Adam Federici – take a bow. Were it not for a superb performance from the Reading goalkeeper, than the Albion would certainly have had a point from the Championships form team and quite conceivably of taken all three. As it was, some questionable work from yet another referee (but not bad enough to Gus Poyet to storm off early this time) and an heroic display from the Australian condemned them to a first Amex defeat since December.
It’s pretty much a two horse race for the title now between Reading and Southampton – they meet on Friday – yet both teams have been made to look ordinary on their visits to Sussex this season. Which begs the question, should we fall short of the top six, of what might have been had our away form been better, particularly that period before and around Christmas when it seemed fashionable to manage one shot a game.
Ashley Barnes penalty last night was a weak one but it still needed to be saved – and Federici also pulled off stops from Vicente, Craig Mackail-Smith and a superb tip over the bar from a Barnes header. Throw in that on another day with another referee there could have been penalties for handball and when Mackail-Smith was bought to ground in the first half and the result could have been very different.
Vicente was class again, gliding with and without the ball and probably should have done better when he drifted into the box and hit the bar. Sexy Pete pulled off a couple of good stops and Adam El-Abd was colossal at the back, winding up Jason Roberts a treat. The mystery remains as to why Gus seems so reluctant to play Kazenga LuaLua – on his last home start against Derby he was immense yet since then he’s been given fleeting appearances off the bench. His pace could have been just the key to breaking down a stubborn Royals defence
With a daunting trip to West Ham next up on Saturday followed by a home game against Birmingham, it’s looking unlikely that we’ll be figuring in the top six come of the end of season. But having taken another of the title contenders to the brink last night, even Poyet himself said that one day we would make the Premier League with a bit more quality bought in over the summer – and given that he has been very pro-active in linking himself indirectly with jobs in the top flight, the fact that he now seems to be stating he can get there with us is the most encouraging thing of all from last night.
A rather disappointing defeat at Burnley put a huge dent in Albion’s play-off’s hopes after a thoroughly miserable day out in Lancashire.
On the plus side, we don’t live there.
We only have ourselves to blame really. Little width, no cutting edge, sloppy defending to allow Burnley score with their only real chance. All a bit disappointing after a lot of Albion pressure and possession – a great improvement on recent away performances.
In the last game before Christmas, referee Craig Pawson did his best Santa Claus impression by gifting Burnley three points at The Amex with two sendings off in the first fifteen minutes. It may have been the season of goodwill, but that was going a step too far. On Good Friday, the Albion could really do with Eddie Howe and Burnley getting into the spirit of the season by taking the approach to Jesus on the cross and sacrificing their season, which is going nowhere, and allowing Brighton three points in their quest for a play-off place ahead of games against two sides above them in Reading and West Ham. Unlikely to happen? Yeah, we know. Let’s just hope none of the players end up having to get the train home on their own from Turf Moor this time then
Who are Burnley?
A club from which Brighton can take inspiration for their one season spell in the Premier League. One of the most unlikely teams to make the top flight given the size of the town and their comparative lack of resources, Owen Coyle did wonders in taking them into the promised land where a one season stay and a lack of overspending meant that, financially, they are set for a good few years now. What is even more remarkable is that it came off the back of nearly dropping out the league completely in 1987. Sound familiar?
Their history with Brighton?
We’ve only clashed 22 times in the past what with Burnley being a top flight giant in their early days and Brighton being for the majority of their existence particularly mediocre. The closest thing to a rivalry was probably what happened back on that December day at The Amex
Last time we met?
Well, we’ve already mentioned it twice! Burnley were the last team to take three points away from Sussex. Our last visit to the ghastly town in Lancashire was a 1-1 draw in 2005, with Paul McShane scoring and we also drew 1-1 a couple of months previously at the back end of the 2004-2005 season – a game that will always be remembered for a stunning second half performance from Jake Robinson who really did look like the superstar a lot of fans were convinced he would be, and for Mark McCammon’s half time substitution and consequently being told by Mark McGhee to make his own way home. Which lead to a number of Seagulls fans seeing a very confused Lemar look-a-like complete with kit back wandering around Burnley Station
Who has played for both?
Chris Iwelumo hit 11 goals for the Clarets last season before moving onto yet another club to continue his status as one of footballs great journeymen striker. Another forward who had great success with both was Kurt Nogan who left the Goldstone for Turf Moor in 1995 and Ade Akinbyi was a big hit for both sides during a successful spell in Lancashire and a memorable loan time on the South Coast in 1994 when he banged in four goals in seven games
Who to look out for?
Lee Grant is a decent goalkeeper at this level who had a decent game at The Amex which shouldn’t have really been needed given his side had a two man advantage. Big things were expected of Dean Marney when he was coming through the ranks at Spurs and he finally looks like he might be living up to that potential this season while in Jay Rodriquez and Charlie Austin they have two impressive strikers at this level
Prediction?
No away win since the Leeds Leeds Leeds game back in February and we can’t see that changing. A third 1-1 draw at Turf Moor is on the cards
Another good point at The Amex against a play-off rival in the form of Middlesbrough – one of the most impressive teams we’ve seen in Sussex this season, epitomised by Marvin Emnes who caused all manner of problems all afternoon for the defence.
It was a quiet afternoon by the sky-high standards that Vicente has set himself in recent weeks and the game perhaps highlighted that Gus Poyet, with just a month of the season remaining, still doesn’t know who his best team is – Kazenga LuaLua, outstanding in the last home game against Derby, was back on the bench for this one while another player who has raised the bar ludicrously high this season in Will Buckley had one of his quietest games in the stripes.
Still, a good point in the quest for the play-offs that set’s the team up nicely for a massive week that could define our season with trips to Burnley and West Ham with a home match against Reading in between. And it’s always nice to hear some praise from an opposition manager, with Tony Mowbray stating: “Their psychology can only benefit football. Brighton play in a similar way to how Swansea played in the Championship last season.”
Let’s hope we end the season with the same result as Swansea last season
After our woeful performance at the Riverside back in December with the 679 traveling fans witnessing one shot on target and Casper Ankergren’s best Coco the Clown impression to date, who would have thought that the return game would prove to be pivotal in the battle for a play-off place? Such has been the Albion’s turn around since the turn of the year that is now the case, with Gus Poyet’s men in fourth and Middlesbrough sitting just behind in fifth. With recent results highlighting that, Southampton and Reading apart, nobody seems to really want to be in the Premier League next season, Saturday really is the first must-win game of a run in that is all in the Seagulls hands – and that is shown with the fact that tickets for the game have taken on a mythical, Willy Wonka-like status!
Who are Middlesbrough?
For fans of flair, Boro were THE Premier League team of the late 90′s. They had the likes of Juninho, Emmerson, Ravanelli, Branco and Phil Stamp in a side that were runners up in both the FA Cup and League Cup of 1997 – the same year they were relegated from the top flight. They bounced straight back to become a solid Premier League side with Schteve McClaren winning the League Cup and taking them on a memorable run to the final of the Uefa Cup before England came calling. Relegation followed a few seasons later and after an ill-fated spell when Gordon Strachan tried to become the first manager in the history of the English game to field a team entirely made up of Jockos, Tony Mowbray now looks to have them pushing for a return to the top flight.
Their history with Brighton?
Nothing really. Which is just as well given how bloody far away they are!!
Last time we met?
Casper Ankergren buttering up his gloves saw us slip to a 1-0 defeat at the Riverside on a trip that was only noticable for the discovery of the chicken parmo, one of the most grossly unhealthy yet bloody fantastic things we’ve ever had the honour of sampling. Boro’s last visit to Sussex came in the League Cup in October 1993 when they were 3-1 victors at the Goldstone, while we haven’t sampled victory over them since the a Wednesday evening match in Sussex in February 1990 when the Albion were 1-0 victors. That’s a long way to go for a midweek defeat!
Who has played for both?
Ben Roberts conceded the second fastest goal in FA Cup history while playing for his home-town team in 1997 and looking suspiciously like a girl, with not only an alice band on but also one of the most sensationally awful goalkeepers kits in the history of the game. Mark Yeates had spells with us and yes, it is another Championship club that Ian Baird also played for!
Who to look out for?
Despite being nearly old enough to qualify for a bus pass, veteran midfielder Barry Robson is still pulling the strings for Boro in midfield despite the fact that he will be departing for Canada at the end of the season to join the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS. Marvin Emnes is a big goal threat while Jason Steele is one of the more capable goalkeepers in the league as he showed with a penalty save that earned Boro a point on Tuesday night against Ipswich.
Prediction?
A tough looking game, certainly one of the hardest we will have faced since Southampton’s visit at the turn of the New Year. Rickie Lambert’s sending off turned that game on it’s head, so we will go for a 1-1 – preserving the unbeaten Amex run that stretches back to before Christmas.
Nottingham – the gun capital of England. If you can avoid being mown down by hoodies brandishing uzi’s, then it’s actually not a bad place to go, as over a thousand Albion fans dressed in all manner of ridiculous costumes found out on our visit back in May to Notts County. Decent pubs, a Hooters and the City Ground is one of those old-school stadiums with a modern feel. Some of the best away results in Seagull’s history have come on the banks of the Trent, and Gus Poyet’s men will be hoping to add another to that list as the race for the play-offs hots up.
Who are Nottingham Forest?
Being bone-idle, the temptation to just copy and paste what we wrote about Derby and Brian Clough comes to mind. The greatest manager never to manage England repeated his trick from the Baseball Ground in turning a mid-table Division Two side into league champions but then went a step further by winning the European Cup not once, but twice in the late 1970′s. In more recent times, they’ve been found in League One (which made them the first former-European Champions to drop into the third tier of their countries footballing system) and floating in the Championship play-offs. This year has been somewhat of a relegation struggle though under the guidance of former Seagulls loanee Steve Cotterill having contested the play-offs under Billy Davies for the past two seasons.
Their history with Brighton?
The European Champions were unbeaten at home in over two years when struggling Brighton rocked up in November 1979, very green in their first season in the top flight. What happened was one of the biggest shocks in years as Gerry Ryan scored, Graham Moseley saved a penalty and Forest were defeated 1-0. We’ve met sporadically since with the most regular meetings after those top flight days coming a few years back in the Championship and League One
Last time we met?
Will Buckley’s second last minute winner of the season arrived in December against Forest in a match watch frankly could have featured on Crime Watch for the way in which The Tricky Trees were robbed. Our last visit to Nottingham came in March 2008 when Gary Hart and Kerry Mayo were the full backs in a hard-fought 0-0 draw and our last win at the City Ground came under Mark McGhee in 2004 when Adam Virgo proved that Mark McGhee didn’t need to be institutionalised for playing him as a striker with the only goal in a 1-0 win
Who has played for both?
Peter Ward is probably the most famous. The one-cap England wonder moved from the Goldstone to the City Ground before returning on-loan in 1983. He could have had a final crowning moment in an Albion shirt at the FA Cup Final of 1983 before Clough said to him “I’ve never been to an FA Cup Final, and neither are you.” Danny Cullip had successful spells with both clubs while Forest still count Joel Lynch among their number after Micky Adams deemed Colin Hawkins a better defender and packed the youth team product off to a team playing at a higher level.
Who to look out for?
Lee Camp is one of the best goalkeepers at this level and will be sure to thwart the Albion on more than one occasion now we seem to have developed a game plan that involves shooting away from home. Andy Reid gives hope to all fat bastards such as ourselves that we could still yet make it as a professional footballer while Dexter Blackstock is now back from injury and when fit is guaranteed goals
Prediction?
Forest smashed seven past Leeds on Tuesday so they have goals in them while with Vicente in the side anything seems possible at the minute. If the Spanish playmaker is fit then there is a real chance of another three points on the board, if not then it might be more of a struggle. We’ll go for a 1-1
Seems everyone is getting a bit carried away with the Vicente hype, and who can blame us? He’s UNBELIEVABLE. Please, let him stay fit for the rest of the season.
Anyway, speaking of hyping him up, we couldn’t help but take it to the next level, after discovering this wonderful photo from contributor and all round Albion media whore Brett Mendoza:
VICENTE:
MARADONA:
Well, he’s getting there in the eyes of the BHAFC faithful….
You know how Diego fired Argentina to the world cup win? Well, the Play-Off final would do nicely, Mr Rodriguez!
Adam Federici – take a bow. Were it not for a superb performance from the Reading goalkeeper, than the Albion would certainly have had a point from the Championships form team and quite conceivably of taken all three. As it was, some questionable work from yet another referee (but not bad enough to Gus Poyet to storm off early this time) and an heroic display from the Australian condemned them to a first Amex defeat since December.
Last time we met?
Who has played for both?
Another good point at The Amex against a play-off rival in the form of Middlesbrough – one of the most impressive teams we’ve seen in Sussex this season, epitomised by Marvin Emnes who caused all manner of problems all afternoon for the defence.
Who are Middlesbrough?
Who has played for both?
Who are Nottingham Forest?
Who has played for both?
