Scott McCarthy: Will we be uttering 'Typical Brighton' this season?

It is mainly deployed when a seemingly simple task is completely hashed or something that defies all logic happens.

The most recent example of “Typical Brighton” was blowing a seven point lead with three games to go to hand Newcastle the title. Nine years ago was my personal favourite, losing 1-0 at home to nine-man Walsall and three days later knocking Manchester City out of the League Cup.

City are the opening day opponents for the Albion and it could produce the latest “Typical Brighton” moment. City pose as tough a test as the Albion could face. So I am fully expecting us to win that game, adding more fuel to the optimism fire that has seen some supporters predicting a top ten finish.

That is of course until we lose the next five “easier” games at Leicester, Watford and Bournemouth and home to West Brom and Newcastle. Typical Brighton.

Those may all take place before Autumn arrives but getting points on the board early will be vital. A run-in featuring games at Palace, Burnley and Liverpool, with Spurs and Manchester United to visit the Amex looks daunting. Getting to the 40 point mark sooner rather than later is imperative.

Reading this so far you are probably thinking “What negativity!” So here is a big dose of positivity – I think we will stay up, as long as two things happen.

One is that we sign a striker. Middlesbrough showed that you can’t stay up by just trying to not concede. Glenn Murray, Sam Baldock and Tomer Hemed were superb last season, but it would be a surprise if they were enough to fire us to safety. Defences win you games, goals will keep you up.

Second is Chris Hughton. Hughton became unpopular at Norwich due to negative football, something we experienced when he first took over and we limped to Championship safety, at one point scoring only once in six games – through a Matt Kilgallon own goal at Blackburn. If Hughton reverts to that, then we might be in trouble.

Away against the big boys then, avoiding getting battered is sensible but at home – where we will get most of our points –let’s go with what got us promoted. Two up front, two wingers and attacking intent.

That way, even if we go down we will have done it in style and with plenty of entertainment along the way. And that would be typical Brighton.

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