5 reasons why there’s still plenty of fight left in Albion’s survival bid
There may be growing tension among the Albion faithful that the club is being cut adrift from the Premier League mid-table, but there are many reasons why the Seagulls are still well-placed to avoid falling back into the second tier.
After our opening 13 games, Brighton have just 11 points on the board and averaging less than a point a game is not a good recipe for survival.
It’s led to some suggesting that boss Graham Potter’s time at the Amex is at a crossroads, but the five following factors should give Albion fans hope for a brighter start to 2021.
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1. The return of Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana, and Adam Webster
Graham Potter was able to call upon fit-again trio Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana and Adam Webster for Albion’s goalless draw at Fulham. It was a huge boost to the Brighton starting XI, adding more pace and dynamism at both ends of the pitch.
Lamptey has been an undeniable sensation since his emergence on the first-team scene, while Lallana is a proven top-flight performer. He came close to breaking his Brighton duck at Craven Cottage, but saw his goal overruled by VAR.
As for Webster, he has been part of a promising three-man central defence, with Lewis Dunk and Ben White, and there are several defensive departments less watertight in the EPL than this trio.
2. The unknown quantity of Robert Sanchez
Graham Potter made the bold decision to drop long-time first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan for the trip to Fulham. With Potter searching for a winning formula, swapping out his long-time number-one for promising 23-year-old Spaniard Robert Sanchez was one of his last available rolls of the dice.
The 6ft 6” stopper, who joined Albion from Levante at the tender age of 15, has developed through the youth ranks and made a tremendous impression during loan spells with Forest Green and Rochdale respectively.
Potter described Sanchez as a keeper with “huge potential” and that it was his role to “help him fulfil” it. He added that Sanchez “used his feet well” against Fulham, which is something that could help Albion better retain possession in the opening third.
3. Albion haven’t faltered year-on-year as much as you think
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Many supporters have feared that the team has gone backwards in the opening third of the 2020/21 EPL season. However, the reality is that they haven’t underperformed as much as some believe.
They have matched their results against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Southampton at home from last season, along with trips to Spurs, Everton and Crystal Palace.
They’ve even managed to better last season’s results with a draw against Liverpool at home and a comfortable win at Newcastle away. Only the 3-0 defeat to Leicester has been a worse result than last season.
It’s one of the main reasons why Brighton are still priced as long as 7.0 for relegation in the EPL betting markets. Those unfamiliar with decimal odds should visit SBO.net’s guide to football betting, which covers the full complement of decimal, fractional and American odds. There’s also advice on how to find value bets and where to find the best free bets and promotions to wager on the EPL.
4. Performance levels have never fallen too badly
Although Brighton’s main issue so far this term has been a lack of goals, it’s fair to say that performance levels have been largely consistent throughout.
Even BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson recently said that Albion “never seem to play that badly” win, lose or draw. Albion have also been on the receiving end of some questionable VAR decisions, such as the penalty decision which consigned them to a narrow 2-1 loss against south-coast rivals Southampton.
Albion and Potter were also bitterly disappointed to come away with nothing in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham. It’s those fine margins between success and failure that Albion need to get back on the right side of.
5. The January transfer window could give Potter a chance to invest in more firepower
The January transfer window opens in a matter of days, which could allow Potter and owner Tony Bloom to open the purse strings and provide further competition in attack.
However, Albion’s striker solution could be right under their noses, if reports in Belgium are to be believed. South African striker Percy Tau could be set to reunite with the Seagulls, with Potters thought to be weighing up recalling the former Mamelodi Sundowns front man from a loan spell with Vincent Kompany’s Anderlecht.
26-year-old Tau has yet to kick a ball for Brighton domestically, but could prove a cost-effective option given that he has recently recovered from a minor injury.
