The Pochettino Story | Season 2

You've let all veterans go. As @JustinCase0110  mentioned in my story: in the game that's not a thing, but in real life we often think too lightly about the benefit of having older people in the squad - if not on the pitch then at least as part of the group.

However, the highlighted deal of Marcus Edwards is a very, very clever one! That guy indeed has a history with Poch, while 4 (or 5) years abroad seems about the right time for him.

It's something that happens more and more nowadays: English players being bread to adulthood, away from the Premier League, then being bought back by an English side at peak age. The danger of course is that they could draw attention outside England's borders more easily, while not being raised in the physical game that England's clubs still apply.

Losing to Man Utd and a draw against Newcastle is nothing to be ashamed about as Brighton, but giving it away twice against Bournemouth <ouch> is a little painful

Unfortunate injury to the new signing. It's another that makes great sense though, and generally, the new players aged 22-25 make great grounds for the team to have a golden period soon. Yes, some veterans have left, some of them for bigger clubs in North London. But you've also kept some of the elderly with Hancko and Gallagher in particular having the potential to become leaders at this club.

@Danimal5981The Bournemouth match was a real blow. Giving up the lead twice is bad but two goals from corners makes it even worse. Terrible defending by me on both.

@JustinCase0110 playing RW is a curse it seems. I have had three injuries to that position. Luckily the other two were healthy by the next match after being subbed off early but Edwards missing three months is a big concern. 

Bad choice of words by Poch and something that might bite him later on, especially if the season goes south and this joke of a competition was the only realistic chance at success for a team such as Brighton: which is the reason the League Cup exists in the first place - many teams prioritize the league and FA Cup, leaving the spoils for smaller teams. So what Poch says here isn't necessarilly wrong or incorrect, it might even reflect correctly what people in England actually think, unless it's their team that is doing well in that cup tournament.

I'm a bit torn over this approach to the Mickey Mouse Cup.

On one part it's actually refreshing for a manager to speak up with honesty like this. And there IS a double standard in the demands of resting players, if one can't choose to do so in a lesser impotant competition like this one.

However, setting the team up to defeat is never a pretty thing to do, and it certainly undermines the accomplishment, if Brighton was to go and win it sometime later on. Good choice with the free access though, then the fans didn't pay for more than what was promised to them. Season ticket holders aside.

As the saying goes: No individual is bigger than the club.

Who is Poch to decide whether a team like Brighton ought to be happy with a good run in the League Cup or not?

I mean, I agree with the man: we're all talking about keeping the players fresh and avoid saturation. Instead, tournaments keep getting bigger and number of games keeps increasing.

But it's not my point. Poch is wrong to sit on the chair of the Football Deity and say which of those tournaments need to be axed.

I am a purist in that sense: Champions League ought to be 32 champions only and then a second European tournament for top 3 to 5 performers and/or cup winners (including a League Cup). Continental national team tournaments shouldn't exceed 16 teams, while a world cup with 32 teams is plenty. This way you decrease number of games, but you add value to the tournament for the League Cup.

Both are good points and one that I myself go back and forth on. I think the league cup in England should be only for teams not in European competitions personally. 

The club making tickets free was my way of showing the club agreed with Poch. We want to build something bigger at Brighton than a deep league cup performance and since that is not one of the goals set by the club, I feel the agree. 

Maybe in a year or two when the depth to rotate is there, we can try harder in this competition but for now, we have to pick our battles. 

Beating Man City, then losing to Everton; somehow it doesn't compute.

But neither does Man City being in 15th, although they have been known for being slow starters.

When I was doing my Ajax career, after season 1 I gave in to the bids on Brian Brobbey and got Strand Larsen as replacement: big mistake. His way of playing is nowhere his actual stats and within a matter of games I played Noah Ohio as first striker. He wasn't as clinical or prolific as the Norwegian from Celta, but Ohio was able to play in the team better. Strand Larsen is really a modern Inzaghi: no added value as a teamplayer, apart from sometimes being at the right place in the right time. With him, you play with a guy less on the pitch. My experience was really bad with him.

You got FIFA'd by Everton there. I think it's good to be held back once in a while, allowing you to make that surprise win vs City, but still finding yourself in a secondary position in the league.

I like your possible transfer targets there. Osman in particular. Especially with your recent success with Adingra in mind, signing another from FCN makes a lot of sense.

Edit: Once I wrote the above, a thought came to me. "Didn't he sign for them IRL?" And yes, he did do that. He'll join Brighton this summer.