Robert Townsend’s debut book, Long Way Together.
If you’re a #bhafc fan, I think you’ll enjoy my debut book, Long Way Together. It follows my 40-year journey with the team I love. It’s out in Sept and you can pre-order it now. A couple of links below. Thanks for your support!
www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Way-Tog...
www.waterstones.com/book/long-wa...
Had a great time “Breaking Bread” w/ @crunkchocolate.bsky.social
to talk about #BHAFC in preparation for today’s #MCFC match.
Thanks to @shadesofbluenw.bsky.social for having me back a second time!
Today’s #BHAFC fun fact:
Fabian Hürzeler has lost just 23.91% (11/46) of his PL matches, which is 14th best in PL history (top 13 all managed w/Big 6).
Bonus fact: Roberto De Zerbi lost a higher % of his Premier League matches (35.71% - 25/70) than Graham Potter at Brighton (35.29% - 42/119).
I don’t think he’s going anywhere this summer. He’s not pushing out now. If he was, he would’ve pushed sooner, not two weeks prior to the start of the season.
If we don’t have a best season ever this year, I expect he’ll go next summer though.
With Igor desiring a starting role & potentially on the move, Cashin on loan, & Webster likely to miss most, if not all, of the season w/an ACL injury, should #BHAFC roll at CB w/Boscagli, Coppola, Dunk, Van Hecke, & Veltman (Wieffer & Baleba), try to keep Igor, or add another new CB?
Thoughts?
Last 3 PL Seasons:
1. City 251
2. Arsenal 247
3. Liverpool 233
4. Newcastle 196
5. Villa 195
6. Man U 177
7. Chelsea 176
8. #BHAFC 171
9. Spurs 164
10. Brentford 154
11. Fulham 153
12. Palace 147
13. Bournemouth 143
14. Forest 135
15. West Ham 135
16. Wolves 129
17. Everton 124
I have no idea. I’d rather he didn’t. I still think there’s a big time talent in there, but after coming back from injuries he hasn’t looked like the same player we saw in his first year with the first team.
It’s a fair question, esp. w/a possible Ferguson departure. I really like Guessand among rumored targets, though he may not be a true 9 either. Woltemade doesn’t seem realistic (Bayern likely), but I also like Promise David of USG.
Absent that, I think Tzimas, Rutter, & Kostoulas could mix in.
These questions are inspiring another thread.
We are playing a long game in the toughest domestic league, remaining competitive while improving our financial position as well as our standing within the wider footballing world. Our best days remain ahead of us!
The future is Brighton!
8/8
#BHAFC fans, please understand that there will be (likely many) more outgoings, both loans and transfers.
Hard decisions will have to be made.
Stay positive. Trust the club.
As a reminder, here’s how we’ve risen up the English football pyramid w/Tony Bloom at the helm:
7/8
That’s 46 players, but 16 that count as U21.
PL squad # limit (over 21) is 25.
Beadle (Birmingham), Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), & O’Mahony (Reading) have already been loaned, while Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Barco (Strasbourg), and Offiah (Preston North End have made permanent moves away.
6/8
Goalkeepers (5):
Verbruggen
Steele
Rushworth
Scherpen
McGill
5/8
Defenders (12):
Van Hecke
Dunk
Boscagli
Coppola
Webster
Igor
Cashin
Kadioglu
Estupinan
De Cuyper
Veltman
Lamptey
4/8
Central Midfielders (9):
Baleba (U21)
Hinshelwood (U21)
Gomez
Ayari
Wieffer
O’Riley
Milner
Yalcouye (U21)
Moran
3/8
Attackers (20)
Welbeck
Ferguson (U21)
Tzimas (U21)
Sima
Georginio
Gruda (U21)
Kostoulas (U21)
Buonanotte (U21)
Howell (U21)
Doyle (U21)
Mitoma
Adingra
Enciso (U21)
Watson (U21)
Osman (U21)
Sarmiento
Minteh (U21)
March
Mazilu (U21)
Do-Young (U21)
2/8
🧵What has been a busy #BHAFC summer window is likely to get busier.
There may be more incomings, but there will certainly be quite a few outgoings, both loans & transfers, as well.
Look at those who are theoretically competing for spots in the squad right now:
1/8
I do think he’ll at least get a chance in camp. With rumors that Adingra could go, I think Watson is likely to have a place if that happens. I think FH will like his size & physicality. Plus, he won’t count in the squad number since he’s under 21.
The #BHAFC Transfer Rumor Tracker is up-to-date!
For anyone who's missed this over the past several windows; this is your one-stop shop for all of the latest information about incoming targets and outgoing transfers & loans.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
8 #BHAFC incomings so far
£95m+ spent
6 to compete now:
CF - Kostoulas (£34m)
CF - Tzimas (£22m)
LB/LM/RB - De Cuyper (£17m)
LW - Watson (£10m)
CB - Coppola (£9m)
CB - Boscagli (Free)
2 for the future:
W - Do-Young (£2m)
GK - Ramming (£1m)
£65m-£70m in outgoings:
CF Pedro
LB Barco
CB Offiah
We are BACK for season 5 of the Albion Obsessed podcast TONIGHT @ 8PM!
Join us LIVE as we react to the news that Mitoma would reportedly like to STAY at the Albion!
📺 www.youtube.com/live/JHjw4uh...
#BHAFC 🔵⚪️
Just a reminder of #BHAFC's climb from 60th to as high as 6th in the English football pyramid under the leadership of Tony Bloom. Long may it continue!
Hearts fans, you should be pleased! #HMFC #HeartsFC
@officialbha.bsky.social
Just a reminder that the #BHAFC Transfer Rumor Tracker includes a tab for rumors & movement related to our existing squad.
Just check the Squad tab.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
The impact of the extra CWC games will be interesting to see. The PSR implications to the benefit of those teams will be huge though, so the risk may be worth the reward for most.
There’s definitely too much football for many players. Those profiting the most aren’t likely to care though.
Not looking forward to #BHAFC facing (at least a portion of) this run of fixtures without Carlos Baleba (and Simon Adingra) due to AFCON.
At least Minteh & Lamptey are not participating.
#BHAFC fans, 🙏take a breath. The instant panic over a potential JPvH move is a dramatic overreaction.
@journohaff.bsky.social’s piece says contact between NUFC & player agents to gauge interest. That’s it. Newcastle linked to other CBs such as Guehi, Zabarnyi, Diomande, & Hato too.
Lots of #BHAFC Transfer Rumor Tracker updates!
The Heat Check tab is back!
🔜Diego Coppola
✍️Babis Kostoulas
✍️Olivier Boscagli
✍️Tommy Watson
✍️Stefanos Tzimas
✍️Yun Do-Young
Follows/shares appreciated.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
At last check, we had near top of the league (top 3) numbers of high pressures and a relatively high number (top half) sprints are staples of his system; both correlate strongly with injuries.
#BHAFC - the final injury tallies.
To my recollection, these counts exclude any injury present prior to the start of the season (like Solly).
But…. “Brighton never score from set pieces.”
Narrative vs. Reality
This look at efficiency (goals scored & goals allowed per 100 chances), shows #BHAFC was 4th best in the PL in converting set piece chances into goals & 7th best in preventing goals from set piece chances.