Ian Hart: Brighton and Hove Albion had a week from hell - but qualifying for Europe is still on the cards
As weeks go, the majority of Albion fans have had better ones. The Saturday before last, Brighton were still in the FA Cup, were unbeaten in seven in league and cup, and had recorded four straight top-flight victories for the first time since 1980-81, writes Ian Hart.
By 5pm last Saturday, they’d gone out of the FA Cup to Forest on penalties, been humbled by Aston Villa at the Amex midweek, then, to put the tin hat on it, Crystal Palace recorded their first league double over the Albion since the 1932-33 season. It was Benjamin Disraeli who stated there were lies, damn lies and statistics – and one of those quirky stats to take on board in wake of the defeat at Selhurst Park is that last time the league double happened in their favour, Adolf Hitler was elected as Chancellor of Germany in the same year! Yes, it’s that long ago.
In the space of seven days it appears the wheels have well and truly come off at the Albion, but similar to the 7-0 drubbing at Forest in the EPL in February these are the moments that can seperate the Albion wheat from the chaff.
A mere six points separate fourth place and the Albion down in ninth, with the possibility of a final eighth place position being enough to qualify for Europe this term. Therefore with 21 points still to play for, seven games, with four of those at home, European qualification is still effectively in the Albion’s hands.
In the wake of the defeat in South London, Albion fans’ internet site North Stand Chat ran a poll on where everyone’s respective Albion mojo was. Not surprisingly on a scale of 1-10, 5, 6 and 7 gained the majority of the votes. For the record I went with 7, and that’s about right.
Never mind the Adolf stat, we’ve come back from worse at Selhurst Park. In the Albion’s fallow years (and that’s being polite) we didn’t have an M23 Derby from March 1989 until October 2002. Unfortunately when we did re-engage with our rivals, we were beaten 5-0. Palace should have had 10 and we were lucky to get nil.
The bottom line is we have come back from far worse – the brink of extinction, to be precise. So for all the doom and gloom merchants, and with all the bragging rights and incessant crowing from East Croydon, it’s merely a blip.
As much as it hurts, ultimately Fabian Hurzeler and his squad will be judged after the final whistle at White Hart Lane on completion of their 38th and final EPL fixture later in May. For the record, and you all know old Harty loves a prediction, I think at that point, as they were in the comparable fixture at Villa Park in 2023, the Albion will be in one of those automatic European qualification places. As the legendary former Albion boss Micky Adams, the man who arguably reignited the Seagulls from their induced footballing coma, used to say: “Keep the faith.”