HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Tuesday night’s game at Portman Road by delving into their forums.

“Best performance of the season, it looks like we are growing in confidence and beginning to play like we did last season”, “So far this season, things seem to be going our way. Who knows where it might take us?”, “Our current squad are capable of getting us well placed at Christmas time.”

“It’s still way, way too early yet.” Albion’s 2-0 win over Barnsley on Saturday was a third consecutive victory and clean sheet in the Championship and lifted them to third in the table. Seagulls are taking nothing for granted having missed out on promotion when finishing in the same position last season.

“I wonder if this season might end up being the complete opposite of last season. Last season we played lovely football, were always confident of winning but we were unlucky and missed out when it mattered. This season we are struggling to find our flow but are grinding out results and riding our luck.”

Chris Hughton

“I like an honest manager”, “Chris Hughton, you are an incredible man and I am so proud that you are the coach and manager of our fantastic club.” The 57-year-old former Newcastle and Norwich boss “is the perfect choice as our manager and we are lucky to have him at the helm”.

“The biggest tick in the box we would have this season is keeping hold of our manager”, “I am very happy with him leading the charge to the forbidden land”, “He is doing brilliantly with what he has been given to work with”, “I hope we have the experience with Chris Hughton to succeed this time.”

“Chris is as down to earth as they come”, “He generally steers clear of publicity”, “Modesty, pride, ambition, industry and ambassadorial skills”, “I love the dignity with which the man carries himself. He seems to have gained the utmost respect from his players while also being accessible.”

“I’m looking forward to playing Norwich at home. The last time we played them some of their fans were suggesting we get rid of Chris. How wrong they were”, “Their fans told us to be prepared to be bored stiff playing his brand of football. If last season was boring, I can’t wait until it gets exciting.”

“For a man playing boring football, he gave us an incredible season”, “Every Norwich fan I have come across knows nothing about football and could not understand why Hughton was so defensive. They still haven’t got it, seeing as Alex Neil got Norwich relegated playing the opposite brand of football.”

Formation

“The easiest teams for Albion to play against are the ones who do what we do, a painfully slow build up with little or no end product. Luckily there are quite a few of these about at our level but it may again end up costing us promotion”, “Every damn thing is now in place, except for proper strikers.”

“We are strong defensively.” Brighton’s starting XI (above) against Barnsley was set out in the 4-4-2 shape which has served them well over the last two seasons. A back four which has conceded fewest goals in the division started behind what many Seagulls believe is their strongest midfield quartet.

“We are looking good at the back especially”, “We are now particularly strong in central defence”, “Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk are turning into an absolutely immense centre-back pairing”, “Dunk has improved his game a lot with Duffy now dealing with the high balls and all of the physical stuff.”

Albion fans are more concerned about their full-backs. Bruno, who can be caught up field on counter-attacks, while Gaetan Bong has struggled for form and is suspended for Tuesday’s game. Bong will be replaced by youth product Rob Hunt or new signing Sebastien Pocognoli who is still building fitness.

“Brighton’s closing down and their overall play was streets ahead of anything we have seen so far.” — Burton boss Nigel Clough after their 1-0 defeat to Albion last Saturday week. Dale Stephens and Beram Kayal in central midfield have been praised both for their industry and creativity with and without the ball.

“If Knockaert is injured we are seriously in trouble.” While left-winger Jiri Skalak may not have hit last season’s heights, Anthony Knockaert has been “so good at times it is ridiculous” operating on the right. Fans would welcome an improvement in the quality of their crosses despite this praise.

The Best Attacking Combination

“We need to sign a striker or we will go nowhere fast”, “We have an ever-decreasing list of players who can play the number 10 role”, “You don’t win the league by scoring goals, you win it by not conceding them”, “Unless you miss out on promotion by a plus-two goal difference like we did.”

Getting the attacking blend right has been difficult. Tomer Hemed and the returning Glenn Murray are the strongest line-leading pairing but they are too similar and have not combined well together. Sam Baldock’s movement offers a better contrast but many think his finishing is unacceptably poor.

Hughton tried to get around this problem against Burton (above) by switching Knockaert in from the right wing. He has been criticised for drifting in when playing out wide but struggled with little space to use when stationed centrally. “It was a messy and frustrating display, turgid and disappointing."

“We are screwed up front. Not buying a striker is seriously going to cost us”, “We all know we should have bought a top striker in. The club tried to but couldn’t get what they wanted”, “Bringing in a top striker is the hardest job. The transfer market for strikers in January will be like walking on the sun.”

Brighton 2 — 0 Barnsley

“Barnsley came to play. Their delivery was good and they had quality players. The issue was that they were outplayed”, “Our midfield had enough class to take Conor Hourihane out of the game”, “Barnsley aren’t a poor side and their results show that’s the case. They just couldn’t cope with us today.”

“This is a strange league.” Goals by Murray on 12 and 48 minutes gave the Seagulls a comfortable win over the Championship’s top scorers on Saturday. “I say, what a good goal!” Fans were full of praise for the first which came at the end of a swift counter-attacking move. “A great day out.”

“We were completely in control from the start”, “It was a truly memorable game from Knockaert”, “Dangerous at set pieces and lots of long balls into the box, you can see how Barnsley have done well. Ultimately they were one-dimensional though and they will struggle to stay where they are.”

Brighton 1 — 2 Reading (EFL Cup)

“Ten-man Reading are holding us comfortably. Another limp exit from a competition that we have stuck two fingers up to for a long time now”, “I’m honestly happy we are out”, “The biggest worry is that we showed tonight that we have not got players pressuring the first choice starting XI.”

The one recent blot on the Seagulls’ copybook was last week’s EFL Cup defeat to a 10-man Reading side for whom Tyler Blackett was dismissed three minutes before the break. Stephen Quinn had put the Royals ahead on 32 minutes when capitalising on hesitant defending to fire home from close range.

“Reading shoot on target, we don’t.” John Swift doubled the visitors’ lead on 54 minutes, firing in from the edge of the penalty area after good build-up play down the right. Albion didn’t threaten despite having most of the play until Hemed managed to pull a goal back five minutes from full-time.

While the starting XI (above) had an altered formation and a second string midfield and defence, Brighton finished the game with the main striking trio of Murray, Hemed and Baldock on the field. Post-match discussions revolved around poor finishing and the squad’s lack of strength in depth.

“I am seriously worried about the constant missed chances”, “Poor finishing was the problem again. Chances were created against a team with 10 men but not converted”, “Our lack of an end product”, “The fact that we played all our first-string strikers who failed to spark again is worrying to see.”

“We are always poor when we play three in midfield under Hughton”, “The midfield was way too defensive”, “The writing was on the wall when the team was announced. Any team with Steve Sidwell, Oliver Norwood and Rohan Ince in midfield has no ambition to attack and score goals.”

Some Seagulls were philosophical. “Our second string had an off-night in an irrelevant competition. I won’t lose sleep and won’t berate the players for being poor when most haven’t had a meaningful game. Let’s all move on”, “Oh well, at least tomorrow we won’t be tin pot. Well done Reading.”

Burton 0 — 1 Brighton

“Well done Brighton, phew. Burton made it difficult. We also made it difficult for ourselves”, “A win is a win and that was never going to be easy”, “You don’t have to play well to go up”, “That is what Middlesbrough and Burnley were doing last season. Nobody will ask how we got the points in May.”

“It was definitely a push”, “Although I have seen harder pushes not given.” Albion snatched victory courtesy of an 88th minute Hemed spot-kick after Skalak was brought down in the penalty area. “It was an awkward game on a narrow pitch that cramped our style with Burton packing the midfield.”

“That goodness for that”, “That will do, a messy display and a goal from anywhere”, “The penalty papered over the cracks in our attack and everybody knows it”, “A lucky escape”, “We dominated without ever looking threatening”, “I fell asleep on the sofa. It doesn’t seem like I missed much.”

Goalkeepers and Defenders

“We wouldn’t be where we are without David Stockdale.” The 30-year-old ex-Fulham keeper “was one of our better players last season. I lost count of the points he saved us”, “Had relatively easy saves to make at Burton and wasn’t really troubled. He pretty well did what needed to be done.”

The former Town loan signing’s “kicking has been better this season but he’s still unsure on crosses”, “Stockdale was strangely late in coming for a couple of catches and dangerous whipped balls into the box at home to Huddersfield [a 1-0 win earlier this month]”, “He improves as games wear on.”

“Knockaert wouldn’t be half as good without his partnership with Bruno, who was imperious against Barnsley.” The 35-year-old former Valencia right-back “was his silky smooth usual self, looking to bomb forward and much stronger against a good player in Rajiv van La Parra against Huddersfield.”

“I love Bruno but he was atrocious in our [2-0] defeat against Brentford. He left Shane Duffy at centre-back exposed massively a number of times”, “When dispossessed by Brentford in the final third, he was only on the halfway line when they shot”, “If you can’t make it back, don’t bomb forward so much.”

With Gaetan Bong suspended, 21-year-old youth product Rob Hunt may feature on Tuesday. “Hunt got forward well coming off the bench against Burton [in his league debut] and was unlucky with one cut-back. He defended well when he needed to and it was pleasing to see”, “He did nothing wrong.”

“Hunt was the one member of the back four who didn’t make a mistake in a calamitous first half against Reading. He grew into the game at right-back and was a threat in the final third in the last 20 minutes”, “He looked comfortable most of the time but in a back four which was all over the place.”

“Sebastien Pocognoli is not the instant Bong replacement I was hoping for. He nearly cost us a goal twice against Reading and was a red card waiting to happen.” The 29-year-old loan signing from West Brom made his debut against the Royals. “He was too slow getting back for their second goal.”

“Pocognoli has potential and was not bad considering how long it is since he played a competitive game”, “If you saw him against Reading you would realise he’s a long way off being fit enough to fill Bong’s boots for any length of time. The best he could do is start and be substituted when he tires.”

“Shane Duffy was excellent against Barnsley, he didn’t lose much in the air”, “Does anyone feel a lot more confident in our ability to set pieces?” The 24-year-old summer arrival from Blackburn “was absolutely immense. Their set-piece deliveries were excellent but he was on the end of all of them”.

“Duffy is immense in the air. Him and Dunk together are almost impenetrable”, “We conceded too many goals from set pieces and corners last season and this is the reason behind his coming in”, “He has done too many aimless lumps up field so far. It will be interesting to see if his passing improves.”

Lewis Dunk

“With Duffy going for high balls, it allows Dunk to deal with any covering aspect.” The 24-year-old youth product’s “movement and passing have been superb in the past few games”, “He must have had the most touches of the ball at Burton. Calm in defence, he breaks forward where he can.”

“Dunk is what we came to expect now”, “He is everything a centre-back should be. Promotion this season or we will lose him”, “Strong in defence and his cross-field passes have always been right to the man”, “It’s great to see him maturing into the ball-playing defender we have all hoped to see.”

Central Midfielders

“Oliver Norwood looked much better when he came on against Barnsley. He was working closer to Stephens and was consequently involved in the game instead of leaving a massive hole in midfield. He is still no Kayal but it gives me hope that he can learn the system we play and come good.”

“Poor all round.” The 25-year-old former Royal struggled against his former side last week. “A luxury player who won’t fit into a 4-4-2. Give him space and he will spray the odd eye-catching ball. On the flip side, he doesn’t cover ground and makes mistakes, giving the ball away and creating nothing.”

“Steve Sidwell shows why we can’t let Stephens go.” The 33-year-old ex-Stoke man “is slow, but he has experience to help run games down”, “He’s never going to be a player that sets the world alight but he does what is needed quite often under the radar”, “Every squad needs a player like him.”

“Beram Kayal only had bite, work-rate, positional sense and tenacity, he would be a quality central midfielder, but he also has superb technique, vision and passing ability.” The 28-year-old ex-Celtic man “is the ball-winner who raises the tempo of the game”, “The consistent heartbeat of the team.”

“Kayal drives us forward. He can pick a great pass, crunch a tackle with a fair shot on him. a catalyst for some of our positive attacking play”, “A man of steel who overnight stopped teams rolling over us in midfield”, “A marauder who often steals the ball where he should have no chance of doing so.”

Dale Stephens

“Whether the side is playing well or not is decided by the performance of Stephens.” The 27-year-old former Charlton player “links play beautifully and makes himself available to receive the ball from defenders”, “He is better than Kayal technically and adds more goals and assists than him.”

“Stephens is still off match pace with his tackles, but it is great to see him in midfield and in the form of last season.” Tuesday’s game will be his fifth since returning from a knee injury. “He controls the midfield with his interceptions, short passes and he covers more ground than most fans notice.”

“Typical Stephens, unflustered and efficient in everything he does”, “It is great to have him back. It was clear what we were missing”, “I love the way he uses his physicality and puts himself around”, “He’s more in the game than Kayal but some of his sideways passes aren’t always the best decision.”

Wide Midfielders

“Elvis Manu plays the situation rather than the tactics. This can make him a real threat. He becomes the only player who is unpredictable.” The 23-year-old was one of the few players to emerge from the Reading defeat with any credit. “He caused them all sorts of problems with his strong running.”

“Fast, direct and urgent”, “Elvis was the only player likely to produce anything and at least he played with some urgency.” Many Seagulls would like to see him used more often from the bench. “Their defenders didn’t know what he would do next. Unfortunately, neither did any of our players.”

“Jamie Murphy’s end product has disappeared, it seems.” The 27-year-old former Blade “isn’t a striker and he can’t play behind one up front either. He seems scared to challenge for the ball”, “He was good when he had the ball against Reading but looked like he didn’t want to be on the pitch.”

“I’m confused by Murphy. He was a real goal threat when he first arrived and looked dangerous. The system we play shouldn’t be a problem but for whatever reason he looks like he isn’t at the races”, “He doesn’t chase balls over the top but he doesn’t exactly come short with any confidence either.”

“Chris likes players who work hard. Jiri Skalak does that. He hasn’t had a great season but he’s clearly a talented player.” The 24-year-old ex-Sparta Prague man “gets bullied off the ball easily but seems to be involved in every attack and he can pick a pass”, “He has learned the art of getting freekicks.”

“Skalak’s best asset is his dead ball delivery”, “I like him and think he offers something. However, I agree that for a guy who looks like a nutter, he acts like a baby”, “His major weakness is an inability to go past players on the outside”, “Lacks trickery or the burst of pace you need to be a top winger.”

Anthony Knockaert

“What a performance by Knocky against Barnsley. He was given a standing ovation during the game at one point, absolutely brilliant.” The 24-year-old former Leicester man “is fast becoming one of my favourite Albion players of all time”, “The little magician was worth the price of the ticket alone.”

“I’m still dizzy from watching his performance today, so I have no idea what the Barnsley full-back feels like”, “I love his effort as much as his skill. He’s one of the best dribblers I have ever seen at the Amex”, “The bloke is so dangerous when running at defenders, even when he is not on top form.”

“Please Chris, don’t every play Knockaert in the number 10 position again. He barely saw the ball, his decision-making was poor and he was getting frustrated”, “He tried him there at Burton because he had no other option”, “Murray’s supply from out wide also dried up with Knockaert in the middle.”

Strikers

“And then we have Sam Baldock…” The 27-year-old ex-Bristol City striker’s “primary role is scoring and in that he falls short of what is required. His other work is great but we need better options”, “He is petulant, dives in, can’t hold the ball up or beat his man but most important he can’t score.”

Baldock divides opinion. “We are more dangerous and expansive with him even if he isn’t the player scoring”, “We need his pace buzzing around Hemed or Murray”, “He has had his chance but he can’t go past defenders or deliver a decent ball most of the time”, “Lots of effort but just no end product.”

Tomer Hemed

“For any player to score 17 goals in their first season at our level and in a foreign country is some achievement”, “Hemed is an unsung hero”, “He has excellent feet, looks for the ball and rolls around defenders with ease”, “Plays like a proper centre-forward with his strength, tenacity and running.”

“A hard battler.” The 29-year-old former Almeria man “has no problem scoring when Baldock plays”, “Baldock is the only player Hemed has bonded with on the pitch which is saddening. If Hemed had an extra yard of pace, his twists and turns on receipt of the ball would make him pure dynamite.”

“Can you really see Hemed and Murray forming a partnership?”, “They are just too similar, and playing both means sacrificing pace up front”, “Both great players but they don’t yet work together”, “There is no communication between them worth noting”, “Things aren’t right in that department.”

Glenn Murray

“Murray’s first goal against Barnsley was stunning.” The 32-year-old Bournemouth loan signing “took his chance. He looked sharp, more like the 20 goal in a season striker we have lacked”, “He wins more headers and holds up balls more than Hemed and he gets into the right position so often.”

The former Palace striker struggled against Reading. “Typical Glenn, flashes of brilliance and periods of anonymity”, “He looked lethargic and really off form compared to the games where he scored”, “Sadly he looked too old and worn against Reading, a shadow of himself and 12 months too late.”

“If only we had not lost out on Murray’s best years.” While Murray had a successful spell with Albion between 2008 and 2011, fans are not blind to his faults. “He’s not quick enough or strong enough to brush defenders off”, “I’m not sure he likes a partner at all and he wants everyone to adapt to him.”

Seagulls’ Views on ITFC and the Game

“Ipswich don’t appear to be much of a goal threat but they are unlikely to roll over at home”, “They lost Murphy who usually scores against us, although I’m not sure who they replaced him with. They are always tough to beat so I will take a point”, “Ipswich are going to miss Murphy, I reckon.”

With just under 10 per cent of Seagulls predicting an Ipswich win and just over 60 per cent a triumph for the Albion, they are travelling confident of victory. Unsurprisingly most of them see the game as a low scoring affair with a 1-0 Brighton win or a 1-1 stalemate the most popular score forecasts.

“I think this will be a pivotal game in the season. If ever there was a mid-table club, then it would be Ipswich. Hopefully we will take an attacking approach for Portman Road”, “Attack is the best form of defence against a side that don’t score often. Going defensive will give Ipswich more confidence.”

“Ipswich aren’t anywhere near as good as us so we should be beating them. Our class should tell”, “Portman Road is still a hard place to go, Mick McCarthy is no mug”, “Isn’t Chris Hughton good mates with Mick McCarthy?”, “They were team-mates for seven years for the Republic of Ireland.”

“How on earth has Leon Best managed to find a club at Championship level? One of the worst players to play for us who couldn’t care less. It baffles me how anyone could possibly believe that choosing to employ him would be anything other than a disaster and I thought this before we signed him.”

While several Seagulls were dismissive of our new striker, the name of one of our all-time legends cropped up more kindly on a discussion about the best players to appear at the Goldstone Ground. “I watched a League Cup replay at the Goldstone when Kevin Beattie was incredible.“

“Beattie tried to play Brighton on his own from left-back. He had everything, pace, power, the lot. He took us on again and again. Like so many with talent, injuries took too much of a toll on his career, but in a different era I genuinely think he would have been one of the all-time greats.”

Websites

The biggest Seagulls message board is the polite and very knowledgeable North Stand Chat.

@HarryFromBath

Photo: Action Images

TR11BLU added 11:14 - Sep 26 Excellent once again Harry, the hard work certainly pays off - if only our manager was as thorough as you... Brighton fans seem to sum it up well and particularly the comments about Beattie and of course the dumb Norwich fans! I see a 3-1 loss unfortunately
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LankHenners added 11:25 - Sep 26 Thanks Harry - unsurprisingly confident but disappointingly arrogant from them. They've been flying while we've been goal-shy and lacking in ideas. A performance similar to Villa should hold them off, then it's up to Mick to make the right decisions to try and win the game. Could be a big week for Mick, although he won't see it that way, and a bad performance at home won't do him any favours. Conversely, two good results (4 points minimum) and he might arrest some of the criticism that's getting louder by the week.

3

goat_man added 11:30 - Sep 26 Spot on with Leon Best
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newbie added 11:43 - Sep 26 Harry makes it to the Main Headline!! Fully deserved :-)
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Lightningboy added 12:20 - Sep 26 Hughton - simply the best manager outside the prem - wish we'd gone in for him.
4

brian_a_mul added 12:21 - Sep 26 Chris Houghton is the best football manager in the English game, incredibly underrated. If he was English he would be managing a top Premier League club. I love MM and for me I would love to see Houghton take over at Ipswich if MM gets to manage Ireland again (despite his Norwich history). But than again MM would probably be competing with Houghton for the Ireland job next time around :)

0

Ferguson added 12:22 - Sep 26 Harry, as impressive as ever. It hurts to see that in the estimation of other teams and their supporters, we're now a mid table side . I went to the Goldstone in 76 when they put us out if the cup. Miserable night and to make it even more uncomfortable my mates and I ended up in the home end by accident. They were 3rd Division at the time I think, and their ground looked like a home-made Subbuteo stadium. How times change. ANYWAY The way to deal with their criticisms of us is to send 'em back to the South Coast with nothing to show for their trip and 3 points to us ! COYB.

5

Miles added 12:30 - Sep 26 Excellent as usual Harry! We haven't had the best starts but we haven't lost at home and I don't think we will lose. Hopefully the goals will start to come again. Best seems destined to score now doesn't he!
2

SheptonMalletBlue added 12:53 - Sep 26 Sorry, but McCarthy is a mug!!!!!!
2

Bluebell added 13:04 - Sep 26 Thanks Harry. Great insight as always. After their comments on Leon Best, let's hope he scores against them! Unfortunately, with all the injuries we have, I accept we will struggle so a draw against them is the best I think we will manage. Just hope I'm wrong as we are good at home under floodlights usually.
3

Binner added 13:21 - Sep 26 Interesting comments from their supporters including generous tribute to Beattie. Hoping now for a little karma; a Best hat-trick, say...
5

tractorboybig added 13:24 - Sep 26 Some stupid comments on here, Its a backs to the wall throw yourself in front of shots and hope for the best result.
0

carlo88 added 13:38 - Sep 26 Every time I see that photo of Best at his press conference my heart sinks
1

hotdog added 13:43 - Sep 26 Nice one Harry, always enjoy reading this. Really worried about the next two fixtures as I can see us ending up with no points! However, In the past we've had a few players missing and the rest have rallied around and got us an unexpected result (even if it wasnt pretty!). Hopefully that'll come true! It'll be an important game for players like emmanuel, lawrence and bishop (if he plays) as we need these sort of players to create something (especially if ward is absent). With a performance and a rub of the green then I'm sure we can come away with something! COYB!!

4

Jimmy86 added 13:44 - Sep 26 Ever since Brighton moved to the Amex they have been somewhat arrogant and self entitled. They get their knickers in a twist over stuff not warranted and claim when they visit opposing grounds they receive homophobic abuse etc and crazily likened Chambo's first pump to a nazi salute. They have kicked on under Hughton but we have a pretty good record against them, especially at home, so think we are more than capable of beating them. We'll need to perform better though for sure

5

Kitman added 14:35 - Sep 26 I'm based very close to the Brighton support area and a lot of the staff and associates of the firm I'm with support that lot, of course. I've not heard a lot of arrogance or self entitlement yet but the mood may change after tomorrow if the result goes their way.. The ones I know seem to have a fair amount a respect for Ipswich. From what I've heard over the last few days, they are wary of us. That needs to be exploited (hopefully)by a couple of early goals, and from the way we've been playing, that's going to be the problem

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jas0999 added 17:34 - Sep 26 Let's answer a question for them. We didn't replace Murphy. Spouted a number of reasons why we didn't but ultimately that money is in the bank. Winnable game and as the home team we should drop one from Skuse or Douglas and attack.
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Carberry added 18:48 - Sep 26 ... in the bank keeping the Cresswell and Mings money company!
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