Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018-2019

[Babak agha]

With all due respect to you, the Eredivisie is not a strong competition. It is nothing to do with your culture. There have been so many players that have come from Eredivisie to England and failed that clubs see it as a gamble.

Exactly!! The only reason stronger teams (EPL) still buys from the Eredivisie is because occasionally there are some gems in between them (half of Tottenham's squad, Wijnaldum, Suarez). Also remember that probably 99% of the players that made it outside of the Eredivisie are from mostly from Ajax, PSV and to a lesser degree Feyenoord.

The only players that come to mind that transfered directly to top leagues from the Eredivisie's other clubs and made an impact recently are Moussa Dembele and maybe Tadic and Kostic?? Even PSV and Ajax haven't sold their players to top teams recently, last one being Depay and that didn't go too well. So yeah, clubs are becoming more reluctant to buy from the Eredivisie and rightfully so!

Having said this, Ajax probably gonna sell of some of their current talents to top teams for heavy prices (de Ligt, already rejected an offer of €65 mln, Frenkie de Jong, €50 mln rejected, Dolberg, €50 mln rejected, Neres, €45 mln rejected).

[Kiarash]

Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018-2019

I used to defend Eredivisie but after AZ losing to a Kazakh team and Feyenoord getting spanked by a mid table Slovakian club both in EL qualifiers, I’m done.

The league keeps getting shittier year in year out, Jahanbakhsh transferring to a PL team like Brighton is huge. At this rate I consider Swiss and Czech league higher than Eredivisie.

Those leagues actually teach their defenders some tactical knowledge and how to defend properly. Scoring in the Eredivisie is ridiculously easy that even a guy like Enayati would bang in 20 goals in his prime.

[Bandar Hamal]

I used to defend Eredivisie but after AZ losing to a Kazakh team and Feyenoord getting spanked by a mid table Slovakian club both in EL qualifiers, I’m done.

lol
West Ham lost both legs to a team from Romania
Shit happens

[Futbolista]

It is possible that I am over thinking it - but from someone who watched every match in person last season - and was there on Saturday.

It felt to me like we were trying to press higher - did you guys notice Gross was virtually level with Murray pressing their centre backs - did you notice how we pushed 3 men forward to deter the goalkeeper passing out from the back?

It also felt like we had bigger spaces between our players, in terms of width and in terms of defence-midfield-forwards. So it felt like our midfielder were further up, and our forwards further up. I believe the intention of this was to try and impose ourselves on Watford more. To try and use our own qualities more and to essentially evolve the team from last season.

Last season, we were more likely to have 11 completely behind the ball and we'd really frustrate the opposition. It felt to me that by trying to evolve our game a little this season rather than frustrate we just encouraged Watford because they could find more space to hurt us in.

Perhaps I'm looking for something that isn't there, but that was my takeaway from it.

I believe in the coach. I think he's trying to do something different this year.
I also completely agree with you that an away match, especially this early in the season, does not mean anything. You basically expect your team to lose away at the start (or at home if you're Arsenal).
I'd give them at least until mid October before I start judging what will happen with the team or JB etc.

[inarsenewetrust]

It is possible that I am over thinking it - but from someone who watched every match in person last season - and was there on Saturday.
It felt to me like we were trying to press higher - did you guys notice Gross was virtually level with Murray pressing their centre backs - did you notice how we pushed 3 men forward to deter the goalkeeper passing out from the back?
It also felt like we had bigger spaces between our players, in terms of width and in terms of defence-midfield-forwards. So it felt like our midfielder were further up, and our forwards further up. I believe the intention of this was to try and impose ourselves on Watford more. To try and use our own qualities more and to essentially evolve the team from last season.
Last season, we were more likely to have 11 completely behind the ball and we'd really frustrate the opposition. It felt to me that by trying to evolve our game a little this season rather than frustrate we just encouraged Watford because they could find more space to hurt us in.
Perhaps I'm looking for something that isn't there, but that was my takeaway from it.

not bullshit as in Hughton is bullshitting. Bullshit as in this typical bs everybody always hears from PL clubs that think they come from such a high place that the new signing need to "work their way into the xi because there are sooooo many great players already there". Yes, thats bullshit. Bissouma is many times more talented than any other brighton midfielder. ARJ is not even in the same league as solly march. I am aware montoya just came but he totally fit as he came from valencia pre season that he totally participated in, and should definitely start the next game over bong or bruno or whoever else. The guy has international experience and quality. He was a starter for valencia last year who finished in CL spots, so yes its bs to say "No, he will start behind bruno and bong in the pecking order. He needs to work his way up". Now i know that for the first game obviously he would never play as he never trained with the team, but sooner rather than later these three players should be in the lineup. And murray is a goal poacher, but as an all around footballer lets face there are many better. I dont want you to feel insulted, but these are just realities. You guys brought in some very decent players that need to be in the xi sooner rather than later, because they are much better than what you have.

And yes, maybe I was a bit pissed off because i spent 90 mins of my life watching brighton fail to connect three passes and lose to a mediocre watford team comfortably, but lets face it, leicester is many times ahead of you in terms of the quality of their team. They showed that again vs man united, and it is still weird to me ARJ chose Brighton over leicester. He is a very good guy, and I feel like this move was partially due to the fact you guys chased him for so long and were so into him, that he felt bad if at the last minute he went to leicester, he is a guy o high integrity.

[ali8karimi]

one loss and the meltdown begins.... What you guys did you expect? Away games in PL are though and Watford is a decent team.

[inarsenewetrust]

one loss and the meltdown begins.... What you guys did you expect? Away games in PL are though and Watford is a decent team.

were aware they are, and I dont expect much from the team that finished 15th last year, but still, the manner in which they lost was very worrying. Hopefully its just one bad game, but they couldnt even connect two passes, let alone make decent chances, and watford were running through them every single time they got the ball.

[Seagull]

not bullshit as in Hughton is bullshitting. Bullshit as in this typical bs everybody always hears from PL clubs that think they come from such a high place that the new signing need to "work their way into the xi because there are sooooo many great players already there". Yes, thats bullshit. Bissouma is many times more talented than any other brighton midfielder. ARJ is not even in the same league as solly march. I am aware montoya just came but he totally fit as he came from valencia pre season that he totally participated in, and should definitely start the next game over bong or bruno or whoever else. The guy has international experience and quality. He was a starter for valencia last year who finished in CL spots, so yes its bs to say "No, he will start behind bruno and bong in the pecking order. He needs to work his way up". Now i know that for the first game obviously he would never play as he never trained with the team, but sooner rather than later these three players should be in the lineup. And murray is a goal poacher, but as an all around footballer lets face there are many better. I dont want you to feel insulted, but these are just realities. You guys brought in some very decent players that need to be in the xi sooner rather than later, because they are much better than what you have.
And yes, maybe I was a bit pissed off because i spent 90 mins of my life watching brighton fail to connect three passes and lose to a mediocre watford team comfortably, but lets face it, leicester is many times ahead of you in terms of the quality of their team. They showed that again vs man united, and it is still weird to me ARJ chose Brighton over leicester. He is a very good guy, and I feel like this move was partially due to the fact you guys chased him for so long and were so into him, that he felt bad if at the last minute he went to leicester, he is a guy o high integrity.

If the reason for new players not playing straight away was because the current players are so great - then I would agree with you, that is bullshit.

However, I don't think the new players didn't start because the other players are fantastic players. There are many reasons for his team selection on Saturday. As I've said before, Sports Science is one aspect, and there is a lot of work done to ensure the players are at peak physical condition to perform at their best. That should actually be a good thing for Jahanbakhsh because football fans are so quick to write a player off these days after a bad game or two. I actually find it quite ironic as there was a comment in the previous thread about "English fans" being so quick to judge a player, or something along those lines. That felt quite unfair at the time but I didn't respond to it - yet here we are after 1 game and people are saying X, Y, Z are all rubbish, the team is rubbish etc!?!

As well as the fitness side of things, the players need to learn the tactical shape, their responsibilities and the subtle little things like how a team mate is expecting to receive the ball. It was so obvious even last season when say Schelotto was new to the team and he'd be expecting the ball played in front of him, when instead it came to his feet and so on. We did well last season, we want evolution, not revolution. The existing players at the club earnt the right to play in the Premier League when they were promoted, they proved themselves in the Premier League last season. New players need to earn the right to a place in the team. It's simple man management.

Bissouma was fantastic when he came on - I thought he was fantastic and if he plays like that every week I agree with you. BUT I have seen substitutes come on before and make such an impact. I have seen Solly March come on and be fantastic. Reports from France were that Bissouma is a fantastic talent but needs to be coached, he's a bit erratic and rough around the edges. He was one of the few positives from the weekend but equally, just as we shouldn't write players off after a bad performance, we shouldn't build them up too much after a good one.

Montoya probably didn't even have international clearance. Even if he did we started with our captain Bruno and our new signing Bernardo at full back. I can't wait to see him play. Bong is already behind Bernardo in the pecking order. Bruno now has a hamstring injury. I'd expect Montoya to be in the side fairly quickly but we shall see.

Murray is a poacher - he's actually very intelligent too in that he's good at holding the ball up, winning free kicks, bringing others into play. He's by no means an elite player but the money you need to spend these days for a big man who can do everything is obscene. He's an honest pro and a representation of the level we are at but there were plenty of opposition fans singing his praises last season.

I wasted the majority of my day actually going to the game. It was massively disappointing. I was gutted, pissed off and worried. Then I thought about how crap we were at times last season and how that contrasted with how good we were at times and how it was the best year of my life and I thought, screw being too down about this. There's a long way to go. Man Utd on Sunday.. we beat them 1-0 last season at the Amex. We also lost to relegated West Brom. So losing to Watford does not mean we are incapable of giving United a good game on Sunday.

At the end of the day, he chose Brighton. There's no point dwelling on that anymore.

[Seagull]

were aware they are, and I dont expect much from the team that finished 15th last year, but still, the manner in which they lost was very worrying. Hopefully its just one bad game, but they couldnt even connect two passes, let alone make decent chances, and watford were running through them every single time they got the ball.

I can guarantee you there will be more bad games to come. There will be some good ones too. Try and enjoy the ride!

[The]

I can guarantee you there will be more bad games to come. There will be some good ones too. Try and enjoy the ride!

Quick question for you. I hadn't watched many Brighton games last season, so I know nothing about the team, but what value does Stephens bring? He was super slow last game and just made bone-headed fouls which almost got him sent off. Is he usually this bad, or was it just a fluke?

[Seagull]

Quick question for you. I hadn't watched many Brighton games last season, so I know nothing about the team, but what value does Stephens bring? He was super slow last game and just made bone-headed fouls which almost got him sent off. Is he usually this bad, or was it just a fluke?

Found the stats.

Albion have won just eight (16 per cent) and lost 24 (50 per cent) of the 48 league matches missed by Stephens since he joined the club from Charlton in January 2014.

The 145 games Stephens has featured in yielded 71 victories (49 per cent) and 42 defeats (29 per cent).

He had a poor game on Saturday. Even when he is playing well he is not the most noticeable of players.. but we really notice when he isn't there. So it is hard to explain because he is not fantastic any any single particular feature of his game but he's a good all rounder who you can generally rely on. He does the little things fans don't pick up on so well, the sort of player coaches loves but fans can scratch their heads. In our case, the fans "get it" because we have seen how much we have stunk without him. He bossed Paul Pogba at the Amex last season.. So I guess in that respect Saturday was a fluke.

[The]

Found the stats.

Albion have won just eight (16 per cent) and lost 24 (50 per cent) of the 48 league matches missed by Stephens since he joined the club from Charlton in January 2014.

The 145 games Stephens has featured in yielded 71 victories (49 per cent) and 42 defeats (29 per cent).

He had a poor game on Saturday. Even when he is playing well he is not the most noticeable of players.. but we really notice when he isn't there. So it is hard to explain because he is not fantastic any any single particular feature of his game but he's a good all rounder who you can generally rely on. He does the little things fans don't pick up on so well, the sort of player coaches loves but fans can scratch their heads. In our case, the fans "get it" because we have seen how much we have stunk without him. He bossed Paul Pogba at the Amex last season.. So I guess in that respect Saturday was a fluke.

Oh wow, those are impressive stats. Might not pass the eye test but the numbers back him up.

[ShiroKhorshid]

If someones reads the past few pages of this thread he would think were in March/April already and approaching the end of the season To the jaavgir brothers please do us a favour and dont expect Brighton to fight for the Championsleague spots if they win against ManU this week.

[Futbaldoost]

... At the end of the day, he chose Brighton. There's no point dwelling on that anymore.

Exactly. Thank you Seagull for bring some sanity to the discussion here. In fact, ARJ is such a professional that he actually was grateful for the opportunity, took responsibility for not executing Hughton's instructions and then spoke of good days ahead and high quality players at BHAFC. That's the professional for you. I don't expect him to start against MU yet he may get a few more minutes in the second half. If he does in fact start, it will definitely exceed my expectations.

[Taz]

Please don't start slating Brighton's very own boy Solly March, let's not be that group of fans ffs, that's hardly going to get the locals enamoured of us. He's a very solid talent too, his mum would probably have banged in 5-10 goals in the Eredivisie and given Eredivisie goals are about the only achievement to ARJ's name to date, it'd be wise to calm down the 'OMG HOW IS HE ON THE BENCH!!!!111' talk until he actually shows why he deserves to be in the starting line-up.