Mark Brailsford’s el clasico joy
Were you there? It was one of those occasions that will live long in the memory. Not only did Albion beat arch rivals Crystal Palace, but they did it in style. The atmosphere was fantastic despite the midday kick-off on a Sunday.
A record crowd witnessed many special moments not least two goals from the adored Leo Ulloa, surely now a fully fledged Seagull legend. The performance of the whole team was something to savour. Gus and the team knew what it meant to the fans. It was great to see the team giving that extra bit of bite in the tackle, that extra lung-busting stride to reach the ball; this was a side feeding off the passion of the crowd, as the goal celebration of David showed. When ‘Spanish Dave’s’ wonderful free kick bounced into the net off the bar, David set off on a celebratory run holding out the blue and white stripes to the masses, which endeared him even more to the delirious Albion support. ‘Spanish Dave’ is now also rapidly becoming an Albion favourite. Despite the pre-match nerves in the stands, there was encouragement from the team line-up: two wingers! At last, cried many, even though it did look a tad shallow in the midfield as a consequence.
“This was a side feeding off the passion of the crowd”
The formation required the whole team to play well and this they did after an uneven first half, where Palace could have been two goals up. LuaLua was, for some, equally deserving of the ‘Man of the Match’ award and it is to be hoped that his performance warrants inclusion when matches resume after the international break.
Even if Albion don’t make the play-offs, this will be seen as a season of progress. Everyone would have been more than happy if the season had ended with this result. However, there is a bigger picture. This morale-boosting result put Albion, who remain just outside the top six, level on points with Leicester City who are due to visit the Amex for the proverbial promotion six-pointer. If Albion win that game and the crazy results that seem to befall the top six keep occurring as they have, it is not inconceivable that Albion could finish in the top six. There is only one downside: we may have to witness Albion Vs Crystal Palace in the play offs and I’m not sure my nerves could take it.
Next up: Nottingham Forest away
After the international hiatus, battle commences at The City Ground where a resurgent Nottingham Forest present a tough challenge for Gus and the team. Since Billy Davies arrived for a second stint as manager, Forest have charged up the table and put themselves in a great position to secure a play-off spot. The Albion may have something to say about this and Forest will be nervous about facing The Seagulls after the fantastic win against arch rivals Crystal Palace. That Hull City were beaten away will give Forest confidence but Albion will fancy a point from this game in advance of a crucial six pointer against Leicester City. Albion struggled against the likes of Bristol City and Barnsley who are at the wrong end of the table but have started to acquire the handy knack of doing well at top teams – just look at the Cardiff result. If Albion can get a draw or even a win, then the excitement will start to build for what could be a memorable end to the season.
