A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

"let me speak proudly"

Brighton and Hove Albion (1) 3
Bridge 24
Mackail-Smith 54
Buckley 58

Sheffield Wednesday (0) 0

Attendance: 26,594

It was just like the final season at Withdean! The Seagulls strolled to a three goal lead then played keep ball for 20 minutes and won the game easing up.

I am quite sure we will face harder challenges this season but the portents are promising. Any team scoring at a rate of 3 plus goals a game, as we have done over the last three games, and keeps things tight at the back usually does very well. In 5 games only one opponent has been able to beat Kuszczak in open play.

What has impressed me is the way Gus and the players have attended to the matters that let us down a few times last season. We are a little more direct which means giving the  ball away less in midfield. I assume we will soon have a midfield of Bridcutt as the holding player with Crofts and Hammond taking it in turns to play further forward. The best midfield in the Division?

The new full backs and physically stronger players in midfield should make us less vulnerable against hard runnning hoof ball teams. At times last season these teams steam rollered us a bit.

We now have a goalie who looks safer than the Bank of England (pre recession of course). How he stopped Bothroyd's header near the end still amazes me. If Bothroyd was really thinking about coming to the south coast during the transfer window I bet he now wishes he had. In this game he was starved of service and when at last he was feed a tempting cross Kuszczak pulled off what may yet turn out to  be the save of the season.

The Seagulls are creating chances at a far greater rate than last season. Our shots on goal number is up there with the Championship front runners this time around. Perhaps we could convert even more but Dobbie should help attend to that. 

So its on to Watford and Millwall. These games should help answer the question as to whether our away form can improve compared to last term. 

And Gus has some challenging team selection decisions. Does Crofts come back and if so who drops out? Dicker? What about Dobbie? Will he replace action man Barnes? My head cannot cope with worrying about fitting Lopez and Orlandi in the team. And what about a certain Vicente - assuming he ever returns? I suspect Gus will say these are the sorts of challenges managers like having and it's up to the players to force him to pick them.

Things could hardly be better in the Seagull nest but we should not get carried away. The Championship will be keenly fought and we are still the new boys in with a group of Premiership hardened teams some with sugar daddies with deep pockets. A friend of mine who supports Ipswich said to me that when Blackburn visited Portman Road they almost needed another page in the programme to list their vast squad. The reported £8million they fluttered on Rhodes would probably buy most Championship squads. 

Finally, you might  be wondering about the quote at the top of each blog this season. I am trying to find an appropriate Shakespearen Henry V quote for each game. I will be going to the Millwall game so the warrior King should have plenty to offer in the Den!

My personal alternative Man of the Match: Dean Hammond - it was as if he had never been away, not a pass out of place, covered every blade and very unfortunate not to score twice.