn't bet against Swansea doing it.

You've only got to look at the current wankfest about Leeds in the media to support they will be fancied to do ok next year. I doubt they will. A general rule of thumb is two of the three that come up will struggle. So they'll be down there I expect......as will we again justifying the bookmakers and pundit fancying us to go down.

When I've seen Leeds I've been pretty impressed. They bossed a full-strength Arsenal side in the FA Cup, but ran out of steam - and that could be their downfall in the Prem. Next season will be more intense, and keeping up Bielsa's style will be tough. They like to play out from the back, too, which will be a lot more risky in the Premier League - esp without Ben White

 

[Uh_huh_him]

And look who were second,

I went to that Leicester game. It wasn't a pleasant experience. We did well to keep it down to 2-0.

Indeed! we beat them a couple of games later I believe.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

It isn't true: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40908332.

Technically you're right, although I cannot stand – nor see the point in – putting promotion/relegation/champions lines into a table that early in the season.

There was another thread with links (to The Athletic?) where all the journos gave their predictions for relegation - and all but one of them had us down for relegation. Not so annoyed about that - we are only bobbling about just above the relegation zone most of the time, and we'd only just avoided relegation in 2019 - but what was annoying was the the comments; they clearly had no knowledge of the club at all.

It was Football Index and the defence was that 'they weren't journalists or established pundits': https://news.footballindex.co.uk/pr...etting-relegated-their-one-to-watch-and-more/

 

[surlyseagull]

Every year the teams that come up are often argued as having great chances of doing better than the three that went down. A lot fans on here are being dismissive of Leeds' chances next year, but because of their history of being a big club, and the dominance they showed in the championship, a lot of pundits will view them as having a great chance of a top half/mid table finish.

Which is why we wont sell Ben White to them.

 

[Blackadder]

Indeed! we beat them a couple of games later I believe.

Our first win. I still remember John Motson waxing lyrical about Christian Gross scoring Brighton's first ever goal in the Premier League.





Technically Motty was correct There was football before the Premier League but that's for another thread

 

[spence]

It will be very much as you were for this season also. That's the nature of the beast. When you finish above the relegation zone every season you will be favorites for the drop with most media outlets. Law of averages they will get it right one year.

 

[el punal]

It isn't true: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40908332.

Okay - but really that one is stretching a point, a table with just two games played, and with some clubs only having played once.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

And the bookies. How wrong were you? Twelve months ago you predicted Brighton were absolute certs for relegation, along with Sheffield United. Most had us down to finish in 20th place, a few at 19th. Consider this you twunts - ever since we were promoted to the Premier League we have NEVER been in the bottom three. With one game to go we will finish 15th, 15= or 16th depending on the final outcome of results. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Enjoy the humble pie! Rant over.

Nice little article here..

https://www.football365.com/news/brighton-forward-motion-hughton-potter-opinion

Last year we finished 18th in xPTS - a table based on expected goals (xG). Last two teams to finish bottom 3 in xPTS but stay up were relegated the next season (Swansea and Huddersfield). Totally understandable their that we were favourites for relegation.

We didn't make that a hattrick because of the decisive change in manager by Bloom, and this year we are 13th in xPTS.

Next year turn draws into wins whilst playing same brand of football, will be exciting we hope.

 

[matski_98]

Just checked the TalkSport "super-computer" predictions for the season just gone. I'm not sure how they work it out but the computer was way off:

20. Brighton (relegated)

19. Sheffield United (relegated)

18. Newcastle (relegated)

17. Crystal Palace

16. Aston Villa

15. Norwich City
14. Burnley

13. Watford

12. Southampton

11. Bournemouth

10. Leicester City

9. Wolves

8. Everton

7. West Ham United

6. Chelsea

5. Arsenal (Europa League qualification)

4. Manchester United (Champions League qualification)

3. Tottenham Hotspur (Champions League qualification)

2. Liverpool (Champions League qualification)

1. Manchester City (Premier League champions)