Bruno admits it might be ugly again

9:00am Thursday 28th February 2013 in Sport

Bruno is happy to grind out results Bruno is happy to grind out results

Albion have been warned they might have to keep winning ugly if they are to make the play-offs.

Right-back Bruno is expecting the Seagulls’ toughest 13 matches of the season as they aim to stay in the top six.

They will be odds-on favourites for a fourth win in five games when struggling Huddersfield visit The Amex on Saturday.

But their former Valencia defender insists it might be tough to turn on the style.

Huddersfield ground out a 1-0 win at Burnley on Tuesday to ease relegtion fears and would love a point at The Amex.

Bruno warned: “It will be more difficult to play the football we like from now on for various reasons.

“The big games are coming and teams are used to how to play against us. Usually at home, teams let us play and play on the counter.

“Burnley tried to press us high and we weren’t able to get out from the back. So it is going to be difficult to play well.

“But the most important isn't to play well without that feeling of being solid - it's to be solid at the back then hopefully play well after that.

“A good team starts in defence. Any team that feels secure at the back plays with more freedom.”

Bruno is confident his former Valencia colleague Vicente will become increasingly influential in the run-in.

The former Spain star has started the last two home games after missing five months of the season with a thigh injury.

Bruno said: “It is difficult for Vicente to come back and play after so much time out.

“But he is bringing a lot to the team and he is getting physically better “He is the player who makes the difference for us.”

Comments(25)

raymondo999 says...
10:17am Thu 28 Feb 13

Thanks for the warning about ugly football Bruno, don't think I'll bother buying a ticket.

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JaseBHA says...
10:39am Thu 28 Feb 13

If you're that fickle, raymondo, old chap, your custom will not be missed. Plenty of people WILL buy them. :o)

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old codger75 says...
10:43am Thu 28 Feb 13

At this stage of a season when a team is either pushing for promotion or struggling to avoid relegation it's not about how well you play. Only one thng matters - the result : a WIN

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LACHANCE says...
10:50am Thu 28 Feb 13

Dose it matter if it's ugly has long as we get three points.Raymondo you should buy a ticket and support the team.

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Gee Jay says...
11:08am Thu 28 Feb 13

Unfortunately, when we played the other way, we got 'mugged' and lost valuable points in some games.
So, if we have to change for the remainder of the season, so be it.

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Jonathan Mouette says...
11:56am Thu 28 Feb 13

Spotted on Twitter 2 days ago...

'We won't go to Brighton and play 4-4-2. We'll go down there and frustrate," says Huddersfield pundit and ex #bhafc defender Kieran O'Regan...'

It could be even uglier than we thought... But 3 pts are all that matters as far as I am concerned. Fingers crossed!

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Tommy11 says...
12:07pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Start playing ugly then Bruno and stop bottling tackles/ headers!!!! If i see one more 'hand up in the air' when a ball comes up for heading, then I will personally run on the pitch and teach you how to defend a header.

Then I will get banned for life..

If we want to win ugly, then Calde is the man.

Bruno out. Calde in.

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raymondo999 says...
12:18pm Thu 28 Feb 13

old codger75 wrote:
At this stage of a season when a team is either pushing for promotion or struggling to avoid relegation it's not about how well you play. Only one thng matters - the result : a WIN
Surprised at you ol codger, if you really are old. I've been watching football for 60 years and what sticks in the memory is beautiful football not ugly football. It's the beautiful game and its about glory.

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Hovite says...
12:44pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Have to agree with old codger on this.

We are doing so well compared to the recently relegated Prem teams, Wolves, Blackburn, Bolton, Birmingham, Blackpool ect, all with big budgets and parachute payments. Even against the established Championship sides we are punching above our weight.

I don't mind having to win ugly to get promotion. We can talk about winning beautifully when we can realistically compete financially in the Prem.

That is not to say that playing ugly is the strategy before each game, but I just want the points anyway we can get them, by hook or by crook at this stage of the season.

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jockithenoo says...
1:39pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Hovite wrote:
Have to agree with old codger on this.

We are doing so well compared to the recently relegated Prem teams, Wolves, Blackburn, Bolton, Birmingham, Blackpool ect, all with big budgets and parachute payments. Even against the established Championship sides we are punching above our weight.

I don't mind having to win ugly to get promotion. We can talk about winning beautifully when we can realistically compete financially in the Prem.

That is not to say that playing ugly is the strategy before each game, but I just want the points anyway we can get them, by hook or by crook at this stage of the season.
Even the top teams in the prem have to won ugly
Bring it on a wins a win
UTA !

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fansince57 says...
1:57pm Thu 28 Feb 13

3 pts is what matters most. We should attack strongly from the start - score an early goal and the game changes, the other team cannot then just defend if they want to avoid going home pointless.

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raymondo999 says...
3:40pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Greaves, Pele, Georgie Best, Johan Cruyff, Paul Gascoigne, even Peter Ward. Seen them all and treasure the memories. Cant tell you who won or lost, but I'm an old romantic. Seen Albion go up, go down, go up, go down... no big deal. You all get down to the Amex for 3 ugly points.

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VegasSeagull says...
5:40pm Thu 28 Feb 13

In my uneducated opinion, one of the ingredients needed, NOT to have a, 'ugly,' performance is pace.

When pace is injected into our game, pace combined with good ball control, we look far more dangerous.

With Buckley recovering from injury and CMS out of form, we have reduced our ability to inject pace.
Lua Lua had a run out with the DS earlier this week, maybe Gus is considering using him on saturday.

Teams are starting to press high on the park, the ball over the top can be devastating to those that press high, but the person hoping for that ball must have pace to make the most of it.

I am looking for a speedy win on saturday.

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Chi Gull says...
5:55pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Some teams press high up the pitch some sit back. We need to be prepared for either tactic and adapt our play on the day. That's what a really good team does. I like to think Vicente has the ability to unpick any defence. Ideally you want to play attractive football and win, but it can't be like that every week. All Bruno is saying is we may have to win ugly again, but I am sure they won't set out for it to be that way. An early goal or two for us and the whole situation changes. Its exciting either way.

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Seagulls Over Surrey (SOS) says...
6:06pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Give me ugly any day of the week if it means 3 points!!

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namgo49 says...
6:14pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Bruno's performances have been decidedly wishy washy & wayward of late. Not sure he is up for the challenge. I too think Calderon is a better bet.

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allbarnunn says...
7:28pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Does anyone know why we made Bruno captain!? Surely the way to not play ugly is to play at high tempo in the opponents area. Sounds like excuses before the game has eben started. Positive thinking would be good

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raymondo999 says...
7:57pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Seagulls Over Surrey (SOS) wrote:
Give me ugly any day of the week if it means 3 points!!
Sad sad person

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raymondo999 says...
8:05pm Thu 28 Feb 13

As a long time football supporter and an Albion follower of 40 years, I find myself so much at odds with people who post here that I am reluctantly announcing my retirement. No more from me. Enjoy your 3 points even if its ugly. In fact why bother watching at all?

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dave from bexill says...
8:23pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Sorry to sound thick, but what does playing/winning ugly actually mean?

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Hovite says...
8:26pm Thu 28 Feb 13

raymondo999, I don't think anyone wants ugly football, but this is the business end of the season and if promotion ends up ugly I will take it.

The next three games are against teams battling for their lives to avoid relegation so it may not be pretty.

Don't announce your retirement just yet, we may beat them with style.

I am sure if we ended up getting promoted ugly, you would take it?

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tonytowner1 says...
9:35pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Hovite wrote:
Have to agree with old codger on this.

We are doing so well compared to the recently relegated Prem teams, Wolves, Blackburn, Bolton, Birmingham, Blackpool ect, all with big budgets and parachute payments. Even against the established Championship sides we are punching above our weight.

I don't mind having to win ugly to get promotion. We can talk about winning beautifully when we can realistically compete financially in the Prem.

That is not to say that playing ugly is the strategy before each game, but I just want the points anyway we can get them, by hook or by crook at this stage of the season.
Good points Hovite. However, as an analogy, Andy Murray has done far better under Lendl as a coach through passionate belief in his ability and skill levels, aggression and take it to the opposition and a considerably improved mindset. His previous coach, Brad Gilbert wrote a book named along the lines of "Win Ugly" - given the players we have, the coach, the system we play, passing game etc, as it is, we are at time (or should be) able to do a "Swansea on Bradford" and therefore decide in our minds to be 2 - 0 up by half time as 4 of the 5 teams above us have done on several occasions this season, with that sort of goal difference. It's about belief and it'll happen. Let's not overdo the ugliness I reckon. But of course agreed, there's only ever 3 points on offer and that's all that matters. Route a) above may even see us get 2nd place, you never know!!

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VegasSeagull says...
10:18pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Tony I don't think Brighton would take to the pitch intedning to play, 'ugly.' We would want to play our game, and our game is not ugly, the problem is, the opposition will try to stop us doing what we do best and if they can, it is they who will determine whether or not the game turns out, 'ugly.'

It will be interesting just how many free kicks we are awarded in non danger areas, stop the flow of the game and you stop stylish football.

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Hovite says...
10:38pm Thu 28 Feb 13

tony I see what you are saying but do you remember when Glen Hoddle had his spritual advisor brought in to coach the England players about self belief and being mental ready for winning.

I was at the Blackburn 1-1 game and we were a joy to watch, so I know we can get it right which is good enough for me. However I would not swap the 3 points against Burnley for a great losing performance.

We have to look at the whole season in context and take the good, the bad and the ugly into account and hopefully overall it will be a good season.

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CantUseNSCatWork says...
4:21pm Fri 1 Mar 13

raymondo999 wrote:
As a long time football supporter and an Albion follower of 40 years, I find myself so much at odds with people who post here that I am reluctantly announcing my retirement. No more from me. Enjoy your 3 points even if its ugly. In fact why bother watching at all?
So come midday on March 17th, you would rather we played with beauty and flair and get spanked, than play ugly and win 1-0?

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