Brighton and Hove Albion 21/22

I was really impressed with how Joel Veltman played Lukaku. I always thought he was undervalued and underrated at Ajax, but he looks to be adapting really well in the Premier League.

Class footballer IMO. Very technically sound and stronger than he looks.
 
BHA win at Goodison Park 2-3

I watched the whole game Everton vs a strong BHA side. Rafa got his tactics wrong at the start and it looked like it would be a romp. But he corrected them and made a game of it as Brighton got very sloppy with their passing in the second half. There are no easy games in the Premier League.
 
Five minutes? Its about 3 years, isn't it?
In September 2018, it was announced that Ashworth had resigned his role with the FA, and would take up the post of Technical Director at Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in spring 2019. 8 of the 25 squad players signed during this time, but more than a whole team of academy/reserve players.
 
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BHA win at Goodison Park 2-3

I watched the whole game Everton vs a strong BHA side. Rafa got his tactics wrong at the start and it looked like it would be a romp. But he corrected them and made a game of it as Brighton got very sloppy with their passing in the second half. There are no easy games in the Premier League.
That was actually shocking. How could he not spot it within the first ten minutes that Brighton had completely boxed his midfield in. His decline as a manager is mad.
 
Nearly 3 years then. Most of their team and Graham Potter were signed under his watch.

FIrst thing he did was to get rid of Chris Hughton and sign Graham Potter.
First team players signed; Trossard, Maupay, Webster, Veltman, Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Mwepa, Welbeck, Lallana, 10/21. 8/11.

£100+ million transfer fees?
 
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That was actually shocking. How could he not spot it within the first ten minutes that Brighton had completely boxed his midfield in. His decline as a manager is mad.
Everyone spotted it, but the damage was done by the tune of two goals. Not the first manager that has come a cropper to Potterball, but the Brighton forwards usually misfire.
 
FIrst thing he did was to get rid of Chris Hughton and sign Graham Potter.
First team players signed; Trossard, Maupay, Webster, Veltman, Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Mwepa, Welbeck, Lallana, 10/25. 8/11.

£100 million transfer fees?
I see what you’re saying but it’s Brighton, change it to Manchester United and you can double their prices simply on our reputation
 
I see what you’re saying but it’s Brighton, change it to Manchester United and you can double their prices simply on our reputation

It seems like overspend and all Ashworth signings would struggle to get in the United side. Most of the expensive striker duds predated his arrival though.
 
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BHA have been more attacking since Christmas but are still missing chances and failing to counter attack. Possession and passing is like a top 6 team. Defending is top 10 if set pieces are excluded.
 
The Albion reached a new higher level with their home 1-1 draw against Chelsea. 5 regular first teamers missing. Welbeck missed a hatrick of chances and there were other near misses, Webster for England!?
 
I wonder how good they'd be if they had a decent striker up front rather than Maupay? Every time I see them play that's always what holds them back.
 
I wonder how good they'd be if they had a decent striker up front rather than Maupay? Every time I see them play that's always what holds them back.

When Maupay came on, everything he did was a catastrophe. He was all over the place (as in shambles) until near the end.
Brighton were fantastic in that Chelsea game and deserved to win.
As you say, they needed a decent striker.
That performance was better than anything we've seen from Utd in recent times.
 
FIrst thing he did was to get rid of Chris Hughton and sign Graham Potter.
First team players signed; Trossard, Maupay, Webster, Veltman, Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Mwepa, Welbeck, Lallana, 10/21. 8/11.

£100+ million transfer fees?


Dan Ashworth resigns. David Weir replacement?
 
Dan Ashworth going to Newcastle is potentially a great move for them.
 
BHA are misrepresented in the tabloids.

Style: defensive possession football, selective pressing
Strengths: playing their way out of the press, restricting the opposition creating chances
Weaknesses: finishing off chances, inability to counter attack successfully

A bit more defensive than the pundits mention.

Class players: Dunk
Useful players: Trossard, Veltman, Webster, Bissouma

Formation, very flexible 3-5-1-1 (I can't understand it, but it seems to work, not sure why?)


United counter attacking ability is very well suited to beating Brighton 1-1

Useful players add Cucurella, which makes four useful defenders.
 
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When Maupay came on, everything he did was a catastrophe. He was all over the place (as in shambles) until near the end.
Brighton were fantastic in that Chelsea game and deserved to win.
As you say, they needed a decent striker.
That performance was better than anything we've seen from Utd in recent times.
Chelsea played well in the Amex game, but it showed doubts about Tuchel.
 
BHA Home vs Liverpool on Saturday early start. Then Spurs and Man City.
 
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The sales of Ben White and Dan Burn have reduced BHA defensive strength in depth and resulted in an unexpected loss at Newcastle.
 
The sales of Ben White and Dan Burn have reduced BHA defensive strength in depth and resulted in an unexpected loss at Newcastle.


What was unexpected about it?

Newcastle had just picked up 13 out of 15 points and were at home against a team with 3 out of 15. Fair enough, 2 of Brighton's defeats in that time were away to United and Spurs, 2 of the bigger clubs in the land but they'd also lost consecutive home games against Burnley and Villa, scoring 0 and conceding 5 right before that Newcastle match.


Brighton had literally won just 3 league matches in 21 attempts prior to that game. Drawn loads in that time (W3 D12 L6) but if you draw a lot it doesn't take much to lose a game.

They've practically been in relegation form points-wise since October getting a point a game on average.
 
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BHA needed the 3 pts against Arsenal to make then safe with a very difficult fixture list. Now safe.
 
They need to score some goals. I think every season they've been in the 5 lowest goal totals. Currently 3rd worst.
 
They need to score some goals. I think every season they've been in the 5 lowest goal totals. Currently 3rd worst.

Their xG stats are consistently terrible year-on-year too which proves they just aren't finishing well enough.

I still don't understand why they haven't tried harder to bring in a recognised goalscorer. It was abundantly obvious after the 2019-20 season they needed help upfront and their solution was to bring in Danny Welbeck. Fast forward a year and they're in the same situation and so far all they've done to resolve it again is sign a guy from the Belgian league.
 
Typical small market team. I feel for their fans who must be bored stiff of them hovering around the lower table, not even getting a good cup run.

They should be looking at FA's in the Summer like Teemu Pukki.

Even Nketiah and Jordan Ayew would probably improve them (and that's saying something).
 
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Typical small market team. I feel for their fans who must be bored stiff of them hovering around the lower table, not even getting a good cup run.
There does seem to be signs of frustration but I would expect that after all those years in the bottom two leagues it'll take a while longer before Premier League mediocrity is something the majority are fed up with.
 
Typical small market team. I feel for their fans who must be bored stiff of them hovering around the lower table, not even getting a good cup run.

They should be looking at FA's in the Summer like Teemu Pukki.

Even Nketiah and Jordan Ayew would probably improve them (and that's saying something).
Jordan Ayew would never go to Brighton from Palace.
 
Typical small market team. I feel for their fans who must be bored stiff of them hovering around the lower table, not even getting a good cup run.
Do you mean that seriously? Or how do you think fans of the vast majority of clubs feel, that are unlikely to win anything ever in their lifetime?

I guess competing for promotion is nice every now and then, but I suppose Brighton fans would prefer their current boring life over getting excited over promotion again - as that would require relegation to the Championship first.
 
Do you mean that seriously? Or how do you think fans of the vast majority of clubs feel, that are unlikely to win anything ever in their lifetime?

I guess competing for promotion is nice every now and then, but I suppose Brighton fans would prefer their current boring life over getting excited over promotion again - as that would require relegation to the Championship first.

Not exactly no. I've had baseball on the brain all week and finding the sports blending into each other. Hence using the term 'small market team'.

There was a thing recently with their fans booing after a draw against Leeds, so I wonder if being relatively stationary for a few years, rather than on an upward or downward trajectory, makes following them a little boring for some fans(?)

https://talksport.com/football/991359/perplexed-graham-potter-booing-brighton-leeds/

I was serious about their attack being dreadful. I've no doubt Pukki - if available - would be an upgrade on Maupay.
 
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Not exactly no. I've had baseball on the brain all week and finding the sports blending into each other. Hence using the term 'small market team'.
Oh, I barely even noticed that. I mean, they are a small-market team - although in practice it doesn't really work like that in soccer, at least in the EPL. England is small, so your ability to fill a stadium doesn't just rely on the size of your immediate metropolitan area, and after that, the EPL has a global appeal so you share in that market for tv rights, sponsorships, and other advertizing.
There was a thing recently with their fans booing after a draw against Leeds, so I wonder if being relatively stationary for a few years, rather than on an upward or downward trajectory, makes following them a little boring for some fans(?)
Yeah, I know. It's so weird. I guess their fans have gotten a little spoilt under Potter, cause realistically, I would think Brighton fans should be delighted to be in a position where they're in the EPL, playing good football, safe from relegation, and their next step might have them looking up rather than down (as long as Potter stays). Maybe they're starting to take that for granted and getting impatient about that next step.
I was serious about their attack being dreadful. I've no doubt Pukki - if available - would be an upgrade on Maupay.
Absolutely, it's been their problem for at least two seasons - their inability to turn good performances into wins due to a lack of goalscoring.
 
I saw that the young Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo that we were heavily linked with got some minutes against Arsenal. Anyone know how he did?
 
I saw that the young Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo that we were heavily linked with got some minutes against Arsenal. Anyone know how he did?
He got a lovely assist, did really well for his debut. The lad has massive potential and that 4 million quid already looks like a total steal.
 
Yeah, I know. It's so weird. I guess their fans have gotten a little spoilt under Potter, cause realistically, I would think Brighton fans should be delighted to be in a position where they're in the EPL, playing good football, safe from relegation, and their next step might have them looking up rather than down (as long as Potter stays). Maybe they're starting to take that for granted and getting impatient about that next step.

That's spot on. They've got it really good under Potter. The bigger danger I would say is losing him to a 'bigger' club or more attractive job. They would most likely go backwards with the next person, and I'm pretty sure most Brighton fans are realistic or know this. I would hope so, anyway.

I spent 4 years there at uni and it's a wonderful city. Still one of my absolute favourite places and I still visit there regularly. The position they're in right now is one that most fans could only dream about before. There are still frustrations about scoring goals, but the fans I know are still overall pleased with the quality of football (quite frustrating to see clubs like Brighton passing it around nicely whilst we can barely do that at United). Somewhere in that 10-16th bracket is where they're currently at with the club, but the huge plus that they've got is Potter. Quality, goal-scoring strikers are gold dust, but they've got to find one from somewhere. Players like Danny Welbeck just aren't going to cut it.
 
That's spot on. They've got it really good under Potter. The bigger danger I would say is losing him to a 'bigger' club or more attractive job. They would most likely go backwards with the next person, and I'm pretty sure most Brighton fans are realistic or know this. I would hope so, anyway.

I spent 4 years there at uni and it's a wonderful city. Still one of my absolute favourite places and I still visit there regularly. The position they're in right now is one that most fans could only dream about before. There are still frustrations about scoring goals, but the fans I know are still overall pleased with the quality of football (quite frustrating to see clubs like Brighton passing it around nicely whilst we can barely do that at United). Somewhere in that 10-16th bracket is where they're currently at with the club, but the huge plus that they've got is Potter. Quality, goal-scoring strikers are gold dust, but they've got to find one from somewhere. Players like Danny Welbeck just aren't going to cut it.
Yeah, I'd think so (for the bolded bit).

I do hope they get to keep Potter and land that striker next season. I'd love to see how far he could take them! (Rather then Potter joining, say, Leicester, and Brighton getting relegated two years later.)
 
Not too surprising the fans were booing in some ways, on one of their worst runs of the season until that recent win. Fans obviously fickle nowadays, but including the game where we beat them on the 15th February (Before that they picked up 3 points against Watford), they had 1 point from a possible 21, a 0-0 draw at home to Norwich. Involving scoring 1 goal in the same period in a loss to Newcastle.

One of the teams whose recent form is actually up there with ours in terms of how awful it has been.

When you split the season in half...

The first half of the season (19 games) they were averaging 1.05 goals per game, and 1.42 points. Not prolific, but picking up points in spite of it. So far, in the second half of the season, they are averaging 0.67 goals and 0.83 points per game. Which shows a considerable drop off. Its going to be difficult to match the first half of the season in the remaining games. They need to score just under 2 a game, and to pick up 6 wins in 7 games from the following:

Spurs (A)
City (A)
Southampton (H)
Wolves (A)
Us (H)
Leeds (A)
West Ham (H)

So, after such a good start, there really was an alarming slump for them, which probably explains the fan unrest, especially when you consider they have only scored 2 at home in 2022, both in January.
 
Talk we're floating a Danny Ings-Bissouma swop deal.

Bissouma certainly isn't staying so would've thought that would be a reasonable deal for both parties.
 
Potter needs to find a better club, he's ready to take the next step.