Brighton and Hove Albion 22-23: A season to remember

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,710
If Southgate flops in the World Cup I expect Potter to be appointed by England mid season. There's always the chance he takes a dual role until the end of the season however.
Yep.
That well known casual England manager & premier league dual role that's seen so often. :drool:
 

UpWithRivers

Full Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
3,620
There’s lots to be excited about as a Brighton fan at the moment as Graham Potter continues to transform the club. Last season’s 9th place finish was our best ever and things are looking just as good for next season.

So far our transfer business has been mostly about the future apart from new striker Deniz Undav. The last two summers we were chasing Darwin Nunez, this window he’s moved a little out of our league but proves our scouting department knows what it is talking about. Hopefully Undav will match up. We actually bought him in January but loaned him straight back to Union SG in the Belgium league (also owned by our our owner Tony Bloom) where he scored 27 goals in 39 appearances, the prem is a big step up but there are high hopes.

Julio Enciso signed from Paraguay is said to be an 18 year old attacking wonderkid, he already has 6 caps, but I imagine he will be introduced very slowly and maybe even loaned out like Caicedo last season.

We lost Bissouma to Spurs, but we’ve all known he was leaving for ages, the only surprise was he didn’t end up at Arsenal. I’m not worried about losing him at all, as we have a very talented midfield, not least Caicedo who will be his main replacement. But with Alzate, Mwepu, Moder, Mac Allister and Lallana as well in midfield we are well stocked there.

We may lose Cucurella to City, but if we do they will have to pay through the nose for him which will be fine. He was outstanding last season and I hope he stays because at the moment we have no reliable back up at LB. Trossard may also go, though those rumours seem to have gone quiet for the moment.

I would expect us to buy another CB or bring though one of our U23s as we lost White to Arsenal and Dan Burn to Newcastle last season, though Webster, Dunk and Veltman are all incredibly solid players, we lost all of them to injury last season at different points. We will also, I presume, buy a new left back if Cucurella goes. If he leaves for 50M that’ll be 145M in player sales since June last year, so we have the cash to play with.

I’m surprised there haven’t been more rumours around bigger clubs looking at Lamptey, but it looks like he is definitely staying for the moment.

The club is stable and very well run, the manager is fantastic and our succession planning and future building is really second to none at the moment …. I am very confident.

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention Jeremy Sarmiento another Ecuadorian international, who's just 20 big things are expected of him and Potter rates him very highly, the poor sod went of with hamstring injury in his first league start last season and had to have it operated on he was out for pretty much all of the season. So looking forward to seeing him as well.
I have some questions please -
Will you finally sort out your striker problem? You think Undav is it or will you sign someone else?
Whats the fans view of Mwepu after his first season. Looks a good player to me.
Do you think United were stupid not to go in for Bissouma?
 

P-Ro

"Full Member"
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
11,186
Location
Salford
Supports
Chelsea and AFC Wimbledon
Yep.
That well known casual England manager & premier league dual role that's seen so often. :drool:
Following that well known winter World Cup that's seen so often with only 2 meaningful Euro 2024 qualifying games in March 2023 before the season is over. :drool:
 

Maluco

Last Man Standing 3 champion 2019/20
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
5,765
I think losing Cucurella is a massive blow. He is so assured on the ball and always played so well anytime I watched him last season. I think he, along Bissoumawere your two best players.

Losing Bissouma and him together, and starting the season with Maupay again would be a massive test of Potter.

Good news is that Bissouma was less influential last season than he had been, and Caicedo/Mwepu might just step up, if that process hasn’t already started.

One of the younger strikers could easily come in and make an impact in a team that creates chances too.

A CB, LB and striker totally changes the outlook though, and as you say, they have the money to do it.
 

McTerminator

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
910
There’s lots to be excited about as a Brighton fan at the moment as Graham Potter continues to transform the club. Last season’s 9th place finish was our best ever and things are looking just as good for next season.

So far our transfer business has been mostly about the future apart from new striker Deniz Undav. The last two summers we were chasing Darwin Nunez, this window he’s moved a little out of our league but proves our scouting department knows what it is talking about. Hopefully Undav will match up. We actually bought him in January but loaned him straight back to Union SG in the Belgium league (also owned by our our owner Tony Bloom) where he scored 27 goals in 39 appearances, the prem is a big step up but there are high hopes.

Julio Enciso signed from Paraguay is said to be an 18 year old attacking wonderkid, he already has 6 caps, but I imagine he will be introduced very slowly and maybe even loaned out like Caicedo last season.

We lost Bissouma to Spurs, but we’ve all known he was leaving for ages, the only surprise was he didn’t end up at Arsenal. I’m not worried about losing him at all, as we have a very talented midfield, not least Caicedo who will be his main replacement. But with Alzate, Mwepu, Moder, Mac Allister and Lallana as well in midfield we are well stocked there.

We may lose Cucurella to City, but if we do they will have to pay through the nose for him which will be fine. He was outstanding last season and I hope he stays because at the moment we have no reliable back up at LB. Trossard may also go, though those rumours seem to have gone quiet for the moment.

I would expect us to buy another CB or bring though one of our U23s as we lost White to Arsenal and Dan Burn to Newcastle last season, though Webster, Dunk and Veltman are all incredibly solid players, we lost all of them to injury last season at different points. We will also, I presume, buy a new left back if Cucurella goes. If he leaves for 50M that’ll be 145M in player sales since June last year, so we have the cash to play with.

I’m surprised there haven’t been more rumours around bigger clubs looking at Lamptey, but it looks like he is definitely staying for the moment.

The club is stable and very well run, the manager is fantastic and our succession planning and future building is really second to none at the moment …. I am very confident.

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention Jeremy Sarmiento another Ecuadorian international, who's just 20 big things are expected of him and Potter rates him very highly, the poor sod went of with hamstring injury in his first league start last season and had to have it operated on he was out for pretty much all of the season. So looking forward to seeing him as well.
A good read, I wish you guys well (except against us).

You’re a credit to the forum.
 

Kinsella

Copy & Paste Merchant
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
2,761
The club is stable and very well run, the manager is fantastic and our succession planning and future building is really second to none at the moment …. I am very confident.
Any thoughts on the young Irish players Andrew Moran and Evan Ferguson?
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
What's up with Tariq Lampety these days?

Remember 18 months back he was massively rated and then he got injured and didn't seem that good last season. I guess if you cash in on Cucurella he comes back into the team?
 

el diablorojo

Full Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
841
Supports
Brentford
Another club that are owned by a very clever man using analytics to try to operate "smarter" than the bigger clubs who can blow them out of the water financially. Given that, I try to like them but as Benham hates Bloom it's a no from me ;)
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
A good read, I wish you guys well (except against us).

You’re a credit to the forum.
Thanks glad you enjoyed it, but of course @duffer will continue to win the best non-united poster award in the Red Cafe Awards, there is no beating him he steamrolls that title every year!
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
Outside of United, one of my favored teams to watch. Like how they play.

All the best @The Boy
Thanks

What's up with Tariq Lampety these days?

Remember 18 months back he was massively rated and then he got injured and didn't seem that good last season. I guess if you cash in on Cucurella he comes back into the team?
Lamptey had serious hamstring injury in March 2021 that kept him out for the rest of that season an a good chunk of the last one. He was eased back very gently and did not play nearly as much last season, but apparently he is doing fine with no recurrence and should be back firing on all cylinders this season.

He is one of my all time favourite players.
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
I have some questions please -
Will you finally sort out your striker problem? You think Undav is it or will you sign someone else?
Whats the fans view of Mwepu after his first season. Looks a good player to me.
Do you think United were stupid not to go in for Bissouma?
Hopefully Undav will settle in quickly, the club certainly have high hopes for him. Mwepu had an unlucky debut season with injuries and illness but when he gets a run of games he looks a proper player with a habit of scoring spectacular goals.

I’m not sure Bissouma is what you needed. He’s great but he is box to box rather than the defensive midfielder lots of people think he is.
 

UpWithRivers

Full Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
3,620
Hopefully Undav will settle in quickly, the club certainly have high hopes for him. Mwepu had an unlucky debut season with injuries and illness but when he gets a run of games he looks a proper player with a habit of scoring spectacular goals.

I’m not sure Bissouma is what you needed. He’s great but he is box to box rather than the defensive midfielder lots of people think he is.
thanks
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion

Don't want to tempt fate and make too much of this, but it is looking good for us keeping Cucurella, according to the Athletic we are negotiating a contract extension with him and he is on our pre season tour (long hair thumbs up next to Mac Allister!) which suggests he will not be leaving imminently (though you can't rule anything out)

If City do want him we've been very clear the bid has to be at the very least above 50M. Not a bad profit on someone bought last season for 15M quid.
 

DannyCAFC

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
2,409
Supports
Charlton Athletic
Any news on the striker front or does it look like you'll head in to the new season with last year's options + Undav?

Awoniyi would have been a good signing I think for a reasonable price, shame he's gone to Forest.
 

MayosNoun

Full Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2020
Messages
3,464
Supports
Chelsea
Battling with Ajax to sign Calvin Bassey.

That would be a fantastic signing.
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
Seems the Cucurella to City move has hit a bit of an impasse. City say they won't bid over 30M apparently and Brighton say we won't sell for less than 50M.

Unless Cucurella tries to force the move, I don't see what happens next, but so far he's stayed quiet, says he is happy at the club and we are trying to sign him up to a new contract. At the same time it's reported he's agreed personal terms with City.

We won't drop the price, there's no need I think we will act as we did with White when he went to Arsenal, they tried the 30M bid too, he went for 50 in the end.
 

Lay

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Jan 29, 2013
Messages
19,790
Location
England
Seems the Cucurella to City move has hit a bit of an impasse. City say they won't bid over 30M apparently and Brighton say we won't sell for less than 50M.

Unless Cucurella tries to force the move, I don't see what happens next, but so far he's stayed quiet, says he is happy at the club and we are trying to sign him up to a new contract. At the same time it's reported he's agreed personal terms with City.

We won't drop the price, there's no need I think we will act as we did with White when he went to Arsenal, they tried the 30M bid too, he went for 50 in the end.
Not that it matters as City will win the league, but I really hope they don’t sign him. He’s quality
 

Yagami

Good post resistant
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
13,472
I've watched your u23s and have seen a bit of Jeremy Sarmiento. Looks very good to me. Too good for the u23s, anyway.
 

Teja

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
5,701
We’ve signed a guy called Denis Undav - top scorer from Belgium league for last two seasons. I have faith in our scouting department. We spent the last two summers trying to sign Darwin Nunez before anyone had heard of him!
Do you think he's going to start for you straight away? Expectations for him?
 

Teja

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
5,701
Not that it matters as City will win the league, but I really hope they don’t sign him. He’s quality
I think it should be illegal to have a backup with as much quality as Cucurella. They're just signing him because Cancelo played too many games last year and Zinchenko was a bit crap.
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
Do you think he's going to start for you straight away? Expectations for him?
I'm not sure he will start straight away, but I imagine he will play a big role as the season progresses. Potter has said that he is pleased with the way Undav has integrated with the team in pre season and says he will just get better and better the more he trains with the team.

He has already scored in the our opening friendlies, but you can't read to much into that, so I expect him to be eased in initially.

I think 10 goals would be a realistic first season expectation.
 

AndersB

Full Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2016
Messages
696
Thanks



Lamptey had serious hamstring injury in March 2021 that kept him out for the rest of that season an a good chunk of the last one. He was eased back very gently and did not play nearly as much last season, but apparently he is doing fine with no recurrence and should be back firing on all cylinders this season.

He is one of my all time favourite players.
I'll admit this is slightly fantasy related, but do you think he is fairly nailed in your team now?
 

Walrus

Oppressed White Male
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
11,156
Also slightly fantasy related, I’m trying to work out who is likely to be started and getting gametime between Maupay, Undav and Encisco
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
Also slightly fantasy related, I’m trying to work out who is likely to be started and getting gametime between Maupay, Undav and Encisco
I'm guessing as it is almost impossible to predict the team and formation Potter will put out from one game to the next, but I think Maupay will get the most game time at the beginning of the season with Undav getting more as time goes on.

Enciso is very young still but can play across any position in the front 3, though I don't think you'll see to much of him, at least for the first half of the season. Looking back at how Potter integrated Caicedo and Mac Allister for instance, they both spent quite a bit of time on the bench before becoming regular starters.
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion

Going out on a limb a bit here, but I don't think this transfer will happen this summer, but we'll lose him next summer if he has another good season.
 

BarcaSpurs

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
989

Going out on a limb a bit here, but I don't think this transfer will happen this summer, but we'll lose him next summer if he has another good season.
It feels quite nailed on to me, I don't think Brighton are the type of club to stand in his way if they get a fair bid? 50-60m? City have plenty of funds after Zinchenko, Sterling, Jesus and Torres sales this year. They also surely cant go in to the new season with Ake as 2nd choice left back, its a position they need to invest in, and also seems no point in looking elsewhere for a stop gap if he is attainable.
 

The Boy

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4,317
Supports
Brighton and Hove Albion
It feels quite nailed on to me, I don't think Brighton are the type of club to stand in his way if they get a fair bid? 50-60m? City have plenty of funds after Zinchenko, Sterling, Jesus and Torres sales this year. They also surely cant go in to the new season with Ake as 2nd choice left back, its a position they need to invest in, and also seems no point in looking elsewhere for a stop gap if he is attainable.
We would definitely sell at 50-60, Tony Bloom has said that publicly, but City have been very open that they will not bid that much and we've been clear that we wont sell for under that and with Pep saying they have alternatives, it feels to me that they will refuse to match our valuation.

But I could be very wrong and this post could age badly, but I would bet my mortgage we will not sell for under 50M
 

Al-T

Full Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
1,060
We would definitely sell at 50-60, Tony Bloom has said that publicly, but City have been very open that they will not bid that much and we've been clear that we wont sell for under that and with Pep saying they have alternatives, it feels to me that they will refuse to match our valuation.

But I could be very wrong and this post could age badly, but I would bet my mortgage we will not sell for under 50M
Think this season will be a real test. Equally, sixth season on the Prem suggests Brighton are getting the majority of the big calls right.

I guess Bissouma was always going to leave this summer and with Caiceido and Mwepu I don't think you have much to worry about. Losing Cucurella, however, would be a blow as he was outstanding last season and you've no obvious alternative. That said, he doesn't appear to be fomenting for a move so unless City meet your valuation, I guess he'll stay.

Personally don't rate Maupay and don't think it's a coincidence you looked way better with a fit and firing Welbeck up front. Maybe Enciso will work out. What happened to the lad that went on loan to Stoke last year? Is he coming back?

Hope you have another good season. Thoroughly well run club and a great, friendly ground (apart from the train service after the match)
 

marktan

Full Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Messages
6,907
I've admired the way Brighton have been run these last few years - great manager and some of the best recruitment in the league.

Anyone have any idea who's in charge of the recruitment? A good team, a DoF? Of course the directive is likely handed down from Bloom himself, which must help a lot given he made his money in sports analytics, but I wonder how involved he is himself. I remember reading he had a guy from the rival betting syndicate (Brentford's owners firm) on Brighton's board.

When you look at the state of United's board and our poor recruitment team it's night and day.
 

Nickosaur

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
11,875
I'm hopefully getting to the Amex later this year. Haven't watched Brighton since Hughton's last season -a drab 0-0 with Watford, one of the worst games i've ever seen.

I'm hesitant to get too excited about Brighton's prospects this season. I think on paper it has the potential to be the best in the PL yet, but there are a fair few question marks. How will the loss of Bissouma impact the team? Will Cucurella join City? Will Undav be the striker to put away all those chances? Will Lamptey have an injury free season? How many Gross turns will we see?

While Bissouma should be covered by Caicedo (who looked superb towards the end of last season) and Mwepu/Moder/McCallister can continue to grow in that midfield, there's no denying he's been top class over the last few years.

Cucurella I'm hoping stays. It just seemed like paper talk earlier in the summer when Andy Naylor was confidently denying any bids/talks. But seems with the Zinchenko sale City are gearing up to swoop. I just hope it's north of £50m. Regardless would be gutted to see him leave. In terms of replacements, haven't heard many links outside of Calvin Bassey, who's now off to Ajax.

Anyway - I can't wait for the opening fixture as it's probably the one fixture where I don't mind if United lose ;)