Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018-2019

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Originally Posted by Seagull

I feel like I should reply but don't really know what to say. There's not much I can say really and it doesn't sound like you want to hear an alternative take. When we signed Jahanbakhsh it was surreal and great to see interest in our club from abroad, as we've never had that really, certainly not to this extent. I guess the reality is hitting home now that for many outsiders being a poor Premier League side means you are rubbish. It's just a radically different take on it from me, as this is the best squad we've had in my lifetime and we're playing in the top tier for the 2nd time in my lifetime. It is literally a dream come true to be where we are at. There's nothing we can do about Alireza choosing to play for us and I don't see why should we turn on a manager who has achieved so much for us.

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I think some of us are frustrated that Jahanbakhsh hasn't been featured yet when he is BHA's biggest signing and supposed marquee player. Especially when we see Solly March week in, week out. I respect CH and BHA as a club, and I truly believe CH believes he is acting in the club's best interests, but we are just impatient fans that want to see our golden boy shine, like we know he can.

I, for one, am very grateful for your presence, along with all other BHA fans here on this board, including BHAFC, Perseus, and many more. This is just growing pains that we will look back on when Jahanbakhsh is starting and performing well for BHA. Please don't take any offence. None is intended.

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Originally Posted by Seagull

I feel like I should reply but don't really know what to say. There's not much I can say really and it doesn't sound like you want to hear an alternative take. When we signed Jahanbakhsh it was surreal and great to see interest in our club from abroad, as we've never had that really, certainly not to this extent. I guess the reality is hitting home now that for many outsiders being a poor Premier League side means you are rubbish. It's just a radically different take on it from me, as this is the best squad we've had in my lifetime and we're playing in the top tier for the 2nd time in my lifetime. It is literally a dream come true to be where we are at. There's nothing we can do about Alireza choosing to play for us and I don't see why should we turn on a manager who has achieved so much for us.

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And this is a totally valid point. To brighton fans where you guys are at right now is fantastic, especially in comparison to previous years. But in the grand scheme of things, we arent brighton fans. We, on the forum, are fans of the iranian national team. That is what unites us. And for the benefit of our national team, we want two things only from our players AT CLUB LEVEL:

1- To be PLAYING. Consistently. It doesnt help our NT if a player is benched every week then plays for our NT without being in top form.
2- To be AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL they can be, in terms of team.

If at least one of these is being fulfilled, it will give satisfaction to most of us. For example, its obvious at a big team the competition is much harder. Our young right back sadegh moharrami recently moved to dinamo zagreb, and is only playing in league matches ATM, hasnt got minutes in CL qualifiers or Europa League. But thats ok because we know his limitations and he has competition in that role that we can legitimately and fairly say is better than him in some aspects of the game, especially for higher level and intensity matches.

But currently, ARJ is doing neither. As evidenced by Napoli and Leicester's well documented pursuits of him in the summer, he could easily have ended up at a bigger club. So he is NOT in the highest level team he could be. But that would be acceptable, if there he was playing. Not only is he not playing, but the players keeping him out of the side are, from an objective point of view, inferior to him in terms of quality. In every department.

On top of that its not like Brighton are lighting the world on fire atm. The combo of these factors is where the frustration arises from.

I trust that ARJ is more patient with his career choices than many of us on this forum would be. I would rather him play in a team like Brighton (mid/bottom table) with a manager like Hughton and character of players like Knockaert/Gross than a team like Manchester United with a manager like Mourinho and players like Pogba.
I realize no one here ever said he could/should play for ManU, I'm using it as an example of the extreme (strong club, poor character of players and manager). The character of your club and people in the organization matters. Brighton is playing smart, not blowing their load on transfers they can barely afford (Wolverhampton/Fulham). Instead they invest in people that can work together to build a sustainable team. They're playing the long game of staying up in the league while skirting the bottom to make sure they are a profitable club. Insolvency is rampant in top flight football across the world because teams are less responsible and forward thinking than Brighton is being. If ARJ gets to establish himself in the history of the organization (nekounam, hashemian), I would rather that than he go to a big club and disappear in anonymity (daei, karimi).
Again, I'm thankful ARJ has more patience with his career than we do. I'm glad he surrounds himself with people of good character that are personally interested in him having a successful career as well -you don't get much of that at the bigger clubs either.

It's barely even been two months... Let's chill a bit?

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Originally Posted by Seagull

Yeah sounds promising. West Brom fans have nothing but praise for the job he did there. Tony Bloom seems to place a lot of emphasis on getting the best non-playing staff you can get as Paul Barber is very respected in the game too. Hopefully he'll help us to grow and further establish ourselves at this level.

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Ye I’ve heard alpt of your backroom staff etc are well respected, I’m married into a family of Baggies season ticket holders and they have a lot of praise for him.

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Originally Posted by oreosx11

I trust that ARJ is more patient with his career choices than many of us on this forum would be. I would rather him play in a team like Brighton (mid/bottom table) with a manager like Hughton and character of players like Knockaert/Gross than a team like Manchester United with a manager like Mourinho and players like Pogba.
I realize no one here ever said he could/should play for ManU, I'm using it as an example of the extreme (strong club, poor character of players and manager). The character of your club and people in the organization matters. Brighton is playing smart, not blowing their load on transfers they can barely afford (Wolverhampton/Fulham). Instead they invest in people that can work together to build a sustainable team. They're playing the long game of staying up in the league while skirting the bottom to make sure they are a profitable club. Insolvency is rampant in top flight football across the world because teams are less responsible and forward thinking than Brighton is being. If ARJ gets to establish himself in the history of the organization (nekounam, hashemian), I would rather that than he go to a big club and disappear in anonymity (daei, karimi).
Again, I'm thankful ARJ has more patience with his career than we do. I'm glad he surrounds himself with people of good character that are personally interested in him having a successful career as well -you don't get much of that at the bigger clubs either.
It's barely even been two months... Let's chill a bit?

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The thing is, after tomorrow's game BHAFC might be at complete bottom of the table :(. Brace yourselves guy. Leicester looks good just about now!

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Originally Posted by scuderia

The thing is, after tomorrow's game BHAFC might be at complete bottom of the table :(. Brace yourselves guy. Leicester looks good just about now!

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To be fair to Brighton they have had a tough start to the fixture list playing Liverpool, Spurs, United and Man City (all the top 4 last season) so early on in their season. Any point they can get from these games is a plus and so their more important games will be coming up and this is when they can be truly be judged.
But as Seagull said this is only their second season in the Premier League, if they were to finish 17th by a point and stay up then I think most Brighton fans would take that. They are putting a lot of things in place behind the scenes to make them stronger going forward.
Alireza picked the club for a reason, I’m guessing he was told that he would have to fight his way for a place in the team but that is something he has done his whole career , he hasn’t taken the easy option.
Am I frustrated for him, course I am. As a fan of his I know what he can do, know his quality and hope he plays every game for them but we must be patient. This will be a difficult season for him in club football because he is at a new club in what is arguably the greatest league in the world and also will be interrupted by the Asian Cup which ideally he doesn’t need right now as he will have to fight his way back into the team again when he is back.
Yes our views differ with some Brighton fans because we have followed him during his career, we have seen his assists and his wonder goals and I hope they get to see it too.

Impressed with sound comments for both "patient" and "less patient" sides on this forum. I am patient and I am adamant that ARJ is a good addition to the starting line-up in place of March on Saturday match against Man City because of his defensive acumen developed under CQ and his speed plus passing and shot accuracy for counterattacks when the opportunity arises in the game. Of course, I am making assumptions about CH's game plan against Man City.

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Originally Posted by scuderia

The thing is, after tomorrow's game BHAFC might be at complete bottom of the table :(. Brace yourselves guy. Leicester looks good just about now!

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It's mathematically impossible for BHA to be at the bottom of the table after this matchday. And as noted by Medzdidz, they had a very tough schedule to start the season. It lightens up considerably after this matchday. West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves, Everton, Cardiff City, Leicester City, Huddersfield and Crystal Palace (the rivalry match!).

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Originally Posted by KasraKhan

It's mathematically impossible for BHA to be at the bottom of the table after this matchday. And as noted by Medzdidz, they had a very tough schedule to start the season. It lightens up considerably after this matchday. West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves, Everton, Cardiff City, Leicester City, Huddersfield and Crystal Palace (the rivalry match!).

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Crunch time coming up.

Asian Cup means missing games against Man U, Liverpool, Fulham and Watford



It might also involve missing games against West Ham and Everton as well?

38 - 12 = max of 26 starts, so a goal tally of 8 would be exceptional in his first season.

José Izquierdo made 23 starts and 9 substitute appearnaces and scored 5 with 3 assists last season.

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Originally Posted by KasraKhan

It's mathematically impossible for BHA to be at the bottom of the table after this matchday. And as noted by Medzdidz, they had a very tough schedule to start the season. It lightens up considerably after this matchday. West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves, Everton, Cardiff City, Leicester City, Huddersfield and Crystal Palace (the rivalry match!).

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check again :), ps: bottom of the table for me means RELEGATION ZONE. It is 100% possible! ALSO if the bottom 3 teams win and BHAFC loses (which they will) then they are TIED for last with points. Probably not on goal difference but you get my point!