Are Brighton this season's under achievers?

Every time I look at the table I wonder what an earth are Brighton doing down there. They should be in a much higher position in the table and yet at this time of the season surely the table does not lie. While many of their fans will blame Sami Hyypia's reign for the plight of the team I believe Brighton's players are capable of greater things than they have achieved to date.

When Gus Poyet left the club it was the end of a huge era for them. Gus was their link with the past and the Withdean stadium as well as their hope for a brighter future at the Amex. They perhaps lost a bit of that drive and vision at some point and the disappointment of not winning through in the play-offs is a warning to AFCB fans that what looks good today may not look so good tomorrow.

It could have gone better for Brighton this season.

In Chris Hughton I see a manager who is stable and has good values that has brought Brighton much closer to safety than they were at the start of the year. Now they have a clear goal and even with a few set backs they are on course to secure Championship football next season. But is that good enough for such a club? I expect many of their supporters would say that they should be nearer to where the Cherries are in the table and perhaps they will be up there again in 10 months time. But a defeat to AFCB on Friday night will have the Seagulls looking over their shoulder just a bit.

Under achievers they may have been this season, but I would say that Fulham are even bigger under achievers. They must be just glad that Millwall, Wigan and Blackpool are in even more trouble.  

The Cherries didn't get a win last time at the Amex so Simon Francis, Charlie Daniels,
Tommy Elphick and Steve Cook will be hoping to at least keep a clean sheet. 

The Seagulls Love Review Rival Lines has not materialised, but if it does come in I'll put it up later. Safe journey to those going to the match tonight. I'll be there and on All Departments' podcast review of the game over the weekend if all goes well. UTCIAD!

Finally, well done to Eddie Howe on winning SkyBet's March Manager of the Month in the Championship - I hope AFCB can buck the usual trend and keep winning despite the award!

The Seagulls are better than their league position

By the time AFCB and Brighton kick off on Saturday afternoon, Brighton could be in the bottom three. That is perhaps unlikely but the potential is there. I believe that makes this match one of the hardest that AFCB have faced since the Leeds match. While the Cherries have played other teams down the wrong end of the league there is added pride at stake here, because Bournemouth is the last team that the Seagulls will want to lose to.

Brighton and AFCB last season at Dean Court.

For all their troubles, Brighton have scored in their last five games. Their problem has been that they can't keep clean sheets and Hyypia has been claiming that he will need new recruits in January if he is to really turn this side around. But I don't think Brighton are in such bad shape as their league position would suggest. That has not stopped the home crowds from showing their displeasure, but an away game at AFCB is a possible stepping stone for them to turnaround their season with the cameras on them.

Meanwhile, AFCB have everything to lose if they come in over confident. The league is so tight that a defeat would drop the team out of the top six and while that would not be a disaster, the Cherries need to be winning against the bottom half teams to cement their place in the top six. Brighton don't lose games heavily and can hold their own more often than not so one instance is likely to settle the game. If the Seagulls come to stifle AFCB and defend deep it may not be the spectacle that the cameras had hoped for, but Brighton are already needing points for self-preservation and I am sure they will have a game plan to spoil.

How Eddie Howe copes with that really will be something to see. It is the tight games that are really important in keeping winning streaks going and I'm betting that this one is going to be a battle. Beating Brighton is something the Cherries could not achieve last season and there's nothing to tell me that it will be any easier this time. Let's hope AFCB can beat the draw specialists this time around with the cameras looking on.

Last night I also heard that Wigan's keeper, Ali Al-Habsi had signed for Brighton on a one month loan, so we should see him in goal for the Seagulls, but I am not to sure who will be in goal for the Cherries.

Cherry Chimes' November Newsletter is out today! It was a historic month for the Cherries, and you can catch up on last month's big stories and read the special newsletter story - Are the Cherries destined for Cup success? - just by signing up below.

Loving the Movember crest! UTCIAD!

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Cherries go into Brighton derby as favourites

AFCB keep surprising teams and they now come into the local match against Brighton as favourites on recent form. Fourth from the top of the Championship, the Cherries are in good shape as the Sky TV cameras come to town and while they might not be able to emulate the scoreline of last weekend they certainly won't be holding back.

Brighton players really need the points so I am expecting a very tricky match.

Meanwhile, it has not been the easiest of times for Sami Hyypia at Brighton who sit four places off the bottom as they come into this match. It is simply not where you would expect Brighton, one of last season's play-off teams to be. They have lost a few players though like Leonardo Ulloa, Andrea Orlandi, Thomaz Kuszczak and Will Buckley, but the new signings haven't had the impact that Hyypia would have wished for.

Brighton have become the draw specialists picking up six points from their last seven games. they aren't getting beaten that often, but the wins just aren't coming for them. What is worse is that they have been in winning positions against Rotherham and Cardiff and did not hold on. Their goal average is also down at 0.93 per game and they are struggle to hit the back of the net. Lewis Dunk is their highest goalscorer on four in the league and one in the League Cup. 

So what can we expect against the Cherries. Well Sami Hyypia has asked his team to show more character. They have been struggling to play two good halves in matches, but they have some good players. I do like the marauding play of Rohan Ince in midfield and Greer and Caldoron will always battle for everything at the back. Hyppia has brought in ex-Barnsley striker Chris O'Grady, while Kazenga Lua Lua and Craig Mackail-Smith have been more out that in the team. Sam Baldock has been relied on up front but just has not been scoring enough.

Meanwhile, AFCB come into the game knowing that a win could take them back to the top of the Championship after an impressive month of wins. The Cherries are going to take some stopping and I don't believe that the Seagulls will be able to fly out of Dean Court with any points.

Brighton Away Form:
LLDDD

AFCB Home Form:
DLWWW

Tomorrow Cherry Chimes will release its November Newsletter. A historic month for the Cherries, you can catch up on last month's big stories on the blog and read the special newsletter story - Are the Cherries destined for Cup success?

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Happy Hyypia? - I don't think so

Since Sami Hyypia has taken over at Brighton he has not been able to find the free scoring style that served them so well in the last few seasons when Gus Poyet and Oscar Garcia.were manager of the Seagulls. It is still early days though and Brighton & Hove Albion are not renowned for a club that parts with their manager on a regular basis, and I hope he turns things around after playing AFCB of course.

Sami has a brilliant football CV having won most things as a player, and at Bayer Leverkusen he showed that he could successfully coach a team that was not only a big player in the Bundesliga, but also a Champions League club. So why have things not taken off quickly at Brighton for him since joining in June? It's hard to pin-point for me as he still has some experienced players at the club. Team performances and the system employed with wing backs pressing forward have been questioned, but Hyypia sounds like he is coping with the worries of the fans. Their difficulty, like so many teams, is in giving away the first goal and a more settled side is something though that Hyypia probably needs. 

If Craig Mackail-Smith can show he is still the player he was before his long time out he has a goalscorer that can be one of the lead strikers in the Championship. He has just had a hamstring injury, but was on the bench for the Spurs game and got a few minutes. Kazenga Lua Lua has just finished his suspension, following his red card against Huddersfield and will be available for selection and also took part in the Tottenham match. Paddy McCourt also played mid-week who has been highlighted as a player that offers Brighton lots of potential going forwards.

Alan Mullery has been patient with the results and Hyypia's need for time. But Hyypia has said he may have to bring in more players in the January window which would make me worry about why more can't be got out of their current squad? Despite all his league problems though, Brighton have had a good run in the Capital One Cup and they have only had three league defeats in their last 10. Brentford, Ipswich and Middlesbrough inflicted those defeats who are all doing pretty well.  Brighton is not a club in crisis, but just a club that is getting too many draws and simply can't quite get a win. It has not quite clicked yet, but Hyypia will know that a south coast game against high-flying Bournemouth is a match to look forward too, not to hide from.

AFCB have to be at their very best to win this rival south coast match.

Tomorrow Cherry Chimes will release its November Newsletter. A historic month for the Cherries, you can catch up on last month's big stories on the blog and read the special newsletter story - Are the Cherries destined for Cup success?

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