Brighton frustrating and frustrated

We are now unbeaten in our last 4 games, 3 in the Championship, but in the league we have both conceded and scored just the one goal in this sequence of draws. Last night against managerless Cardiff we started brightly and clearly under orders to be more direct in the final third. This did result in a goal- a spectacular one – from the unlikely source of right back Bruno, who not unlike Van Basten’s, hit a cushion volley over Marshall’s head. My neighbour thought it was meant as a cross. Hardly had we scored then we conceded. Stockdale had a rush of blood and came flying off his line to compete with Kenwyn Jones who, beating him to the ball, scored. My neighbour. an amateur keeper, and I agreed that when a keeper does commit himself like this he makes up the mind of the forward. Had he stayed in his box then Jones would have to win the ball and still decide what to do. It was poor and costly judgment from Stockdale. Conversely the Cardiff keeper David Marshall had a fine game and made a series of important saves to earn his side a point.

We are not playing badly. The central defensive axis of Greer and Dunk is strong. There are plenty of options in midfield. The problem is having sold Ulloa to Leicester – where he is the division’s second top scorer – we have not replaced him. None of the 3 forwards Colunga, Baldock and O’Grady have even scored in the Championship and now Mackail Smith is injured the lack of firepower is even more worrying.