"What a let down" screamed the headline of this paper last weekend, and I couldn't agree more.

Defeat at home to Reading, following on from the Forest setback, ended Albion's brave four-match unbeaten run which was extremely disappointing to say the least.

Having taken four points off Alan Pardew's team last term en route to the Division Two championship, the Brighton players and fans had every reason to expect similar success against the Royals at the Withdean last Saturday.

Sadly, John Salako's first half goal put paid to those hopes and Steve Coppell now has the unenviable task of trying to rally the troops once more and get them going on another run.

Coppell has set the team a target of at least five points from their next three matches, starting today at Sheffield Wednesday.

Albion then entertain Ipswich on Tuesday followed by a trip to Derby four days later.

The team certainly need to pick up a few points to haul themselves off the bottom of the table and give themselves a psychological boost.

It does your pride and confidence no good at all as a professional footballer to look at the table and see that you are bottom.

The Albion players will be hurting at the moment but they only need to string together a couple of back-to-back wins and the situation will look vastly different.

Regardless of the result at Hillsborough, Albion are capable of beating both Ipswich and Derby.

The Suffolk club are one of the most unpredictable sides in the division and they have a habit of slipping up against the smaller sides.

Bradford won at Portman Road this season and after their recent UEFA Cup adventures they may find a trip to Albion's spartan home a little uninspiring. Ipswich have players who should really be doing better but they are under-achieving.

John Gregory's side are also by no means the force they used to be.

The Rams have struggled to adjust to life in the Premiership and they have lost four matches at home already this season.

Coppell is right to set his boys an immediate tally of points to get from these games.

It might just inspire them to be a bit more ruthless.

I think Gerard Houllier was right to give Jerzy Dudek another chance in goal in the Worthington Cup tie with Ipswich in midweek.

Dudek is a shadow of the player who helped steer Liverpool to the runners-up spot in the Premiership last season with a string of impressive performances.

However, after a poor World Cup campaign for Poland and a number of blunders this season, including gifting Diego Forlan a goal last weekend, Dudek will at least be rested on the back of a victory.

Houllier has stated England youngster Chris Kirkland will come into the side for Liverpool's next two matches and Dudek will be happy to get out of the spotlight.

The media can be cruel when things go wrong and Dudek has received no end of flack for his mistakes.

Houllier was right though when he said goalkeeping is like riding a bike. After a fall you have to get straight back on. Dudek can return to training this week and work on his weaknesses safe in the knowledge he is still a good keeper.

John Gregory has been in the headlines as the FA investigate suspect transfer deals.

The FA are investigating a number of top bosses and clubs. No doubt one or two are squirming a little at the moment.

The worry for chairmen is that they think their clubs are behaving legitimately but in reality they can't know everything that is going on.

This saga doesn't surprise me. I don't believe for a moment that 'bungs' have disappeared from football for good.

Glenn Roeder can only have a couple more games to save his job.

The Hammers finished seventh last season but their form has been dire this term and they prop up the Premiership.

The East London side are yet to win at home and time has almost run out for Roeder.

History dictates that the side which is bottom of the league at Christmas never stays up and the West Ham board will be wary of that.

Defeat at home to Southampton was desperately disappointing for Roeder after his side dominated the game for long periods and unless results improve immediately I think he will get the chop.

Roeder is one of the most honest bosses in the top flight and few people would begrudge him any success.

He has been hindered this season by injuries to Freddie Kanoute and Paolo di Canio plus a loss of form by Joe Cole and the likes of Trevor Sinclair.