Our last match in October takes us down to the south coast for the second instalment of the Monday night trilogy, with Brighton & Hove Albion this week's sparring partners. Sparring was very much the feel against Burnley, with neither side able to land a knockout blow, and at this point it pretty much goes without saying that the wins aren't going to come for us without some kind of improvement in attack. A solid debut for Ivanovic at least gives us something to build on at the back, so we're not completely without hope as we travel to the Amex.
But it hasn't been a happy destination for a long, long time. Our last visit, in the FA Cup two seasons ago, was goalless; about as good as it gets for Albion in Brighton. The year before, our long slide towards relegation from the Premier League began with a 3-1 defeat there. 3-1 was also the scoreline when we lost under Ossie in 1993, and two years earlier they dispatched us 2-0 en route to the Twerton Park relegation. You have to go back over thirty years, to 14th April 1990, to find the last Baggies triumph at the Goldstone Ground, with Albion 3-0 winners. A repeat of that result on Monday would require, amongst many other unlikelihoods, Neal Maupay being kept under wraps as the opposition's most potent and consistent goal-threat. Still, there's good news in that the Seagulls - whose only win so far was a three-goal victory at Newcastle - will be without skipper Lewis Dunk in defence after his red card against Crystal Palace last weekend. Improvement is the watchword, and at the very least, it'd be nice to see us look like we're heading in the right direction.
Famous fans: A short but respectable list includes Des Lynam, Norman "Fatboy Slim" Cook (who has a 12% share in the club) and Jamie Theakston among those who nailed their colours firmly to the mast of the wrong Albion. A few others through the years have supported Brighton as a second club while sunning themselves in Sussex by the sea, not least Sir Laurence Olivier and Roger Daltrey, which must have made for an interesting half-time show if nothing else. Singer Johnny Wakelin - famous for the Rumble In The Jungle anthem "In Zaire" - also penned the club's cup final song in 1983, which I'm sure is a lovely ditty if you can bring yourself to listen to something as disastrously titled as "Where Seagulls Fly".
I can remember when BHA was a great weekend away in the 70's & 80's, the old Goldstone ground had some happy memories.
Not for the football, more the occasion.
I'm looking for a further improvement with our organisation and energy/drive. Getting the ball up to the strikers quickly would
be a bonus.
I'm going for a 0 - 2 baggies win.
COYB
Jesus
This is pretty poor
Now jake decides to score an own goal
Awful again so far, Johnson our MoM 'again', Ivanovich is having a nightmare, loose passes, no commitment in going for the ball, but worst of all still all this, 3 sideway passes and 5 backward passes for every forward pass, only Krov seems to want to win. Sloppy Sloppy Sloppy get it together boys. relax and play football or this is not going to end well.
I thought it couldn't get any worse after last week, but boy was I wrong...
That was total and utter garbage.
Suck a lack of guts and bottle in this side. Is there anyone who actually cares about winning the game? Does Slav not tell them they have to compete? Does he not tell them they have to try and score?
We should be 3 down. The only reason we're not is because Brighton lack cutting edge. Even so, we manage to score for them.
We don't attack... we don't defend... we don't put a foot in in the middle of the park... don't get any bodies forward.
Bunch of lightweight mercenaries who don't care, just want their pay cheque...
Pereira walking about. Grady beat in their by their 5'4 right back for their goal. Centre midfield made Dan Byrne look like Leo Messi the way he ran through them. Furlong absolutely woeful.
Can Slav actually get these players up for it?
I think he's a clueless buffoon who can't motivate. His tactics and selections are dreadful. Please Slav, prove me wrong.
Now the second half was more like it, not so afraid better on the second ball much tighter passing, we just need to learn in play in both halves now.
A tale of two halves, the polar opposite of Chelsea game...
Second half we came out and did the simple things... got crosses in, won 2nd balls, got bodies in the box, gave Brighton some defending to do.
And when you keep getting balls into the box, eventually something will fall. Fortunately on the occasion it did, Grant took it well.
Callum Robinson changed the game when he came on. He must start next week.
Also a shout out to Krovinovic who I slagged off last week. He looked very good 2nd half when he played deep after Livermore was withdrawn. He looks far more accomplished in that role.
Finally we have something to build on with a good second half performance. Let's just hope Bilic can motivate them to play a full 90 in what is a vitally important game next week.
![[Image: BRH-WBA.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/8BkCZ2P/BRH-WBA.jpg)